LL-L "Folklore" 2002.12.11 (05) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

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 L O W L A N D S - L * 11.DEC.2002 (05) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
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 A=Afrikaans Ap=Appalachian B=Brabantish D=Dutch E=English F=Frisian
 L=Limburgish LS=Lowlands Saxon (Low German) S=Scots Sh=Shetlandic
               V=(West)Flemish Z=Zeelandic (Zeêuws)
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From: RBlaustein at aol.com <RBlaustein at aol.com>
Subject: Folklore

Dear Lowlanders,

I find this recent discussion of folklore extremely interesting for a number
of reasons.  Firstly, it is good to learn about the ongoing work of
Professor
Stefaan Tap at the University of Leuven concerning what the Grimm Brothers
termed Kinder und Haus Märchen.

Luc’s question concerning St. Nick vs. Old Nick and the possibility that
"Nick" derives from cognate Germanic terms for demons, especially water
spirits reminds us that the Grimms were also great philologists as well as
collectors of folktales.

I recently consulted their pioneering dictionary, seeking to determine the
etymology of <<Pelznickel>>.  Most of the English and German sources I have
thus far consulted state that "Pelznickel" or "Belsnickel" means "Furry
Nicholas, Nicholas in Furs," though some admit that its etymology is
uncertain and debatable. (if any readers of this list know of any books or
journal articles dealing with the etymology of Pelznickel, please let me
know).

According to the Grimm’s Deutsches Wörterbuch (Leipzig: Verband von S.
Hirzel, 1889), "nickel" has several meanings in German, including:

1) nickel, n. pr. The short form of the name Nikolaus;
2) nickel is like Hans, Kunz, etc., used among other things as a name for
the
devil (Myth 4, 889), Swabian nickel  kobold   Birlinger Volksth., 1, 349.

(The Online Etymological Dictionary states that nickel in German is "a
rascal, demon, goblin, (a pet form of the name Nickolaus ), hence Old  Nick,
"the devil." )

The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
supports Luc’s hypothesis: "Nick or Old Nick is a well-known appellation of
the Devil. The name appears to have been derived from the Dutch Nikken, the
devil, which again comes from the Anglo-Saxon nac-an, to slay--for as
Wachter
says the devil was "a murderer from the beginning." [is this the root of
modern English "knacker," "butcher" ?] In the northern countries there is a
river spirit named "Neck," "Nikke," or "Nokke" of the same nature as the
water Kelpie, and the Merman of Triton."

The English term for a water spirit, "nixie" is closely related to German
words such as "wassernixe" (nixie), "nixe" (mermaid), and "nickert," a
child-stealing water sprite, and also the Shetlandic  "njugl," a
sea-dwelling
 shape-shifter who takes the form of a monstrous water-horse. In the Prose
Edda, Nikudr ("Spear-Lord") and Nickar ("Striker") are two of the twelve
names of Odin.

Several sources claim that Old Nick derives from Hold Nickar, the
Teutonic/Norse counterpart of Poseidon and Neptune, king of the water
sprites
and sea monsters. While this etymology is clearly speculative, it is also a
classic example of the linguistic and cultural survivals that fascinated the
Grimms and the 19th century folklorists they inspired.

As Reinhold/Ron suggests in his response to Luc, folklore includes such
eroded vestiges of beliefs and practices Gesünkenes Kulturgut  whose
original
meanings or rationales have been lost or changed over time, such as myths
becoming fairy tales or rituals preserved in children’s games or seasonal
festivities. There are undoubtedly no end of linguistic and cultural
survivals in Lowland cultures (and elsewhere), though these days most
folklorists are more concerned with documenting living traditions rather
than
speculatively reconstructing their roots. Nonetheless, survivals do exist
and they are well worth exploring.

Best wishes to all for a happy holiday season and a good new year! Richard

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