A Year of Late Cornish Day 356

Trei Hansves Dedh Whetek ha Dogans

De Sül, tryja warn ügens mis Kevardhû.

Sunday, 23^rd December 

Ma cân Nadelik da gen an bobel adro dhe garow ergh (Rudolph). Thera dhodho min rüdh ha’n kerwas erel a’n grevyas awos hedna. Saw flows ew hebma. Na ell kerwas ergh gweles an liw rüdh (po rüdhvelyn) po glas avel liwyow diberthys. Nag eus dhodhans an killigow own et aga lagajow. Na whath, anjei ell gweles golow ûghviolet, etho anjei ell gweles kewny dadn an ergh. Gwres ew hedna rag bownans e’n ergh. Ha anjei ell gweles bestas gwydn (na ellen nei gweles anjei) drefen bos UV dastewydnyes gen ergh ha ma blew (ha kewny) owth y gemeres emann. Ma dhe gewny ha blew semblans dû bedn ergh gwydn.       

There is a popular Christmas song about a reindeer (Rudolph). He had a red nose and the other reindeer teased him because of that. But this is nonsense. Reindeer cannot see the colour red (or orange) or green as separate colours. They do not have the right cells in their eyes. However, they can see ultraviolet light, so they can see lichen (reindeer moss) under the snow. That is adapted for life in the snow. And they can see white animals (we cannot see them) because UV is reflected by snow and fur (and moss) absorbs it. Moss and fur look black against white snow.