First I was featured in Editorials, and when I asked for that to stop I’m now on Writers. I’m filing this under Scotland. Perhaps I’ll be featured on that next. The photo is of Glasgow Cathedral, an early and perhaps best photo I took in our months there.
Permit me to tell you a highly distilled version of the story. St. Mungo came to Glasgow from Ireland in the 5th century. That was not his name. The Scot King gave his Queen a gold ring. She bestowed it upon a member of the King’s army. While everyone was sleeping the King took the ring off the soldier’s finger and threw it into the Firth (river) of Clyde.
Upon returning to his castle the King demanded the Queen present him with the ring he gave to her else be killed. She confessed and gave penance to St. Mungo.
He asked one of his priests to go to the Firth of Clyde and fish. The first fish he caught, he brought back to St. Mungo. It had the gold ring in it’s jaw. The Queen returned the ring to the King and her life was spared.
To this day this is the logo and motto of Glasgow. The fish, the tree (of life), the bird and the ring. For the life of me I don’t remember the bird but (help me Karen) the motto is Let Glasgow Flourish. I loved our time there. It is a “working man’s” city with lovely architecture and we were steps from the main square. Trains to everywhere, a traveler’s (not a tourist’s) paradise. Plus we had great guides, thanks Karen and Jack.
St. Mungo
Cooking with Dee 