A Lost Valentine - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Bêthberry · 02-13-2006, 10:09 PM

No, this is not a reference to a currently popular American television show.

As Fea has reminded us , Valentines is older than St. Valentine.

What? you say! A festival devoted to flaying young women and sacrificing goats and warding off wolves! Is this something for Eomer's thread? Well, I wouldn't be surprised if something showed up there....

But, no, this is something completely lost. I've heard tales of its profound decadence and utter silliness. 'tis said to be one of the earlier signs of mirth here on the Downs, but is a thread lost, link broken, gone to where all good virtual writing goes, wh ich apparently is beyond the circles of electrical wiring.

I speak of Squatter's Lupercalia thread. And in honour of St. Valentine's Day I am sending out a general plea to all Downers, should anyone have a copy of it stashed away in the archives of their inboxes, or stored in Word, to resurrect the thread here.

You see, it started just before I joined the Downs and maybe even was closed by TPTB and then was lost in forum shuffles. And I am so very curious about it...

Can anyone help? Does anyone have a hatch wherein one may find old files? Share the love!

Lush · 02-13-2006, 10:19 PM

Oh dear. I've switched, like, two computers since then!

Bêthberry · 02-14-2006, 05:53 AM

Well, if no one can resurrect that thread, here's a valentine for all the Downers in memory of it, a chocolate wolf:

Feanor of the Peredhil · 02-14-2006, 08:47 AM

I feel so young... Is its a story reserved for you elder Wights, or can I beg a listen?

JennyHallu · 02-14-2006, 08:56 AM

I'm sorry...hope it's not just me, but I prefer to have a massively commercialized holiday involving hearts and chocolate to one in which women line up to be whipped for fertility.

yeouch.

What's the big problem with Christians developing a tradition of worship on a traditionally pagan holiday? Just because the Romans thought they should dress up in skins and beat each other doesn't mean it was a good idea. There is no Roman Empire, and there is absolutely no evidence that the Romans were any better than anybody else.

Bêthberry · 02-14-2006, 09:47 AM

My dear Fea, I am so pleased to see that something I have done has made a young college student feel even younger. Perhaps you could reciprocate for the benefit of all us old time Downers?

But alas, it lies not in my power to tell the tale, as I have only heard of it. I understand it was a very literary thread, augmented by the likes of many venerable Downers in the past, such as the departed Miriel and Maril and goldwine, possibly Lush and Mr. Underhill. Certainly the venerable Squatter--Downers whose wit and sense of humour often livened the occasion rather than bogged it down with heady analysis as the Books forum sometimes these days is wont to see.

I had thought, you see, since this is the forum for remembrances of things past, I would offer a valentine to a mythic thread now known only in oral tradition. A bit of a tease I guess. What is lost can only be recovered, I suppose, with speculation and theories.

02-13-2006, 10:09 PM	#1
Bêthberry Cryptic Aura Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 5,996	A Lost Valentine No, this is not a reference to a currently popular American television show. As Fea has reminded us , Valentines is older than St. Valentine. What? you say! A festival devoted to flaying young women and sacrificing goats and warding off wolves! Is this something for Eomer's thread? Well, I wouldn't be surprised if something showed up there.... But, no, this is something completely lost. I've heard tales of its profound decadence and utter silliness. 'tis said to be one of the earlier signs of mirth here on the Downs, but is a thread lost, link broken, gone to where all good virtual writing goes, wh ich apparently is beyond the circles of electrical wiring. I speak of Squatter's Lupercalia thread. And in honour of St. Valentine's Day I am sending out a general plea to all Downers, should anyone have a copy of it stashed away in the archives of their inboxes, or stored in Word, to resurrect the thread here. You see, it started just before I joined the Downs and maybe even was closed by TPTB and then was lost in forum shuffles. And I am so very curious about it... Can anyone help? Does anyone have a hatch wherein one may find old files? Share the love! __________________ I’ll sing his roots off. I’ll sing a wind up and blow leaf and branch away.

02-13-2006, 10:19 PM	#2
Lush Fair and Cold Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: the big onion Posts: 1,770	Oh dear. I've switched, like, two computers since then! __________________ ~The beginning is the word and the end is silence. And in between are all the stories. This is one of mine~

02-14-2006, 05:53 AM	#3
Bêthberry Cryptic Aura Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 5,996	Well, if no one can resurrect that thread, here's a valentine for all the Downers in memory of it, a chocolate wolf: __________________ I’ll sing his roots off. I’ll sing a wind up and blow leaf and branch away. Last edited by Bêthberry; 03-27-2007 at 06:28 PM.

02-14-2006, 08:47 AM	#4
Feanor of the Peredhil La Belle Dame sans Merci Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: perpetual uncertainty Posts: 5,517	I feel so young... Is its a story reserved for you elder Wights, or can I beg a listen? __________________ peace

02-14-2006, 08:56 AM	#5
JennyHallu The Pearl, The Lily Maid Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: In my luxury Barrow, snuggled up in a pile of satin pillows, eating fresh fruit. Posts: 1,628	I'm sorry...hope it's not just me, but I prefer to have a massively commercialized holiday involving hearts and chocolate to one in which women line up to be whipped for fertility. yeouch. What's the big problem with Christians developing a tradition of worship on a traditionally pagan holiday? Just because the Romans thought they should dress up in skins and beat each other doesn't mean it was a good idea. There is no Roman Empire, and there is absolutely no evidence that the Romans were any better than anybody else. __________________ <=== Lookee, lookee, lots of IM handles!

02-14-2006, 09:47 AM	#6
Bêthberry Cryptic Aura Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 5,996	My dear Fea, I am so pleased to see that something I have done has made a young college student feel even younger. Perhaps you could reciprocate for the benefit of all us old time Downers? But alas, it lies not in my power to tell the tale, as I have only heard of it. I understand it was a very literary thread, augmented by the likes of many venerable Downers in the past, such as the departed Miriel and Maril and goldwine, possibly Lush and Mr. Underhill. Certainly the venerable Squatter--Downers whose wit and sense of humour often livened the occasion rather than bogged it down with heady analysis as the Books forum sometimes these days is wont to see. I had thought, you see, since this is the forum for remembrances of things past, I would offer a valentine to a mythic thread now known only in oral tradition. A bit of a tease I guess. What is lost can only be recovered, I suppose, with speculation and theories. __________________ I’ll sing his roots off. I’ll sing a wind up and blow leaf and branch away.