[Ansteorra] Looking for a Source for "but it ben of withieswrought"

[Roberta Bucher]

Thank you so much!

Roberta

Roberta E. Bucher
BMT Designers & Planners
2120 Washington Blvd., Suite 200
Arlington, VA 22204
(703) 920-7070, ext. 205
rbucher at dandp.com 


-----Original Message-----
From: ansteorra-bounces at lists.ansteorra.org
[mailto:ansteorra-bounces at lists.ansteorra.org] On Behalf Of Kelandra
Carmichael
Sent: Tuesday, August 14, 2007 12:39 PM
To: Kingdom of Ansteorra - SCA, Inc.
Subject: Re: [Ansteorra] Looking for a Source for "but it ben of
withieswrought"

Well that sounds like she is saying that the green garland was made of 
'withies' which is as far as I know is an European English term for a
type 
of thin strong willow saplings used as flexible construction materials.
The 
term is also sometimes used to describe any type of flexible rod used in

crafting such as hazel or ash saplings. Usually found as thatching, in 
garden construction, or woven into baskets.

I know a story about "steeping the withies". When told to me a long time
ago 
was about a young Scottish man and his wife who became hosts to a couple
of 
unexpected guests from a rival clan who meant to do them harm and so the

husband used the excuse of steeping the withies to leave the cottage and
get 
the upperhand on the villains. Steeping the withies means to soak them
in 
water so they become more pliable before use. So when your in a Scottish

household and you here the host say "it's time to steep the withies"
that is 
to serve as a signal that it is time for you to leave.

As for waeving garlands out of withies:
http://www.standingstones.com/irishem.html

http://www.theoi.com/Text/NonnusDionysiaca11.html

Kindly,
Ian Dun Gillan 

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