The Thistle in Scottland, the legend.

Since men can remember, the thistle had always been the symbol of Scotland Kingdom. The legend recount the story of the amazing fight between Nordmans and Scottish army, and their victory, thanks to a thistle.

The thistle is, since we can remember, the very important ensign of Scottish culture. Perharps the very first use of its image is recorded in 1470, since it has been used on a silver coin. Since the XV century, the thistle began to be drawn on the shields of Scottish aristhocracy. Indeed, in 1687 the very first order of chivalry: The Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle. Its members were all wearing a chain, which was endorsed by golden thistles. Moreover, Knights and Dames of the Thistle were all showing on their chests a star-shaped pin with a thistle and the latin sentence: "Nemo me impune lacessit" (No one provokes me with impunity).

But how the thistle became so important for the Scottish people?

The legend tells that in X century, at the very beginning of Malcolm I of Scotland's Kingdom, Normans were very close to conquer Scottish territory. Therefor, to accomplish the mission, Normans had the idea to attack the enemy by the dark of the night, in order to have an easier and quicker victory.

Nevertheless, one of the invader made the mistake by walking with bare feet, to make the fewest noise possible. Aproaching to the sleeping Scottish army, the man pound on a thistle. The pain was so awful and unbearable that he cried his lungs out. In this way he gave the actual position of the Normans army to the enemy. In the following fight, Scottish army won upon the Normans one, stopping the invasion.

From then on, the thistle became the symbol of Scottland.

 Freely translated from Spanish, from the article La Leyenda del Cardo.