This newsletter presents a small collection of geographic, historical, archaeological, cultural and/or artistic articles that have caught my attention. As a fantasy writer, I am fascinated by the nooks and corners of our real world and constantly find inspiration for my own world building and storytelling — it’s my hope that these newsletters are an inspirational resource for other writers, too, or for anyone who wants to learn more about our world.
I always get etymology and entomology confused when I try to use them, which is why it’s ideal when I can use them both without having to figure out which is which. I love word history and Etymonline is one of my favorite places online to visit, so while the story about medieval spells for controlling bee swarms (linked below) was right up my alley of interest, what was most delightful to me in piece was the nugget about the Old English word sigewif. The connection between bees and Valkyries seems obvious when you think about, and I think Victory Women is a term that should come back into regular usage.
Speaking of Victory Women, there’s an appearance by a Barbie contender below. It seems like even nature was getting in on the promotional tie-ins this past summer!
FYI, Etymonline says that the word “bug” (referring to insects) probably comes the Middle English word bugge "something frightening" — which I guess makes this issue more Halloween themed than I intended!
We Are all Victory Women
“Take [some] earth, throw it with your right hand under your right foot, and say:
‘I catch it under foot, I have found it. Lo! Earth has power against all and every being, and against malice and against mindlessness, and against the mighty tongue of man.’
And then throw dust over the bees when they swarm, and say: ‘Sit you, victory-women, settle to earth! Never must you fly wild to the wood. Be you as mindful of my welfare as each man is of his food and home.’”
Tossing dirt over the bees would have been just as important as the magic words; perhaps more important, since it would have produced the desired result of getting the confused insects to settle on the ground en masse. The bees are addressed as “victory-women” (sigewif, in Old English) because this term was also used for Valkyries and warrior women, and like them, worker bees are females who wield a “sword” (their stinger).
Read more: The Magic Spells That Herded Medieval Bees
Land of the Dragonflies
During the 15th and 16th centuries, Japan's feudal families vied for supremacy, amassing vast armies to ensure their dominion and to conquer weaker neighbors. High-ranking lords began to embellish their helmets with sculptural forms so that they could be visually located on the battlefield. Exotic helmets (kawari kabuto) also allowed leaders to choose symbolic motifs for their helmets that reflected some aspect of their personality or that of their collective battalions.
This helmet is shaped like a giant dragonfly. In Japan, the dragonfly is symbolic of focused endeavor and vigilance because of its manner of moving up, down and sideways while continuing to face forward. In addition, in ancient texts Japan was often referred to as Akitsushima (Land of the Dragonflies), because of their abundance. They were also thought to be the spirits of rice, since they are often to be found hovering above the flooded rice fields.
Read more: Helmet in Dragonfly Shape
On Wednesdays We Wear Pink
Despite its small size, the hot pink of the grasshopper stood out and Mr Phillips was captivated, watching it hop across his lawn.
The green meadow grasshopper species is common across the UK, however - as the name suggests - these are generally green, brown or a combination of the two.
It is believed on rare occasions, a genetic mutation causes them to turn pink.
This makes seeing them even rarer again, as their bright colours mean they are unable to hide from predators and do not survive very long.
Read more: Rare Pink Grasshopper Spotted in Garden
I’ve been running into dragonflies, and dragonfly references, everywhere. I was in southern India for a few weeks and there were so many dragonflies in the city outskirts where I stayed. Apparently, they are harbingers of rain. They look like self-important helicopters 🚁 busily flying close to the ground.