The Knights who say Ni!
from Monty Python and the Holy Grail




Knights of Ni:"Ni! Ni! Ni! Ni! Ni! Ni!"
Arthur:"Who are you?"
Knight of Ni:"We are the knights who say... 'Ni'!"
Arthur (horrified):"No! Not the knights who say 'Ni'!"
Knight of Ni:"The same."
Other Knight of Ni:"Who are we?"
Knight of Ni:"We are the keepers of the sacred words: Ni, Ping, and Nee-womm!"
Other Knight of Ni:"Nee-womm!"
Arthur (to Bedevere):"Those who hear them seldom live to tell the tale!"
Knight of Ni:"The knights who say 'Ni' demand... a sacrifice!"
Arthur:"Knights of Ni, we are but simple travelers who seek the enchanter who lives beyond these woods."
Knights of Ni:"Ni! Ni! Ni! Ni! Ni! Ni! Ni! Ni! Ni!"
Bedevere:"No! Noooo! Aaaugh! No!"
Knight of Ni:"We shall say 'Ni' again to you... if you do not appease us."
Arthur:"Well what is it you want?"
(Pregnant pause)
Knight of Ni:"A SHRUBBERY!!!"
Arthur:"A WHAT?"
Knights of Ni:"Ni! Ni!! Ni! Ni!"
Arthur:"No! No! Please, please, no more! We will find you a shrubbery."
Knight of Ni:"You must return here with a shrubbery... or else you will never pass through this wood... alive."
Arthur:"O, Knights of Ni, you are just and fair, and we will return with a shrubbery."
Knight of Ni:"One that looks nice."
Arthur:"Of course!"
Knight of Ni:"And not too expensive."
Arthur:"Yes!"
Knight of Ni:"Noowwwww.... GO!"
A brief glimpse of the now-dead historian, with his wife talking to two policemen and pointing the way that the knight went.
Screen: THE TALE OF SIR LAUNCELOT, interrupted by the animation sketch"Bloody Weather".
Screen: THE TALE OF SIR LAUNCELOT, this time followed by the Tale of Sir Launcelot.
Arthur and Bedevere appear in a nearby village, where an old crone is beating a cat.
They stop and talk to her.
Arthur:"Old Crone! Is there anywhere in this town where we could buy a shrubbery?"
Old Crone:"Who sent you?"
Arthur:"The Knights Who Say 'Ni!'."
Old Crone:"Aaaugh! No. Never, we have no shrubberies here."
Arthur:"If you do not tell us where we can buy a shrubbery, my friend and I... will say... we will say... 'Ni!'."
Old Crone:"Aaaugh! Do your worst!"
Arthur:"VERY WELL! If you will not assist us voluntarily..."(He and Bedevere look around to see if anyone is looking)"Ni!"
Old Crone (in pain):"No! Never! No shrubbery!!!"
Arthur:"Ni!"
Bedevere:"Noo! Noo..."
Arthur (to Bedevere):"No no no no, no, it's not that, it's 'Ni!'"
Bedevere:"Nu!"
Arthur:"No no, 'Ni!'; you're not doing it properly."
Bedevere:"Nuh!"
Arthur:"Ni!"
Bedevere:"Ni!"
Arthur and Bedevere, repeatedly:"Ni! Ni! Ni!"
Roger rides up on a real horse and looks down at Arthur and Bedevere.
Roger:"Are you saying 'Ni!' to that old woman?"
Arthur (caught in the act):"Ummmm.... yes."
Roger:"Oh, what sad times are there when passing ruffians can say 'Ni!' at will to old ladies! There is a pestilence in this land! Nothing is sacred! Even those who arrange and design shrubberies are under considerable economic stress at this period in history!"
Arthur:"Did you say 'shrubberies'?"
Roger:"Yes. Shrubberies are my trade. I am a shrubber. My name is Roger the Shrubber. I arrange, design, and sell shrubberies."
Bedevere (to Roger):"Ni!"
Arthur (to Bedevere):"No! No no no, no!"
Arthur and Bedevereare suddenly standing in front of a low shrubbery, surrounded by a 1-foot-high picket fence. The Knights of Ni are examining the shrubbery.
Arthur:"O, Knights of Ni. We have brought you your shrubbery. May we go now?"
Knight of Ni:"It is a good shrubbery. I like the laurels particularly. But there is one small problem."
Arthur:"What is that?"
Knight of Ni:"We are now no longer the Knights Who Say 'Ni'!"
Other Knights of Ni:"Ni! Shh! Shh!"
Knight of Ni:"We are now the Knights who say 'Ekky-ekky-ekky-ekky-z'Bang, zoom-Boing, z'nourrrwringnmmm'."
Other Knight of Ni:"Ni!"
Knight of Ni:"Therefore, we must give you a test."
Arthur:"What is this test, o Knights of... Knights who 'til recently said 'Ni'?"
Knight of Ni:"Firstly, you must find... ANOTHER SHRUBBERY!!!"
Arthur:"Not another shrubbery!"
Knight of Ni (exited):"THEN... Then, when you have found the shrubbery, you must place it here, beside this shrubbery, only slightly higher, so we get the two-level effect with a little path running down the middle."
Other Knights of Ni:"A path! A path! A path! Shh, shhh. Ni! Ni!"
Knight of Ni:"Then, when you have found the shrubbery, you must cut down the mightiest tree in the forest... Wiiiiiithh.... A HERRING!"
Arthur:"We shall do no such thing!"
Knight of Ni:"Oh, please!"
Arthur:"Cut down a tree with a herring? It can't be done!"
Knights of Ni (screams in pain):AAugh! AAAAAH! Oww!!
Knight of Ni:"Don't say that word!"
Arthur:"What word?"
Knight of Ni:"I cannot tell; suffice to say, it is one of the words the Knights of Ni cannot hear!"
Arthur:"How can we not say the word if you don't tell us what it is!?"
Knight of Ni (in pain):"Ahhhh! 'E said it again!"
Arthur:"What, 'is'?"
Knight of Ni:"No, not 'is'! You wouldn't get very far in life not saying 'is'!"
Bedevere:"My liege! It's Sir Robin!"
Sir Robin and his minstrels"ride"up.
Minstrels (singing):"He's sacking it in, and packing it up, and sneaking away, and buggering up, And chickening out, and pissing a pole..."
Arthur:"Sir Robin!"
Robin:"My liege! It's good to see you!"
Knight of Ni:"Now 'e said the word!"
Arthur:"Surely you've not given up the quest for the Holy Grail!"
Minstrels (singing in answer):"He's sneaking away, and buggering up..."
Robin:"Shut Up! No no, no, far from it!"
Knight of Ni:"'E said the word again!"
Robin:"...I was... looking for it..."
Knights of Ni:"AAAuugh!"
Robin:"Uh, here... here in this... forest."
Arthur:"No, it is far from this place."
Knight of Ni:"Aaaaaaugh! Stop saying the word!!!"
Arthur (getting really annoyed):"OH, STOP IT!!!"
Knight of Ni:"Ow! He said it again!"
Arthur:"Patsy!"(Motions all of his party to move on.)
Knight of Ni:"Wait! I said it! I said it! Oh! I've said it again! And there again...that's three hits!"
Arthur, Bedevere, and Sir Robin ride off with the minstrels and Patsy.