LL-L: "Folklore" LOWLANDS-L, 21.DEC.2000 (03) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

 ======================================================================
 L O W L A N D S - L * 21.DEC.2000 (03) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
 Posting Address: <lowlands-l at listserv.linguistlist.org>
 Web Site: <http://www.geocities.com/sassisch/rhahn/lowlands/>
 User's Manual: <http://www.lsoft.com/manuals/1.8c/userindex.html>
 Archive: <http://listserv.linguistlist.org/archives/lowlands-l.html>
 =======================================================================
 A=Afrikaans, Ap=Appalachean, D=Dutch, E=English, F=Frisian, L=Limburgish
 LS=Low Saxon (Low German), S=Scots, Sh=Shetlandic, Z=Zeelandic (Zeeuws)
 =======================================================================

From: Lone Elisabeth Olesen [baxichedda at yahoo.com]
Subject: "Folklore"

Hello -

Criostoir O Ciardha [paada_please at yahoo.co.uk] wrote:

> In appendix to my earlier statement, Sandy's
> discussion of Wee Willie Winkie (as we referred to
> him) reminds me that in Lond Eaton (Nottingham) we
> had
> him, too, although he was not a Sandman-figure. He
> appeared to be only half-remembered, and had no
> status
> as a bringer of sleep. Usually he survived on in the
> phrase "wee Willie Winkie" as an endearment. Indeed,
> most of the times I recall the term it's in a
> non-sleep context. Perhaps some cultural
> cross-polination took place between Scotland and
> Derbyshire - the Jacobite Rising of 1745? - and
> "Willie" survived as a general term?

In Denmark, the bringer of sleep seems quite related
to Wee Willie Winkie. He also goes from house to house
in his nightgown to make sure all the children are in
bed. By us h is called Ole Lukøje (Ole shut-eye). H.C.
Andersen uses him in some of his fairy tales, and
according to him, Ole Lukøje carries an umbrella with
images inside that will bring dreams if you look at
them. He also sprays milk into the children's eyes
instead of sand. Unfortunately, I don't know how the
tradition was before H.C. Andersen wrote his fairy
tales, because that is the version that is known to
all Danes today.

Merry Christmas -
Lone Olesen

==================================END===================================
 You have received this because your account has been subscribed upon
 request. To unsubscribe, please send the command "signoff lowlands-l"
 as message text from the same account to
 <listserv at listserv.linguistlist.org> or sign off at
 <http://linguistlist.org/subscribing/sub-lowlands-l.html>.
 =======================================================================
 * Please submit contributions to <lowlands-l at listserv.linguistlist.org>.
 * Contributions will be displayed unedited in digest form.
 * Please display only the relevant parts of quotes in your replies.
 * Commands for automated functions (including "signoff lowlands-l") are
   to be sent to <listserv at listserv.linguistlist.org> or at
   <http://linguistlist.org/subscribing/sub-lowlands-l.html>.
 * Please use only Plain Text format, not Rich Text (HTML) or any other
   type of format, in your submissions
 =======================================================================