Knights Who Say "Ni!"

(pronounced "nee" /ni/ ⓘ), 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 full number is never apparent, but there are at least six.

He is nearly double Arthur's height, and wears a great helm decorated with long antlers.

The other knights are large, but of human proportions, and wear visored sallet helmets decorated with cow horns.

"[1][2] 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.

As the crone shrinks back from their combined assault, they are interrupted by Roger the Shrubber, who laments the lack of law and order that allows ruffians to say "Ni!"

The head knight demands another shrubbery, to be placed next to but slightly higher than the first; and then Arthur "must cut down the mightiest tree in the forest—with a herring!"

[1] In the original screenplay, it was suggested that the 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!"

Later, Palin gave another inspiration – his history teacher at Shrewsbury School, Laurence Le Quesne, who had the habit of saying "Ni" while searching for books.