The Medieval Dairymaid

The King asked

The Queen, and

The Queen asked

The Dairymaid:

“Could we have some butter for

The Royal slice of bread?

Extract A.A.Milne, “The King’s Breakfast” from The Complete Poems of Winnie-the-Pooh. Copyright © The Trustees of the Pooh Properties

Well MedievalMorsels has accepted the royal challenge! By producing 1:12 scale dairy goods for a fully equipped Medieval or Tudor dollshouse dairy. We have a tub of milk, a butter churner in mid-use, pats of butter for the store room and for the table, and plain and muslin wrapped cheeses in whatever quantity you desire!

12th scale dolls house food: cheese butter and milk for a mini dairy scene

Miniature food for a one inch scale Medieval dolls house dairy scene

Butter, milk and cheese for a 1:12 Tudor Dollhouse by MedievalMorsels

To return to the poem, A.A.Milne’s Dairymaid promised the Queen she would consult with the Alderney cow before it retired for the night. But said sleepy cow had the temerity to suggest that marmalade was a substitute for butter, favoured by many people! This development was dutifully reported back to the King via the dairymaid and the Queen, but it left the poor King in turn miffed, confused and saddened. He went back to bed!

The situation was related back to the recalcitrant cow.  She immediately offered butter for his bread AND milk for his porringer (porridge). The King, when he heard the news, was ecstatic! He promptly jumped out of bed and slid down the bannisters for his breakfast.

Now, banisters aside (poetic licence) I have always assumed that this was another of A.A.Milne’s poems about King John. A previous Christmastide poem was somewhat sad  because John had no presents in his stocking, afterall he was a “Bad King”. But not the only bad Medieval English king in all probability….

And as for marmalade, lets return there in a Christmastide blog-post by MedievalMorsels.

But just for good measure lets finish with some different 1:12 dollhouse scale Medieval and Tudor period cheeses....