Teen Unsheaths His Sword in Public

To mark the 700th anniversary of Robert the Bruce's momentous journey from Rathlin Island off Northern Ireland to the Isle of Arran in Scotland, Lord Bruce of Kinloss and his three sons retraced their relative's steps carrying his original sword.

Lord Bruce’s eldest son, 16-year-old James, who has the title Master of Bruce was carrying the sword which was nearly as big as him and he took it out of the sheath to show the crowd on Lamlash pier.

‘It is not as heavy as you would think,’ said Lord Bruce. ‘The strength is in the tempering of the blade.’ [Link]

Planning a trip to Scotland? Then you'll need your very own Robert the Bruce sword. Good luck getting it through airport security.

A Hero and His Heirloom

James Van Iveren heard a woman's cries for help in the apartment upstairs, so he grabbed a 39-inch cavalry sword and rushed to her aid.

Sword in hand, he bounded up the stairs, kicked in the door and confronted a man who turned out to be alone - watching a pornographic movie.

"Now I feel stupid," Van Iveren said.

Worse yet, police seized his sword - a family heirloom - carted him to jail and referred the case to a prosecutor who charged Van Iveren with three criminal counts.

"This really is nothing," Van Iveren insisted, "nothing but a mistake." [Link]

They Want to Call It an Early Knight

Some in Westford, Massachusetts, believe that an expedition led by Scottish Prince Henry Sinclair visited their town in 1398. Their evidence? A stone on Depot Street that bears the image of a broken sword—supposed to signify that a knight in the party had died.

So is this the stuff of legend or of history? Some people in Westford are hoping science can help them find out. They've contacted a forensic geologist about testing to determine the age of the carvings.

"So we just hope they can date it and that will convince the non-believers that the knight actually did come here in 1400," said [Elizabeth] Lane. [Link]