Knight of the Laughing Tree

The Knight of the Laughing Tree is a minor character in the A Song of Ice and Fire novel series. According to a tale, he is a mystery knight who participated in the tourney at Harrenhal in 281 AC during the year of the false spring. He gave justice to a local Crannogman by defeating in a joust three knights, whose squires had bullied the Crannogman. The mystery knight then demanded that they chastise their squires sharply in order to ransom back their horses and armor.
The Knight of the Laughing Tree earned his name from the blazon on his shield, which depicts a weirwood tree with a smiling/laughing face, though the knight's true identity is a complete mystery.
According to a semi-canon source, the bullied Crannogman was Howland Reed.
== Biography ==
Nothing is really known about the mysterious Knight of the Laughing Tree and is mostly known from a story told by Meera Reed to Bran Stark. As an introduction to the tale, Meera tells him that the mystery knight may have been a Crannogman, to which Jojen Reed adds "or not", and expects that Bran has heard the story "a hundred times" by his father Lord Eddard Stark, but Bran denies knowing of the tale.
=== Tale ===
According to the story as told by Meera Reed, a small Crannogman (most likely Howland Reed) attended the tourney at Harrenhal and finds the Mad King Aerys II Targaryen and his son and heir Prince Rhaegar Targaryen, who are accompanied by the Kingsguard, who were there to welcome Ser Jaime Lannister into their ranks as a new sworn brother. Based on their known composition of the time, the Kingsguard knights present are Lord Commander Ser Gerold Hightower, Ser Arthur Dayne (the Sword of the Morning), Ser Barristan Selmy, Prince Lewyn Martell, Ser Oswell Whent and Ser Jonothor Darry.
The lords that were also present are Lord Robert Baratheon, Lord Eddard Stark, and Lord Mace Tyrell. The one who was absent was Lord Tywin Lannister (as he was furious that his son Jaime was named to the Kingsguard, thus robbing him of his heir). Meera reported that Tywin and King Aerys had quarreled with each other and Tywin intentionally stayed away. Despite his absence, many Lannister knights and bannermen were present. Among the women who were present during the tourney were Princess Elia Martell, the wife of Prince Rhaegar, and a dozen of her lady companions.
The host of the tourney at Harrenhal was Lord Walter Whent, the brother of Ser Oswell Whent, while his daughter reigned as Queen of Love and Beauty at the tourney's opening and her crown was defended by four of her brothers and her uncle Ser Oswell.
As the little Crannogman was walking across the field enjoying the warm spring day, he was set upon by three squires. Though he is an adult, the three boys are taller and bigger than him in size. The Crannogman soon found himself being bullied by the cruel squires, who snatched away his spear and kicked him to the ground while mockingly cursing him as a frogeater. While they didn't offer a name, the Crannogman marked their faces so he could exact his revenge later. Whenever he would try to rise, the three boys would always shove him down and they kicked him when he curled up on the ground.
Suddenly, Lyanna Stark, the daughter of Lord Rickon Stark, indignantly shouted at the squires that the Crannogman was her father's bannerman. Lyanna then beats off the squires with a tourney sword, causing the three to scatter. Because of the brutal beating that were inflicted on him, the Crannogman was left bruised and bloodied and Lyanna took him back to her "lair", probably a tent, where she cleared and bandaged his cuts before introducing him to her brothers: Brandon Stark (referred to as the wild wolf), Eddard Stark (referred to as the quiet wolf), and Benjen Stark (referred to as the pup).
As there was going to be a feast at Harrenhal to mark the start of the tourney, Lyanna convinces the Crannogman to attend, as since he is of high birth he has much right to attend as anyone. As Lyanna is not easy to refuse, the Crannogman lets Benjen find him a garb that is suitable for him to wear and they went to Harrenhal to join in the feast. There within the ruins of th great castle, the Crannogman ate and drank with the Starks alongside many of their sworn swords such as Houses Dustin, Hornwood, Mormont, and Manderly.
During the feast, Prince Rhaegar Targaryen, who is well-noted for being a great musician, performed a sad and beautiful song that caused Lyanna to weep. When her brother Benjen teased her for crying, she retaliated by pouring wine over his head. A recruiting officer of the Night's Watch is also present trying to convince knights to join the Night's Watch. Robert Baratheon, the Lord of Storm's End, was involved in a drinking contest (or the so-called wine-cup war) with Ser Richard Lonmouth (the knight of skulls and kisses). Meera Reed note in passing that Robert won the contest. The Crannogman focuses his attention on Lady Ashara Dayne ("a maid with laughing purple eyes"), the beautiful sister of Ser Arthur Dayne and a companion of Elia Martell.
She was dancing in turns with various partners, with the first being one of the Kingsguard (either her brother or the infatuated Ser Barristan Selmy), secondly Prince Oberyn Martell, third Jon Connington, and lastly Eddard Stark. As the latter was too shy to ask Ashara for a dance, Benjen Stark asked her on his brother's behalf.
Still during the feast, the Crannogman and Lyanna Stark spotted the three squires who had bullied the former. One is serving a pitchfork knight (House Haigh), one is serving a porcupine knight (House Blount), while the third one is serving a knight of House Frey (referred to as "two towers"). Lyanna pointed the three squires out to her brothers and Benjen offered to find the Crannogman a horse and a set of armor so he could avenge himself but the Crannogman, being torn with indecision, refused. Though his pride demanded vengeance, he couldn't bring himself to lose nor make a fool of himself and bringing shame to his people, as he is no knight and is not used to horses and lances.
Eddard Stark offered the Crannogman hospitality by giving him a place in his tent for the night. Before he slept, the latter looked across the waters of the God's Eye towards the Isle of Faces and said a prayer to the Old Gods.
As was planned, the tourney will hold five days of joust and will also include a great seven-sided melee, archery, axe throwing, a horse race and a tourney of singers. As their sister is queen of love and beauty, her four brothers and an uncle defended her as champions but the four brothers were all defeated on the first day. At the end of the day, the porcupine knight won a place amongst the champions. On the morning of the second day, the pitchfork knight and the knight of the two towers earned a place as well. However, later that afternoon, a mystery knight of short stature appeared on the lists. He wore ill-fitting armor that was made up of mismatched armor bits. The blazon on his shield is a weirwood tree with a red laughing face. It was mentioned earlier that the crannogman had with him a "leathern shield" but it is not specified whether this was the same shield.
After dipping his lance before King Aerys II, the Knight of the Laughing Tree rode to the end of the lists, where the five champions had their pavilions. He challenged the porcupine knight, the pitchfork knight, and the knight of the two towers. During the joust, all three knights were defeated by the mystery knight, who won custody of their horses and armor. As the aforementioned knights were not particularly popular, the smallfolk cheered for the Knight of the Laughing Tree. When the three knights sought to ransom back their former property, the mystery knight declared his terms in a booming voice through his helm, saying that the only ransom that would be enough for him is that they teach their squires honor. The three knights proceeded to sharply chastise their squires. And so, the Crannogman's prayer was answered.
That night at Harrenhal, Ser Richard Lonmouth and Lord Robert Baratheon were determined to unmask the mysterious knight of the Laughing Tree and King Aerys urged men to challenge him, as he was certain that the mystery knight is no friend of his, and was convinced that the weirwood tree on his shield is laughing at him. The Mad King decided that the Knight of the Laughing Tree is Ser Jaime Lannister, who had defied the king's orders by returning to the tourney instead of protecting Queen Rhaella Targaryen and her son Prince Viserys. Infuriated, King Aerys told his beliefs to any man who will listen to him and commanded his own knights to defeat the Knight of the Laughing Tree and then unmask and expose his identity.
Unfortunately for Aerys, the next morning it was discovered that the mystery knight had vanished. The Mad King was furious and he was certain that someone close to him had given warning to "this traitor who will not show his face. He proceeded to send his men, including his son Prince Rhaegar, to search for the Knight of the Laughing Tree but all they found is his shield, which was abandoned in a tree.
== Theories ==
Meera Reed's tale of the Knight of the Laughing Tree contains several clues to the mystery knight's true identity. It was speculated among fans that the possible candidates for the mystery are Lyanna Stark, Eddard Stark, and Brandon Stark. Some go as far to suggest Ashara Dayne for a candidate, although she is deemed the least likely and she was known to be more lady-like and has zero evidence of having a background revolving around jousting and wearing armors. Overall, none of these speculations have been confirmed as of now.
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