Editor Ruby here today, to talk to you about something that truly gobsmacked me while working on last week’s questions.

I must come to you today with humility. In order to explain what caught me so strongly, I first have to admit I have never read a classic: T.H. White’s “The Sword in the Stone.” Which is why I was so surprised when I found out that in that book, Robin Hood meets Wart, the young King Arthur. At first glance, you might say, sure, old English stuff. It all goes together.

But hang on: the legend of King Arthur is set before the Christianization of England; Robin Hood is usually set during the Crusades! Even if we give everyone a little wiggle room of a century, Robin Hood maybe shows up in the 11th century. At the latest, King Arthur maybe died around 600, but probably earlier. It is likely that King Arthur died before or around the time the Prophet Muhammad was born, so the idea that someone who fought in the Crusades would be visiting him just really stopped me in my tracks.

These guys are both probably fake, so fair enough. Our friend T.H. White can fudge his dates, I guess. In my research (reading the Wikipedia page), the legends of Robin Hood don’t introduce the idea that he was a supporter of Richard the Lionhearted until a few centuries into telling them. Fine. But by the time T.H. White was writing “The Sword in the Stone” in the 1930s, Robin Hood’s story had been ensconced in the 1000s for literally five hundred years. This is a Bill and Ted level of time travel, and they didn’t even need a phone booth! Robin Hood just shows up! I double-checked the text of the book, since Merlyn does do wonky stuff with time, and this is not presented as a time travel situation.

This brought me to the topic of today’s Friday Know-It-All: Ideas for other historical and literary characters who could meet each other with the same time gap as King Arthur and Robin Hood. We’re going to assume their stories are set about 600 years apart (probably in 550-ish and 1180-ish). Here are just a few examples:

King Arthur could be present at the birth of Christ. Three Kings? Sure, now one of them is Arthur. He’s got the myrrh. Why not? This is a smaller time gap than the one T.H. White wrote into his book.
William Tell could have fought in World War I. If we go by T.H. White logic, the fabled archer who threw the Austrians out of Switzerland in the early 14th century could have fought them off again. If the Swiss Army let him; they were neutral in that war. That’s how far apart those times are: Switzerland stopped doing wars.
Hua Mulan could have fought Genghis Khan. Mulan, who may or may not have been real, was probably fighting the nomadic peoples of the steppe in the sixth century. If we do stuff T.H. White’s way, she could pretty much roll up on Genghis and the Mongols in the late 12th century, and they could have an archery-off.
Moctezuma II could have had a summit with Abraham Lincoln. Instead of getting murdered by Cortés and John Wilkes Booth, respectively, they could have been diplomacy buddies. Is that what you want, T.H. White? (Columbus could show up in Puerto Rico right now!! The entire history of European colonization of the Americas fits into this size of a gap.)
Mansa Musa could have fought against the French in the African front of World War I. Mansa Musa was the purported wealthiest person to ever live (an impossible claim to evaluate), the leader of the Malian Empire in the 1330s. Put T.H. White in charge? This guy is leading the Indigenous resistance in the Volta-Bani War.
Galileo could have done science with Steven Hawking, and have just over half the time gap presented in “The Sword and the Stone.” In fact, Galileo died in 1642, which by T.H. White rules means he could actually be doing science in space with the crew of the USS Enterprise, and barely overshoot the time gap.
Let’s dig in on that one for a sec. James T. Kirk, canonically, will be born in Iowa on March 22, 2233. Per T.H. White, he could have been playmates with Pocahontas’ son. That’s the kind of distance we’re talking about!
Sappho could have been writing about Cleopatra. In real life, Sappho lived in Lesbos during the sixth century BCE, and Cleopatra was the last active ruler of Egypt in the first century BCE. This one probably isn’t as shocking of a contrast because as you go further into the past, the dates seem closer together, but they aren’t! This is still many centuries apart! Are you listening, T.H. White?
Joan of Arc could be in middle school right now. Joan was likely born in 1412 – add exactly 600 years to that date and you get 2012, which would make her 11 right now. I think sixth grade is easier than leading a war against the English, but we’d have to ask her. T.H. White could probably tell us! (At least the Catholic church is less execution-happy now than they were 600 years ago.)

No one seems to care about this. I tried to find any commentary or scholarship on the subject or how it was received at the time the book was published. If you know, please tell me. (Google is so bad these days it’s possible I’m just missing it.) I can’t be the first person to notice this huge gap! They didn’t have the internet in 1938, but they knew when books were from, I think? I understand less plausible things happen in “The Sword and the Stone” (transmogrification fight, for example), but that’s within the tone of the Arthur story. Am I being too literal? Is this like when I was a kid and I wouldn’t watch “Futurama” because I didn’t think they would care about late 1990s celebrities in a thousand years?

Anyway, much to ponder! That’s all there is to know, or wonder about, this week. Have a great weekend! – Editor Ruby

[To be fair to T.H. White, “ehhh why not??” seems to be his whole vibe, especially when it comes to historical accuracy. Consider this section from the very first chapter of “The Sword in the Stone”:

“‘Couldn't send them to Eton, I suppose?’ inquired Sir Grummore cautiously. ‘Long way and all that, we know.’

It was not really Eton that he mentioned, for the College of Blessed Mary was not founded until 1440, but it was a place of the same sort. Also they were drinking Metheglyn, not Port, but by mentioning the modern wine it is easier to give you the feel.”

White knew what he wanted to accomplish, and he wasn’t going to let a silly thing like the unrelenting forward march of time stop him. He would go on to address the anachronism in “The Once and Future King” by saying, “Malory and I are both dreaming. We care very little for exact dates, and he says I am to tell you I am after the spirit of Morte d'Arthur (just as he was after the spirit of those sources collected) seen through the eyes of 1939. He looked through 1489 […] and got a lot of 1489 muddled up with the sources. I am looking through 1939 at 1489 itself looking backwards.” That’s some big Merlyn energy right there and I respect it, even if it continues to bemuse and befuddle Ruby. — Editor Sophie]