LL-L "Folklore" 2003.10.02 (08) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

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L O W L A N D S - L * 02.OCT.2003 (08) * 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) N=Northumbrian
S=Scots Sh=Shetlandic V=(West)Flemish Z=Zeelandic (Zeêuws)
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From: Gaidheal <gaidheal at yahoo.com>
Subject: LL-L "Folklore" 2003.10.01 (11) [E]


Feasgar math, a Lowlanders;

Europe!! Ron, did I sign up as someone from Europe? I could've sworn I said
I'm in New England (as I am!)! But if not, shame on me. Interesting. Perhaps
the Gaelic put you off!

In any case, the corpse relationship is very morbid, in my opinion, but
fitting in a way (especially as we approach Hallowe'en, I hadn't even
thought of the connection of posting today the first of October!). But
that's strange, because as I remember it, Wills o' the wisp are light,
aren't they? Some sort of gasceous effect? Perhaps people were getting a
little too imaginative, or frightened.

Beannachdan,
Uilleam Òg mhic Sheumais

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From: Sandy Fleming [sandy at scotstext.org]
Subject: "Folklore"

> From: R. F. Hahn <sassisch at yahoo.com>
> Subject: Folklore
>
> Latha math, a Uilleam (a.k.a. "Night Owl")!
>
> In Lowlands Saxon (Low German) of Germany, there are _spöyk-lichten_
> (<Spööklichten> "spook lights"), namely will-o'-the-wisps, also known as
> _elv-lichten_ (<Elflichten> "elv lights," "fairy-lights") and _ir-lichten_
> (<Irrlichten> "erring lights," "misguiding lights").  I am not aware of
> names linking them to corpses, though I wouldn't be surprised about such
> connections in some dialects.

This reminds me of an incident that happened with some poachers in our
village. I was just a kid at the time but I knew the men by sight, they were
well-known to everyone in the village.

Those four inveterate poachers were out poaching in dead of night. Returning
to the village, they had to drive down a road which was flanked on one side
by an old cemetery/churchyard, and on the other by a new cemetery. As they
approached this part of the road, a huge glowing mass came over the wall of
the new cemetery, rushed across the road, up the wall on the opposite side,
and disappeared into the old cemetery.

Three of the poachers were talking about this in the pub the next night, but
the leader of the band couldn't be persuaded to say anything about it, and
he never went poaching again!

> Yes, Halloween will soon be upon us.  Time to rummage in attics and
> basements ...

Attics and basements? I just have to look in my wardrobe. For some of us,
every day is Halloween!

I'll be in Whitby for Halloween - the celebrations will last four days. I've
allowed an extra day in my plans, to recover before driving home!

> P.S.: What's going on? Don't people sleep any more in Europe? Creepy
> thoughts will invade your minds if you stay up till all hours of the night
> during the dark season.

So that's what's causing it!

Sandy
http://scotstext.org/

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From: R. F. Hahn <sassisch at yahoo.com>
Subject: Folklore

Uilleam wrote (above):

> Europe!! Ron, did I sign up as someone from Europe? I could've sworn
> I said I'm in New England (as I am!)! But if not, shame on me.
Interesting.
> Perhaps the Gaelic put you off!

Oops! Tha mi duilich. No, Gaelic is never off-putting to me, but, yes, it
makes me think of you as being farther west than you are.  ;)  Anyway, New
England?  From where I am sitting you might as well be in Europe.  ;)
Yesterday in the late afternoon American Pacific Standard Time I got quite a
few messages from folks who are really in Europe, and it must have been in
the early morning hours where they were.

> But that's strange, because as I remember it, Wills o' the wisp are light,
aren't they?
> Some sort of gasceous effect?

As far as I know they are.  Apparently there are those bog lights as well,
larger lights closer to the ground, and I've heard they can occur in
cemeteries as well ...

Sandy (above):

> > Yes, Halloween will soon be upon us.  Time to rummage in attics and
> > basements ...
>
> Attics and basements? I just have to look in my wardrobe. For some of us,
every day
> is Halloween!

Well, I happen to be aware of that, and I should have inserted an exemption
clause.

> I'll be in Whitby for Halloween - the celebrations will last four days.
I've allowed an
> extra day in my plans, to recover before driving home!

And don't pick up any strange hitchhikers around Halloween.

Here's some scary Halloween reading, a Grimm's tale:

Lowlands Saxon (Low German) original:
http://www.gutenberg2000.de/grimm/maerchen/mchandel.htm

English translation:
http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/grimm047.html

Enjoy!
Reinhard/Ron

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