Amidst the midsommer poles which bedeck the whole Duchy, the good people ofof Tradgardland celebrate the longest day and St John the Baptist too.On the heath, amidst the pavillions of blue and rose,the golden herring banners are waving easily in the breeze. The shooting contest is over,the splintered wooden boars lie on their sides and the pulley crews take their ease Outside the largest pavillion the crowds gather,silence falls as Karl Frederick climbs onto a table to address the throngs.
"My good people.Let me give you joy of this day,joy of Midsommer to one and all! ( much cheering and hats thrown heavenwards)
Today we have seen fine sport with boar and rifle. Today I welcome back my prodigal son,see him shoot as the best of all contenders and will soon kill for him the fattened calf!
Good people the night of merrymaking awaits so I will be but brief, I shall detain you but a little longer.
I have three announcements to make . Firstly my son and heir is be colonel propritor of The Gamekeepr,s regiment by virtue of his markmanship In his honour the regiment shall now be known as the Midsommer Regiment. Secondly we enter a period of everlasting peace and felecity with our neighbours of Hesse -engleberg . (gasps and mumuring....)
Together we stand like pillars supporting all that is good and against all that is evil. Thirdly as we speaks agents of the Duchy are making agreements of concord with Gallia which shall see us into a new golden age.The Arts - spiritual,temporal and martial will flourish as never before and (Karl Frederick's words are drowned in a cacphony of noise)
Postmaster, may a record of my words be sent to the four corners of the kindom and nailed upon the door of every church in the land!"
The Duke is helped from the table and back into the tent. The midsommer night awaits his presence. The cheering subsides, the crowds drift away to give themselves over to celebration. Post riders set off with the proclamation in a flurry of hooves and dust
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