Errantry, read aloud, an attempt

[mollyringle]

Here's an mp3 of me reading aloud Tolkien's poem "Errantry, which was all kalquessa's idea.

Text of "Errantry" here.

So that's where the name "Dumbledore" came from, eh?

By the way, does Spike call Wesley "Percy" after Percy Weasley? Both Wes and Percy were pretty proud of being "head boy".

Happy weekend!

Comments

[kalquessa]

I think, if memory serves, that "Dumbledore" is an archaic word for bumble-bee. Tolkien and Rowling probably both found it via their classical educations and hung onto it because they both have a love of fun alliteration and obscure words.

Another fun note of the word that I found via a fellow fan: "Dumbledore" was, apparently, a type of hat for a very short period. So Albus Dumbledore could be translated as "White Hat." Hmmm. *chin stroke*

[mollyringle]

White hat, eh? Cool. I didn't realize JKR was so linguistically clever as well--though obviously not to the fanatical degree JRRT was...

[naill_renfro]

That's better! I wish I could find a picture of a dumbledore hat, but alas, all Google gives me is pictures of Dumbledore hats. Well, I'm sure it's silly looking.

The most recent usage example the OED gives is from 1863 -- they seem to have missed Tolkian's altogether, although I think they prefer prose examples. This, BTW, is the OED definition:

"A humble-bee or bumble-bee; also (dial.) a cockchafer."

I haven't dared to look that one up.

[kalquessa]

"Cockchafer"? Oh dear.

[mollyringle]

"Cockchafer"...I'm not even male and I'm cringing anyway.