<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML><HEAD>
<META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1">
<META content="MSHTML 6.00.6000.16441" name=GENERATOR>
<STYLE></STYLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY bgColor=#ffffff>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>On Saturday, May 26, the Steppes Eisteddfod was
held. It was an important competition, for the winner was to replace *two*
bards of the Steppes, both of whom had been twice Premier Bard of the Kingdom,
and one of whom was receiving his Laurel that very day.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>We had newer bards, older bards, bards who began
performing in the days of the Principality, even one bard who was performing
before there was a Principality. </FONT><FONT face=Arial size=2>We had
bardic Laurels and other Laurels, Irises, Thistles, journeymen and new
bards. Former Bards of the Steppes, former Premier Bards of Ansteorra, and
the competition was judged by three current and former Premier Bards (comprising
five Premier Bardships).</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>But even against such competition as this, there
were newer, younger bards, like Yagyu Nobunagga, who dared to compete against
bards who'd been winning in Ansteorra since before he was born.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The preliminary competition was held before the
thrones, in front of the displayed arms of all former Bards of the Steppes,
dating to Duke Inman MacMoore, who won the first Steppes bardic competition
a quarter century ago. When you have been Bard of the Steppes, the
Steppes will never stop honoring you.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Sixteen performers dared the challenge of a piece
about horses, pageantry or flags. We heard songs, stories, poems and
sermons.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Master Darius of the Bells told the tale of a
sergeant doing his duty, recognized by Sir Percival, who said, "Give me ten like
that man, and I will face 100 heroes in the field."</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The Honorable Lord Antigonus Bearbait sand the
praises of a lady in the audience.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Duke Jonathan DeLaufyson took the stage, and
commanded our attention before his first word was spoken.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Lord Wiley Quixotic sang to us of Fiddler's
Dream.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Duchess Willow de Wisp spoke form the heart, about
the pageantry of the early days of Ansteorra.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The Honorable Lord Tadhg MacAedain ui
Conchobhain told us a funny, engaging tale from the Norse
myths.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The Honorable Lady Mea Passavanti sang a
wonderfully emotional song, dazzling us with her beautiful voice.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The Honorable Lady Eleanor O'Rourke engaged our
emotions with her poem about pageantry.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Baron Duncan MacGregor sang Finnican's song of
Ansteorra, lifting all of our hearts.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Yogyu Nobunagga told a tale of the Japanese
pageantry of war, that started with the grand sweep and pageantry of an entire
army, and worked its way to the single compelling moment of a single warrior and
a single banner.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Xue Xian told us a moving tale of a silver
horse.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Quill took on one the the most difficult challenges
any bard can attempt -- he sang a song we had just heard, and Finnican's song
lifted our hearts again.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Lady Catrin ferch Maelgwn sang of the Ansteorran
banner -- "gold is the banner and black is the star" -- and made that banner fly
in our hearts.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Isabella Cassidy sang in her lovely voice with cler
conviction. It held me so well that I took no notes at all.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Lucas MacRenall sang in a full, deep,
well-controlled baritone. Good emotion control, good volume
control.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Maggie sang us a song that held me well enough that
I have no notes at all.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The judges of the preliminary rounds were Master
Cadfan ap Morgan and myself. After some deliberation, three finalists were
chosen:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Duchess Willow de Wisp, who has been performing in
the SCA for over a third of a century, former Premier Bard, former Bard of the
Steppes.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The Honorable Lord Tadhg, whose skills have been
impressing more and more people, throughout the kingdom.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Yogyu Nobbunagga, perhaps the newest bard in the
competition, but whose conviction rang through his story.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>That evening, after court, the finalists appeared
before the new Baroness of the Steppes to perform one final piece. I took
no notes (it was dark), but the judges agreed that there were three winning
pieces, and three who deserved to win.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Her Excellency chose the performer who had touched
her heart the most, and Yagyu Nobunagga was named the bard of the
Steppes, the bard who could replace Robin of Gilwell and Finnacan
Dubh.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Robin of Gilwell / Jay Rudin</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV></BODY></HTML>