Knights Who Say Ni Knights Who Say Ni The Knights Who Say "Ni!", also called the Knights of Ni, are a band of knights encountered by King Arthur and his followers in the film "Monty Python and the Holy Grail". They demonstrate their power by shouting "Ni!" (pronounced "nee"), terrifying the party, whom they refuse to allow passage through their forest unless appeased through the gift of a shrubbery. The knights appear silhouetted in a misty wood, wearing robes and horned helmets; their number is never apparent, but there are at least six. The leader of the knights, played by Michael Palin, is the
Knights Who Say Ni head knight be played by "Mike standing on John's shoulders". In the DVD commentary for the film, Michael Palin states that their use of the word "Ni!" was derived from "The Goon Show". Upon Arthur's return, the knights were to have said, "Neeeow...wum...ping!" The Knights who say "Ni" have been cited as an example of intentional disregard for historical accuracy in neo-medievalism, which may be contrasted with the casual disregard for historical accuracy inherent in more traditional works of the fantasy genre. However, in "Medievalisms: Making the Past in the Present", the authors suggest that the original characters of "Monty