Once upon a stone

On Saturday morning I stirred to find the Coronation of Charles III as King of England held full sway over my television. I saw King Charles III sitting on a throne and a crown was being placed on his head.

Historically, I did not understand the fascination so many Americans have with the English royal family. Then I watched The Crown. Despite this fictionalized indoctrination I had difficulty generating any real interest in whether or not Harry was going to appear on the balcony.

Then, I heard a mention of the Stone of Scone (Stone of Destiny) that had been moved from Edinburgh Castle to Westminster Abbey and was placed under the throne upon which the British Monarch sat for his Coronation. Being interested in all things Scottish, my interest perked.

I had heard of the Stone of Scone but I knew embarrassing little about it. There are so many Celtic legends surrounding this stone that the truth might be long and forever lost. But without a doubt, early Scottish kings used it.

In 1290, Edward I of England as part of the spoils of war took the Stone of Scone to England, depositing it in Westminster Abbey. Over the next 700 years a variety of myths built up around the Stone. Then, in1996, the Stone was returned to Scotland and to Edinburgh Castle.

It is not really a stone but rather a stone bench made of a pale-yellow sandstone, a squat, heavyset version of the marble Class of 1955 bench that sits on the courthouse lawn in Stigler. Not exactly what I would have thought would be placed beneath the Coronation throne of a British Monarch.

All this got me to thinking about other stones. Having more than a touch of Irish ancestry, the Blarney Stone first jumped to mind. The legend says that anyone who kisses the Blarney Stone shall be endowed with the gift of gab. At this point, there is the temptation to make some comment hinting that all Irishman must have kissed the Blarney Stone. But I won’t.

Stonehenge is the most famous of a number of stone circles in England. The King Arthur tales include a sword with a stone buried in it.

Every castle in Scotland seems to be constructed of native stone. Now that I think about it there is no shortage of rocks and stones anywhere in the British Isles.

Stones in the Colonies? How about Plymouth Rock? I know we didn’t move it or create it but we did name it. We do seem to be pretty good at naming existing rock formations.

Wait, what about the Heavener Runestones? If that won’t send you to the back porch to talk with the squirrels, nothing will.

Now that I think on it, there is only one truly American Stone. The Constitution of the United States of America. Written in 1787 and enduring. The American gem.

Under the rocks are the words, and some of the words are theirs. – Norman Maclean, A River Runs Through It.

Hal McBride writes a column, Just Thinkin’, published each week.