Knights Who Say Ni in fear. After this demonstration of their power, the head knight threatens to say "Ni!" again unless the travelers appease them with a shrubbery; otherwise they shall never pass through the wood alive. When Arthur questions the demand, the knights again shout "Ni!" until the travelers agree to bring them a shrubbery, which the head knight specifies must be "one that looks nice. And not too expensive." In order to fulfill their promise to the Knights of Ni, the party visits a small village, where Arthur and Bedivere ask an old crone where they can obtain a shrubbery. The woman
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