King Alfred: Burning the Cakes Part 1
One of the key parts of the story of King Alfred is how he burnt the cakes. And, to be honest, this is one of the most popular and weird stories in all the lives and the kings and queens of England.
The story goes, that when he was hiding in the marshes, he was a guest of a husband and wife. One day the wife asked him to keep an eye on the cakes while she popped out for a moment.
As he watched the cakes, his mind wandered. He began thinking about how to solve the problem of Guthram and the Great Heathen Army. He lost a few moments and during that lapse of concentration, the cakes burnt. The wife returned, and after seeing the smoke in the air, scolded the king for not doing as she asked.
These cakes were not like the fairy cakes we might have with an English cup of tea. But more like small flat breads. They were very simple. They would be placed on a board, which was angled towards a fire. Alfred would have been expected to move the board depending on whether the flat breads were getting too hot and started to burn. It’s not like cooking cakes in an oven today, when we set a timer and wait. It was an active process. So as the king was not paying attention, the cakes burnt.
This is such a strange story. It’s so strange, it’s probably true. So why was this tale passed down through the generation? What is so important about this narrative?
Modern commentators focus on the response from the wife. She, being a commoner, tells him off and inspires him to focus on what he needs to do. Her anger kickstarted the king into formulating his plan to bring Wessex together again and fight back against the invading army.
Other commentators say the story is apocryphal and is largely a fabrication. It was likely derived from a misunderstanding between the king and his chronicler. So it’s just a bit of nonsense fun.
But I would say there is a deeper meaning regarding the burning of the cakes. And it is connected with the invaders. But I shall leave this until my next article as it is rather in depth.