A lesson to us all from 1943:

THE TEN RINGERS

There were ten ringers, five were wise and five were foolish.

Now the wise ringers, seeing that their numbers were depleted by the war, took unto themselves ten others, and during the enforced ban revealed unto them all the secrets of their art.

The five that were foolish, however, all slumbered and slept.

Now one day there was a cry made, behold the ban is lifted; go ye into your towers to ring.

The wise ringers, therefore, arose, and with their new-made pupils made a joyful noise upon their bells every Sunday.

One day the foolish came and said unto the wise: Give us of your ringers for our band is depleted.

But the wise answered, saying : Not so, lest there be not enough for us and you, but go ye, rather, and seek for yourselves; train as we have trained, so that plenty may reign once more in both our towers.

RW 27 Aug 1943 P379

The ban on ringing during the second world war lasted from June 1940, to the end of April 1943 for service ringing, and the end of the following month for other ringing.

Provided by Peter Soar