Knights Of Ni

The Knights who say "Ni" appear in the movie Monty Python and the Holy Grail. They are the guardians of the forest and protectors of sacred words, barring the way for King Arthur, Sir Bedevere and their squires and demand a tribute in order to let these travelers pass.

    

The Knights who say Ni are led by a 12 foot tall knight, with stumpy arms and deer antlers stuck into his helmet; whereas the remaining Knights of Ni are of normal height and have helmets which cover their faces.

Whereas in other movies, tributes and quests take the form of dragon-slaying or the finding of some secret parchment, The Knights who say Ni have a rather more mundane request - they want a shrubbery! To ensure that King Arthur and his fellow travelers comply with this quest, the knights repeatedly yell "Ni" at them, striking fear into the group who then go off in search of a shrubbery salesperson who does not overcharge.

Buy your own Knights Who Say "Ni" plush toy from Amazon.com from $24.99.

The Knights of Ni are the self-proclaimed protectors of the sacred words;

Ni
Peng
Neee-wom

However, it is only the word "Ni" that the Knights use repeatedly in order to inflict fear and pain on their victims.

King Arthur

"O Knights of Ni, you are just and fair, and we will return with a shrubbery."

King Arthur, played by Graham Chapman, is already well into a Grail Quest when he comes upon the Knights of Ni in the forest. Reluctant as he is to go on a further quest, he luckily stumbles upon a nearby shrubber who has economic problems and is available at short notice to appease the Knights.

The Knights Of Ni

"We want............ a shrubbery!

You must return here with a shrubbery or else you will never pass through this wood alive! One that looks nice. And not too expensive."

A weakness for floral arrangements, picket fences and water features ensures that King Arthur has a mundane task ahead of him to ensure safe passage past the Knights of Ni (the head knight is played by Michael Palin, standing on a ladder).

Roger The Shrubber

"Yes, shrubberies are my trade. I am a shrubber. My name is Roger the Shrubber. I arrange, design, and sell shrubberies."

Fortunately for King Arthur's quest, Roger the Shrubber, played by Eric Idle, happened to be passing at the very time that the Knights of the Round Table required an urgent shrubbery arrangement to appease the Knights Who Say Ni.

Sir Bedevere

"No! Noooo! Aaaugh! No!"

Sir Bedevere, played by Terry Jones, has a strange brand of logic, which earlier in the movie led him to condemn a woman as a witch because she weighed the same as a duck, but this does not come into play in this scene as he is struck dumb by the fearful chorus of "Ni" as King Arthur negotiates with the Knights of Ni.

Sir Robin & His Minstrels

"He's chickening out and buggering off"

Sir Robin, played by Eric Idle, and his minstrels (head minstrel played by Neil Innes) arrive after the Knights have become the Knights who until recently said Ni. Whilst telling King Arthur the result of his quest he inadvertently stumbles upon the Knights who formerly said Ni's weakness - fear of the word "it".

Knights Of Ni T Shirt
Zazzle Price: $18.60
This Knights of Ni t shirt carries the pictures of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table against the backdrop of a huge "Ni". Comes in a variety of colours, cuts and sizes for your own taste.

Knights Who Say Ni Shirt
Zazzle Price: $24.85
Here the text "Knights who say Ni" is displayed on a background of the head Knight from a scene in the movie in a blue oval. One of the only t shirts to show the real Knights who say Ni, this can be customized in a variety of colours and styles.

When you look at these Flickr photos it is easy to see that there are a lot of Monty Python fans out there who are obsessed with the Knights of Ni.

"First you must find... another shrubbery! Then, when you have found the shrubbery, you must place it here, beside this shrubbery, only slightly higher so you get a two layer effect with a little path running down the middle. Then, you must cut down the mightiest tree in the forrest... with... a herring!"

The Knights who say Ni prove themselves to be rather fickle as, although they appreciate King Arthur's shrubbery, they have decided that they are no longer the Knights of Ni but go by a much more confounded title. Whilst the tribute they demand becomes more difficult, their change of name renders them powerless when hearing the word "it", but not "is", you wouldn't get very far in life without using the word "is"!

Ecki Ecki Coffee Mug
Zazzle Price: $19.95
Drink your morning coffee from this daft Monty Python mug with the quote "Ecki, ecki, ecki, ecki, Phtang, Zoop boing, z' nourrwringmm" on it in support of the Knights who until recently said "Ni".