I enjoy FrostHawk, esp. tethered!Hawk, and the places my mind goes. Sorry, Clint. ;)
First, a link to wikipedia's entry on falconry, pointing to the heading talking about words and idioms in English derived from it. (Which I think is all tentative, citation needed, so take with a certain amount of sodium chloride.)
Posted about this on facebook but wanted to stick it here as well.
It suggests that the term "under one's thumb" and "wrapped around one's (little) finger" originate from falconry, referring to ways of holding onto the leash/tether when the raptor is on the fist. That is, the bird is under control and can't get away because its leash is pinched under the falconer's thumb, or wrapped around the finger, securing the leash.
So we have the falconry meanings, and then we have the common meanings; to have someone under one's thumb -> to control, dominate them; to have someone wrapped around one's little finger -> to successful control/influence someone, with nuances of doing it effortlessly, and nuances that the one who is wrapped around the finger is doing it because they're so enamoured they'll do anything for the person.
SO.
One of the several fics that I have going (because Loki is a pushy muse) is Loki/Clint while he's under his control. I was looking up falconry, because I was thinking about Loki learning what Clint's codename is, and then deciding, for a pet name, what kind of raptor he is. And Loki's reaction to hearing "Hawkeye" would be to think about hawks, and to think about falconry being a sport of kings, and liking that metaphor for their complicated relationship. So I was looking up about various species of raptors, and what their characteristics are, and how they have been used in falconry, etc.... anyway, that's what I was doing on that corner of wikipedia.
And then I read that bit about the derivation of those phrases which I am well familiar with. And I thought... Oh.My.Loki. Because he would LOVE the double meaning... both the more common way we use the terms, and applying that to their intimate relationship as well as controller/thrall, boss/minion... AND extending the falconry metaphor at the same time.
It just jumped into my head and I just about cackled with glee. That is so totally, utterly Loki.
Also: a new(? - or I didn't recognize it before) Lokifeel for me.. that feeling I get when I think of something and I know, I just *know* that Loki would *love* it. It's sort of wicked/mischievous feeling. Like he's heard what I'm thinking and is saying to me, "Oooh, I like how you think, little mortal..."
(cackles with glee)
Posted about this on facebook but wanted to stick it here as well.
It suggests that the term "under one's thumb" and "wrapped around one's (little) finger" originate from falconry, referring to ways of holding onto the leash/tether when the raptor is on the fist. That is, the bird is under control and can't get away because its leash is pinched under the falconer's thumb, or wrapped around the finger, securing the leash.
So we have the falconry meanings, and then we have the common meanings; to have someone under one's thumb -> to control, dominate them; to have someone wrapped around one's little finger -> to successful control/influence someone, with nuances of doing it effortlessly, and nuances that the one who is wrapped around the finger is doing it because they're so enamoured they'll do anything for the person.
SO.
One of the several fics that I have going (because Loki is a pushy muse) is Loki/Clint while he's under his control. I was looking up falconry, because I was thinking about Loki learning what Clint's codename is, and then deciding, for a pet name, what kind of raptor he is. And Loki's reaction to hearing "Hawkeye" would be to think about hawks, and to think about falconry being a sport of kings, and liking that metaphor for their complicated relationship. So I was looking up about various species of raptors, and what their characteristics are, and how they have been used in falconry, etc.... anyway, that's what I was doing on that corner of wikipedia.
And then I read that bit about the derivation of those phrases which I am well familiar with. And I thought... Oh.My.Loki. Because he would LOVE the double meaning... both the more common way we use the terms, and applying that to their intimate relationship as well as controller/thrall, boss/minion... AND extending the falconry metaphor at the same time.
It just jumped into my head and I just about cackled with glee. That is so totally, utterly Loki.
Also: a new(? - or I didn't recognize it before) Lokifeel for me.. that feeling I get when I think of something and I know, I just *know* that Loki would *love* it. It's sort of wicked/mischievous feeling. Like he's heard what I'm thinking and is saying to me, "Oooh, I like how you think, little mortal..."
(cackles with glee)