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From present ideas to party food, find all your Christmas inspiration here.

Christmas

Good King Wenceslas

12 replies

catepilarr · 26/12/2009 20:03

Does anyone know why there is a Christmas Carol about King Wenceslas in English? Would really love to know that!

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NonnoMum · 26/12/2009 20:16

I don't know if it is a translation, or just happens to be written in English, but apparently he was a real, respected King (Czech?).
If you are ever in Prague you can walk across the Wenceslas bridge.
Don't know why it's in English, but why not? All traditions merge a bit, don't they?

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catepilarr · 26/12/2009 20:32

I find it interesting to have an English carol about a Czech King but somehow dont get it why you have it?
It's not a translation, the words were written by an Englishman. There is no czech christmas carol about StWenceslas - and yes, he was a well respectuful Czech king and he is a saint and a patron of Bohemia.
And the Bridge is called Charles Bridge after a different Czech King and I can walk accross it every day if I wanted :DDDD

And by the way I am impressed by your knowledge!

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WeThreeNinks · 26/12/2009 20:34

God you are both very cultured

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NonnoMum · 26/12/2009 22:32

Oh yes - Charles Bridge - sorry - touch the special bit for me, won't you? (Forgot what it means - good health?)

Went to my Grandma's Nursing Home for a sing-along a few days ago. The entertainer/singer was doing lots of Christmas songs and carols and had a bit of "background" about each one.

Another bit of trivia I learnt that day... "White Christmas" was the first million selling popular song... If only I could be on "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" then I wouldn't have to worry about returning to work after Maternity Leave. They could do with a mummy on it, don't you think, instead of all the old geezers!

Happy Christmas!

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catepilarr · 27/12/2009 11:04

you need to make a wish i think, touching the shiny place on the statue.

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fortyplus · 27/12/2009 12:25

Poor old Kind Wenceslas was murdered 3 days after the Feast of Stephen

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fortyplus · 27/12/2009 12:26

oops... King, obv... but I expect he was kind as well as he was 'good' KW!

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Ivykaty44 · 27/12/2009 12:34

I found this

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CitizenPrecious · 27/12/2009 12:42

my mum told me when I was little that Good King Wenceslas was really a twunt and he got one of his minions to write the carol saying what a Great Bloke he was as a propaganda excercise!

Thank you for clearing that up for me. I have now recategorised him as a goody in my mental Goody/Baddy file

What's next? spose you'll be telling me he didn't really fall out of his bedroom winder on to a red hot cinder?

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fanjolina · 27/12/2009 13:37

And I know how he liked his pizza...

Deep pan, crisp and even

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NonnoMum · 27/12/2009 14:42

LOL fanjolina
and LOL at name too!

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catepilarr · 27/12/2009 18:17

CitizenPrecious - he was murdered by his nasty brother boleslav as he was coming out of a church.

ivykathy - your link is great! thank you.

obviously i know who he was (he is our most important saint after all;) btw the legend says that he comes out to save the czech nation when it comes to the worst), i know about where the words and tune come from but i couldnt find out WHY there is an english christmas carol about him.