(no subject)

[undyingking]

I was reminded last night of a summer evening a few years ago when I was sat out in a meadow with friend M (who grew up in Suffolk), and a huge ungainly great beetle came buzzing into us out of the darkness.

"Waah! A billywitch!" exclaimed M.
"A whattywitch did you say?" I asked incredulously, once it had safely blundered on its way.
"A billywitch! What would you call it then?"
"A cockchafer," I said.
The unspoken which is a perfectly sensible name, unlike 'billywitch' hung heavily in the air between us, not so much fluttering as floundering.

So a similar thing happened last night, although these days I'm surrounded by people from Suffolk so it's not such a surprise. And I wondered if it's just a Suffolk name, and how it arose. Maybe from unhappy memories of the Batttle of Sole Bay, when the English Navy were defeated by the Dutch under the leadership of William of Orange? Come to that, how did the name cockchafer arise? I dread to think.

So, if you saw one of these flying towards you...


[Poll #746506]

Comments

[cardinalsin.livejournal.com]

This is one of those rare occasions where it is not permissible to use the name of a set to identify its members. A Badger With A Gun must be named!

(heathen...)

Billywitch

[(Anonymous)]

We are now having an augument , live in ipswich ,, billywitch live in out trees and get caught in our hair ,, is it true or not

Re: Billywitch

[(Anonymous)]

By the way we live near woods, and used to play billywitch tennis as kids. But with hats on

Re: Billywitch

[undyingking.livejournal.com]

I expect they will if you give them the chance...