Knights Who Say "Ni!"
Keepers of the sacred words who demand a shrubbery.
The Knights Who Say "Ni!", also known as the Knights of Ni, are a group of knights that King Arthur and his company meet in the 1975 film *Monty Python and the Holy Grail* and the stage musical *Spamalot*. Their power is displayed by yelling "Ni!" (pronounced NEE), which frightens Arthur’s party. The knights block passage through their forest unless they receive a shrubbery as a peace offering.
The knights are seen as dark shapes in a foggy woodland, dressed in robes and horned helmets. At least six are present, though the exact number is unclear. Their leader, portrayed by Michael Palin, is the only one who speaks. He stands nearly twice as tall as Arthur and wears a large helmet with long antlers. The other knights are big but human-sized, wearing visored sallet helmets with cow horns. The leader explains they are the "keepers of the sacred words 'Ni', 'Peng', and 'Neee-Wom'." Arthur quietly tells Sir Bedivere that few who hear those words survive.
The knights first demand a sacrifice. When Arthur says he only wants to cross the woods, they shout "Ni!", making the group recoil. The head knight then threatens to say "Ni!" again unless they are given a shrubbery—one that "looks nice" and is "not too expensive." Arthur questions this, and the knights yell "Ni!" until he agrees. To get the shrubbery, Arthur and Bedivere go to a village and ask an old woman where to find one. She refuses when she learns it is for the Knights Who Say "Ni!". Arthur threatens to say "Ni!" to her, and when she still refuses, he starts shouting it. Bedivere struggles with the word, saying "Nu!" until Arthur shows him the correct way. As the woman cowers, Roger the Shrubber arrives, complaining about ruffians saying "Ni!" to old women. Arthur buys a shrubbery from Roger and brings it to the knights.
The head knight admits it is "a good shrubbery" but says the knights can no longer let Arthur pass. They have changed their name to the Knights Who Say "Ekke Ekke Ekke Ekke Ptang Zoo Boing!" and must give Arthur a test. Unable to pronounce the new name, Arthur calls them "Knights who until recently said 'Ni!'" and asks about the test. The head knight demands a second shrubbery, placed next to the first but slightly higher, and that Arthur "cut down the mightiest tree in the forest—with a herring!" He hands Arthur a herring. Arthur objects, saying "it can't be done!" The knights recoil
- field
- Fictional characters in comedy
- known_for
- Shouting "Ni!" and demanding a shrubbery
- first_appearance
- 1975 film Monty Python and the Holy Grail
- leader_played_by
- Michael Palin
Lore & Background
The knights demand a sacrifice, and when Arthur states that he merely wishes to pass through the woods, the knights begin shouting "Ni!", forcing the party to shrink back in fear. After this demonstration of their power, the head knight threatens to say "Ni!" again unless the travellers appease them with a shrubbery; otherwise they shall never pass through the wood alive. When Arthur questions the demand, the knights again shout "Ni!" until the travellers agree to bring them a shrubbery, which the head knight specifies must be "one that looks nice. And not too expensive." To fulfill their promise to the Knights of Ni, the party visits a small village, where Arthur and Bedivere ask an old crone where they can obtain a shrubbery. The woman questions them, and Arthur admits that it is for the Knights Who Say "Ni!", whereupon she refuses to cooperate. Arthur then threatens to say "Ni!" to the old woman unless she helps them, and when she still refuses, begins shouting "Ni!". Bedivere has trouble saying the sacred word, which he pronounces "Nu!" until Arthur demonstrates the correct technique. As the crone shrinks back from their combined assault, they are interrupted by Roger the Shrubber, who laments the lack of law and order that allows ruffians to say "Ni!" to an old woman. Arthur obtains a shrubbery from Roger, and brings it to the Knights of Ni. The head knight acknowledges that "it is a good shrubbery", but asserts that the knights cannot allow Arthur and his followers to pass through the wood because they are no longer the Knights Who Say "Ni!", now being the Knights Who Say "Ekke Ekke Ekke Ekke Ptang Zoo Boing!", and must therefore give Arthur a test. Unable to pronounce the new name, Arthur addresses them as "Knights who until recently said 'Ni!'", inquiring as to the nature of the test. The head knight demands another shrubbery, to be placed next to but slightly higher than the first; and then Arthur "must cut down the mightiest tree in the forest—with a herring!" The knight presents a herring to be used. Arthur objects, asserting that "it can't be done!" upon which the knights recoil as though in fear and pain. It soon emerges that the knights are unable to withstand the word "it", which Arthur's party is unable to avoid saying. The knights are soon incapacitated by the word, which even the head knight cannot stop repeating, allowing Arthur, Bedivere, and their squires to make their escape.
Reader's Guide
The Knights Who Say "Ni!" have been cited as an example of intentional disregard for historical accuracy in neo-medievalism, which may be contrasted with the casual disregard for historical accuracy inherent in more traditional works of the fantasy genre. However, in Medievalisms: Making the Past in the Present, the authors suggest that the original characters of Monty Python and the Holy Grail actually represent medievalism, rather than neo-medievalism, as many of the film's details are in fact based on authentic medieval texts and ideas. With respect to the Knights who say "Ni!", the authors suggest that Sir Bedivere's difficulty pronouncing "Ni!", despite its levity, "carries a very learned joke about the difficulties of pronouncing Middle English", alluding to the Great Vowel Shift, which occurred in English during the late medieval period. In Spamalot, Arthur, accompanied only by his squire Patsy, meets the knights, who make the same initial demand for a shrubbery. Afterwards, the head knight demands that Arthur and Sir Robin put on a musical, but not one by Andrew Lloyd Webber, whose name causes the Knights Who Say "Ni!" to scream in pain the way the word "it" does in the film.
Did You Know?
- In the original screenplay, it was suggested that the head knight be played by 'Mike standing on John's shoulders'.
- Michael Palin stated that their use of the word 'Ni!' was derived from The Goon Show.
- Palin also cited his history teacher at Shrewsbury School, Laurence Le Quesne, who had the habit of saying 'Ni' while searching for books, as another inspiration.
- Upon Arthur's return, the knights were to have said, 'Neeeow...wum...ping!'
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