It’s been blowing a gale today: leaves flying everywhere; bits of tree falling off everywhere and poor little birds (and people) getting blown about by the wind. In fact, our word ‘windy’ comes straight from the Anglo-Saxons. Here’s a little ditty translated for the ears of the Old English speakers out there:
‘North-wind doth blow, and we shall have snow, and what will poor robin do then (poor thing)?’
Norðanwind bleow, and we habban snaw, and hwæt þonne do earm fugel (earm þing)?
[“North-an-wind blay-oh, and way hab-ban snaw, and hwat thon-nuh doh* (*as in “dough”) ay-arm foo-gel (ay-arm thing)”]
‘North-wind doth blow, and we shall have snow, and what will poor robin do then (poor thing)?’
Norðanwind bleow, and we habban snaw, and hwæt þonne do earm fugel (earm þing)?
[“North-an-wind blay-oh, and way hab-ban snaw, and hwat thon-nuh doh* (*as in “dough”) ay-arm foo-gel (ay-arm thing)”]
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