2025 Day 75

2025 Dedh Trei Ügens ha Pemdhek

De Sül, whetegves mis Meurth

Sunday, 16th March

Gwenton en Kernow Spring in Cornwall
 
Lowena dhe whei oll. Hello. Joy to you all.

“In April, come she will.” You may be familiar with this rhyme about the once common, now sadly absent, cog or cuckou. In Cornwall we have a number of cuckoo flowers, including primroses, called “guckoos” in dialect. Though most people now call primroses “brially”, bluebells, hare bells, early purple orchids were all “bleujyow purpur a’n gog”.

Ma brially solabres et ow lowarth, saw nag eus bleujyow purpur an gog whath.

There are already primroses in my garden, but there aren't any bluebells yet.

If you know any Welsh, you’ll spot a similarity with “blodau” for flowers. (Joke: What’s a Cornish cat’s favourite colour? Answer: purpur)

The wild arum known as “cuckoo pint” in English has a saucier name “scavyligyon”. This also means a “flasher” or exhibitionist. So, if I tell you that “scav” applies to scanty clothes, you can work out the rest.

Nag eus gweles genam scavyligyon whath.

I haven't seen any cuckoo pint (wild arum) yet.

Some wacky, cuckoo-related, Cornish has crept into the English language. To tell someone they are silly, try “Ass os ta gòcky!” (Rhyme with mucky) How silly you are! “Mos wòcky!” Silly girl! (That change from g to w is called a mutation.) Then it’s only a small step from wòcky to wacky! Cornwall also does well for lilies. Lilies of the valley are bleujyow Cala Me, May Day flowers, or since they are traditionally worn at the Helston Flora, lily Helles. The daffodils or Lenten lilies, widely grown in Cornwall, are lily an Corawys. The season now is Gwenton spring, but maybe you do not need to rush to Trengwainton Garden (historically Trethigwaynton in 1319) - “farm of everlasting spring”.

Duw geno whei. Goodbye. God with you.