Ribbons

In Jane Austen, the Brontes, Thomas Hardy and others there's a lot of fuss about pretty ribbons given to young ladies. King Arthur's knights are always presenting their lance to have a ribbon favour tied to it.

The only time I wore them was as a little girl when the bow in the hair was de rigueur.

But I wouldn't throw away a piece of ribbon.

Today I was tidying my box of greetings cards, where I keep my ribbon horde and I carelessly heaped them on the table.

Then I saw them.