Caught in an Endless Dance
A Personal Intermezzo
To my dear readers, first and foremost, I apologize for the radio silence. Much like the fabled figures from Arthurian tales I explore in Applied Mythology, I've been swept up in my own series of quests and adventures around fatherhood. Thankfully, I’ve found a serene moment to reconnect with my writing and pen some thoughts for you.
Imagine a medieval omnibus edition of your favorite comic book, collecting decades of your best-loved heroes’ storylines. That’s the Lancelot-Grail Vulgate and Post-Vulgate Cycles—nearly two thousand pages of non-stop adventuring led by Sir Lancelot and starring the rest of King Arthur’s court in their relentless pursuit of the Grail.
Within this vast treasure trove, a side quest nestled in Chapter 150 has always stood out to me: "After Further Adventures, Lancelot is Trapped in a Magic Dance". Though the episode unfolds right after Sir Lancelot is raped (for the first time) by Elaine of Corbenic (it happens again in Chapter 176), the ensuing narrative is surprisingly wholesome.
Our tale begins as most do—with Lancelot dismissing a "Do Not Enter" sign and wandering deep into an ominous forest. Instead of the expected beast or villainous knight, he stumbles upon a mesmerizing scene: a radiant group of people, locked in a perpetual feast and dance. The enchantment is palpable, drawing Lancelot into its snare. The dance becomes his world, and so he forgets his main quest.
Yet, Lancelot's salvation and the key to breaking the spell lie in a golden crown presented to him—a crown that once adorned the head of his late father, King Ban. Upon his rejection of it, memories flood back to the entranced dancers, and they hail Lancelot as their savior from the curse of the endless dance.
In a poignant flashback, we learn of King Ban's chance encounter with a group of dancing ladies in that same spot, many years ago. Smitten by one of the maiden’s beauty, a young magician in his entourage pledged to eternalize the dancing she enjoyed so much to win her heart. To do so, he cast a spell forcing any passersby who had known true love to join their party and to dance with them forever. Things eventually go awry1, as they are wont to do, when both the limerent magician and his lady die, leaving the captured maidens and knights dancing ad infinitum.
However, every spell has its failsafe. King Ban's crown, left behind with the young lovers, held the promise it would someday crown the world's greatest knight and shatter the enchantment. In donning it, Lancelot doesn't merely rescue the trapped souls whose only fault it was to know the depth of love; he also reconnects with the powerful memory and affection of his father.
May 14, 2023 (onward)
Like the magician’s maiden, the newborn lady of the castle makes it clear that her happiness is found in dancing, and the man who loves her deeply—her father—promises to partake in that very dance which so delights her and to make it last forever.
Or until she falls asleep. Or until my arms do.
See Key & Peele’s LMFAO skit for a modern take on the cursed eternal dance.
Congrats! So happy for you.