Molly resembles the Raggedy Anne doll I had as a child, and I enjoy seeing her under the tree in a neighbor's garden in late September. She conveys seasonal sentiments eloquently with her round eyes, crookedy stitched smile, corn husk hair and hands, red corduroy overalls and flowered shirt. Crowning it all is a fine squashy burlap hat.
My friend is a scarecrow or flaycraw, a traditional Yorkshire and northern English word crafted from two Old English roots: "flay" (from flíȝan or flēȝan) meaning to frighten or put to flight, and "craw" (from crāwe), an archaic word for crow. Thus, Molly is a "crow-frightener", or scarecrow in modern parlance. Yorkshire dialects are a treasure trove of colourful words and expressions, and York St John University maintains a website devoted to such things: Yorkshire Dialects. Lots of splendid words there for etymology and dialect enthusiasts, and I visit the place often.
Molly doesn't scare crows or other birds, and as a matter of fact, they like to perch on her and sing. Every few years, she becomes rather grubby, tattered, and festooned with bird droppings. When that happens, she undergoes a midlife refit. Her corn husk hair and hands are replaced, and she gets a new hat and overalls. This year, she also seems to have acquired a new head.
2 comments:
Good ol' Raggedy ... Molly. -Kate
My youngest had a Raggedy Ann plus a picture book about her sent to her by her aunt in Florida. She has grown up children of her own now. I think Raggedy Ann is in my nostalgia box with a few Care Bears here in Dorset UK
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