[Bards] Youth Bardic?

[Quill]

I was fortunate to have just reached the age of majority by the time I
really started getting into SCA; however, being thus young I'm acutely aware
of the difficulties in being an older youth (high school jr/sr) and trying
to participate in events.

Acquaintances just a few months younger than me have a hard time staying
interested in SCA when they aren't allowed to really participate in half of
what goes on; because of this I've taken an interest in the various "youth"
activities available.

Furthermore, my brothers, even at elementary and preschool ages, show a
great deal of bardic spirit (of "awen", if you will) which I regularly
nurture.

But I wonder now, is there an avenue for these talents to be expressed? I'll
admit I haven't been at this long, and attended few Bardic anything, still
from what I've seen I wouldn't want either babe present, personally.

On the one hand, there IS a difference in appropriate entertainment for
children and for adults. I mean, fun as it is to have two little voices
scream MACINTYRE! from the back of the car on long journeys, neither I nor
my parents are exactly thrilled that they can belt out drinking songs better
than they know their ABC's... And there's a lot of subject matter in even
our most common stories and songs which mightn't be deemed entirely
suitable. On the other hand, there are different levels of tolerance in
parents. Still, one should err on the side of caution...

Propriety aside, kids just don't really care about sex and drinking. BUT,
give them The Unicorn Song, or even Ring 'round The Rosy (black death =
fun?) and they can go on for hours. and they haven't the stamina to sing the
sun out of the sky and back again.

I think I'm starting to digress. My point is, I want to know if there's any
consideration for youth in Bardic? (And by youth I mean everyone from
toddlers in T-tunics to guys like me who are standing on the edge of that
sudden [voice] drop.)

While we grownups have our fun drinking and crowing late into the night,
what of the wee ones who start to drop before sunset? While the Bards are
busy with their epic poems and randy rounds, have we no four-minute fairy
tales and clever teaching rhymes for the bardlings? Isn't this an art we
ought to encourage from early ages?

Just curious.
/Quill
(the apparently alliterative)


"On the outside Trelac blue,
but to kingdom I am true;
Azure is but armor for
the Sable soul and heart of Or!"
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