Scanlation Sunday: The Spirou Code of Honor 2

OK, so Sunday comes late this week… I quite like this point of the code, even though I had to read the strip to figure out what it meant.

Update: The text that accompanied the strip in its Dutch publication in Robbedoes Almanak 1944, as translated by Miriam:

What’s the progress two months into our Code of Honor efforts? Ha! I can see that there are a few dropouts. “Deserters”, we might call them! You know, those who “deserve a bullet”. But hold off! After all, we’re no men yet, that’s only our goal. That’s why, boys and girls, if you failed, there’s no reason to give up. On the contrary: If at first you don’t succeed – try, try, try again! And if you can’t do it alone, ask your Father and Mother to help you remember your Spirou duty. Make sure to ask yourself every evening if you were loyal to this month’s point.

Above all, don’t think this is childish! Not at all! Have you ever seen adults working? For example, a cabinetmaker who has to make a wardrobe. He doesn’t just pull it out of his hat. Nope! He has to measure everything and calculate it, and draw lines on the wood and polish it and saw it and adjust every single shelf, and glue and nail it! That’s a lot of tinkering, but once the wardrobe is done you’ll say: “Gosh, he did that well!” Well, it’s the same way with us. If we want to become stalwart men and women, we have to start now with the little things. But these little things require a lot of courage and perseverance, and only a true Spirou Rascal or Rascalette can keep it up. But you’ll get much satisfaction, because you’re doing your duty! And there’s no greater man in the world than a man who does his duty for God and for his country.

So the “battle” continues. You can see this month’s point illustrated here. Boys and girls, get started!

The Dutch version appears to have reordered the points, which is probably why it talks about being “two months into” the efforts.

The suggestion (even in jest) that members who fail to uphold the code should be shot is rather startling. I’m not sure whether it’s made better or worse by the fact that it was published in the middle of the war.