LL-L "Traditions" 2005.10.04 (02) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

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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 (Zeeuws)
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04 October 2005 * Volume 02
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From: jonny <jonny.meibohm at arcor.de>
Subject: LL-L"Traditions"

Dear Lowlanders,

these days I heard about another tradition regarding houses.

Traditionally the housese in our region had a thatched roof. The ridge
normally was covered with heather. But at the gable top standing to the West
people used to plant a herb, named G:'Fetthenne', in some regions also
'Tripmadam'(what an intersting word!), bot. 'Sedum', and they called it in
LS:'Donnerkruut'.

My guess: it could be related to the Germanic God 'Donar', and the intention
could have been a mystical symbol for the protection of the building.

Originally there presumably was another, more technical reason: this herb is
very resistant against all types of climatical variations and, different
from heather, keeps alive and takes its roots deeply into the roof-material,
like a kind of anchor.

Greutens/Regards

Johannes "Jonny" Meibohm

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From: R. F. Hahn <lowlands-l at lowlands-l.net>
Subject: Traditions

Hi, Jonny, Lowlanders!

Plant folklore is interesting, isn't it?

Thanks for bringing this topic back to mind, Jonny.  I know that it is also 
a Scandinavian custom with the same folklore, and I think it's much more 
widespread than that.  In some places it is hung on the walls instead, or 
down from the eaves, again in order to ward off lightning strikes. 
Apparently, people were not only afraid of the lightning and the fire it can 
cause (expecially to thatched roof), but lightning was also regarded as 
enabling witchcraft.

Botanical: _Sedum telephium subsp. maximum_

Alternative Low Saxon names:
   Dickblatt (dikblat "thick leave")
   Dönnerluuk (dönner-luuk "thunder leak/onion")
   Dunnerkruut (dunner-kruud "thunder herb")
   Fettbuuk (fetbuuk "fat belly")
   Freer un Bruut (vreyer-un-bruud "groom-and-bride")
   Grote Fetthenn (grote vethen "great fat hen")
   Iesbloom (ysbloum "ice flower")
   Jehannskruut (Jehans-kruud "(St.) John's herb")
   Johannskruut (Johans-kruud "(St.) John's herb")
   Pollack (polak "Pole?")
   Pottlack (potlak "pot varnish"?_)

(By the way, Jonny, I write _kruud_ with "d" because the plural is 
_kruyder_.)

English: Great stonecrop, Orpine
Dutch: Hemelsleutel (heaven's key)
German: Fetthenne ("fat hen")
Danish: Stenurt ("stonewort")
Norwegian: Smørbukk ("butter/fat belly")
Swedish: Fetblad ("fat leave"), käringkål ("hag's cabbage"),
   St Hansknopp (St. John's button), vanlig kärleksört
   ("ordinary lovewort")
Icelandic: Sumarhnoðri ("summer globule")
French: Herbe à la coupure ("grass in the cut/break",
   "clipping herb"?)
Spanish: Hierba callera rosa ("pink callera(?) grass")
Polish: Rozchodnik wielki ("great pink (plant)")
Russian: Заячья капуста (Zajač'ja kapusta "hare cabbage")

Regards,
Reinhard/Ron 

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