Under the Greenwood Tree - or, the Mellstock ASBO

Young Keith has just pointed out an unfair piece of discrimination on my part.

In Thomas Hardy's "Under the Greenwood Tree", he points out, the Quire wander around a scattered village after midnight, singing loudly and waking people up, and it's regarded as a venerable folk custom.

Whereas when he, under the influence of the same apple-based drink, started singing " Rudolph the red-nosed Reindeer" outside last night, his own nose was rendered like unto Rudolph's with my well-thrown tea pot.

Where, asks Young Keith, is the justice in that?

Now thinking about it, he's got a point. If he were wearing a smock-frock and carrying a lantern, it would be another matter.

In particular, he'd be much easier to see in the dark. I'd already thrown three mugs and an alarm clock before I hit him.