I had to share this one (before I even finished the episode), because this is such a “working at Ren. Faire” story. I mean, this is 100% what it’s like at any Faire, large or small, behind the scenes. Most people work ridiculously hard through the day. When the public goes home (or hasn’t shown up yet), there’s a fey wildness to the place. Songs, music, poems, jokes, lore, pranks, contests in a constant symphony around you like “Bolero.” With wit and a penchant for the profane highly prized (in most circles, some are decent people). So yeah, it’s EXACTLY like this story. Go volunteer at your local Ren. Faire next summer (contact me on Twitter or Tumblr if you’re in Oregon and want info). You’ll love it. They’re like Critters, but a bit more deranged. Maybe I’ll post some of this year’s hijinks a bit later.
Book info (because I’m a horrible person):
Sam’s Tweet
Amazon link
The first time Sam uses the book is CRC1 Ep076 2:34:53. It’s in the middle of an intense fight so spoiners for Campaign 1.
Scene runs: 53:48 to 55:37
Brian: “First of all, so many questions about the limerick book.”
Taliesin: “Oh lord.”
Brian: “Where did it come from?”
Laura: “It’s so dirty!”
Taliesin: “It’s really awful.”
Laura: “Stop spreading it around. It’s a really terrible book.”
Brian: “If the people ask, I ask.”
Marisha: “You’re just a mouth piece.
Brian: I’m just a mouth- Sorry people.”
Laura, accusingly pointing at Taliesin: “It’s terrible!”
Taliesin: “It is terrible. Well, I didn’t think he’d actually tell anybody about it! It was a birthday gift.”
Marisha: “Why did you- did you- what!?”
Brian: “Of course he’s gonna bring it on the show.”
Taliesin: “I understand how Sam functions, I just haven’t committed it to an automatic reaction to myself, yet, you know what I mean?”
Brian: “Sure, yeah.”
Taliesin: “It’s like having a pet that you know if you set up this mousetrap of events you’re going to get poop on the carpet, but you don’t feel it until it’s too late. And he’s a tough guy to shop for, he’s a very tough guy to shop for, and I’m always happy if I can find that interesting, terrible thing. This is one of the books we used to use when I was a teenager at Ren. Faire as a way to pass the time for what we called the,” air quotes, “Lutheran Sunday Church and choir, which was alcohol and dirty books. But with a Lutheran chaplain that was very loose on what we could bring.”
Marisha: “Classic Lutherans.”
Taliesin: “The Dutch and the Germans at Ren. Faire are just great. That was when we had Winnie the Pooh in Latin, we had a few other fun- a couple of times we’d try to sneak it out for the Catholics so they wouldn’t know they were getting Winnie the Pooh instead of the Bible for their Sunday Mass. This is what you do at Ren. Faires.”
Brian: “Surprise Catholics!”
Taliesin: “Well, It’s [reenactment], it’s Ren Faire!”
1:00:13
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Critical Analysis 