I seem to remember reading - or hearing about - a medieval castle or somesuch, that had a large chest with express instructions that it was only to be opened in serious emergency. Gotta be a UL? Probably some sort of medieval “secret weapon” - or just a really old attempt at humor? A 1920’s style Death Ray would have been ideal - and, who could resist, on one of those boring winter nights, at taking a peek? Anyone hear of this?
There is a castle in Scotland where the Fairie Flag is housed. Dunvegan castle on Skye I think. Basically legend has it that the clan leader was given the flag by his fairy wife when she left. Wave it and help will appear. It’s been waved twice before.
Well, what happened? Quit holding out on us!
Wikipedia has a bit of the story. From what I remember there are two main “origins” stories for the flag.
- Clan heir was swaddled in the flag/blanket to protect him from evil.
- Clan chief married a fairie (Sidhe) and she left the flag as a token of love when she returned to her people.
The flag’s first miracle was to cure a deathly ill heir to the clan when he was an infant; the second was to save the MacLeods from certain defeat during some battle or other.
It worked! But there’s only one shot left, so nobody’s willing to use it again - although apparently the Clan Chief had agreed to take it to the South of England and wave it, should the Germans invade in WW2…
Other stories claim it was a Saracen banner, captured during the Crusades - and it is apparently made of silk from the Middle East…
How about… you open the chest as a last resort during battle and there is a secret escape tunnel running underground!
(That’s how I’d write it in my book)
You open the chest… and a genie appears!
Either that, or a giant bowl of rancid haggis, for flinging down upon the castle’s besiegers.
Believe me the haggis would not have to be rancid
Is this the box that’s bound up with chains and locked with locks?
You mean the one that’s guarded by TOP people
So, it’s a 1420s style death ray?
Maybe it’s the real “Mad-Eye” Moody!
A lot of people think it’s a fairy flag or magic charm but some of us think it is a matter re-arranger, re-setting the universe back 13 seconds.
Didn’t you ever read this thread!?!? 
It contained a brief note.
-
Bend over and put your head between your legs.
-
Kiss your ass goodbye.
Or that’s the story I heard.
It actually contains two letters saying:
- Blame me for this Great Danger.
- Write two letters.
Open the lid, and out pops Dick Cheney with a shotgun and a satchel full of ammo.
Does the outside of the box say “Never Give Up! Never Surrender!”? If so, then perhaps…
perhaps it’s a pair of brown pants?