Wednesday 2 March 2016

Love and Kisses



I don’t know how true the story is. I wasn’t there when it happened, and neither were you. But it’s a persistent tale. Even the most improbable legend has a grain of truth at its root. Two hours from Frankfurt there’s a town called Weinsberg. Above the town is a conical hill covered with grape vines and topped by castle ruins. In 1140 the castle was besieged by Konrad III. December 21, when the inhabitants surrendered, the king permitted the women to leave with whatever they could carry. According to the legend, each woman left the castle carrying her husband on her back. The king was bound by his word, so the men (the married ones, at least) were saved. I don’t think I’d get far with John slung across my shoulders. Maybe after a long siege, neither of us would weigh what we do now. Either way, we’re both pretty lucky to have been born eight centuries later.

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