Five Hundred Points of Good Husbandry, xlix. (1557).
Taau, the god of thunder. The natives of the Hervey Islands believe that thunder is produced by the shaking of Taau’s wings.--John Williams, Missionary Enterprises in the South Sea Islands, 109 (1837).
Tabakiera, a magic snuff-box which, upon being opened, said, Que quieres? (“What do you want?”); and, upon being told the wish, it was there and then accomplished. The snuff-box is the counterpart of Aladdin’s lamp, but appears in numerous legends slightly varied (see for example Campbell’s Tales of the West Highlands, ii. 293-303, “The Widow’s Son”).--Rev. W. Webster, Basque Legends, 94 (1876).
Tabarin, a famous vender of quack medicines, born at Milan, who went to Paris in the seventeenth century. By his antics and rude wit he collected great crowds together, and in ten years (1620-30) became rich enough to buy a handsome château in Dauphine. The French aristocracy, unable to bear the satire of a charlatan in a château, murdered him.
The jests and witty sayings of this farceur were collected together in 1622, and published under the title of L’inventaire Universel des Œuvres de Tabarin, contenant ses Fantaisies, Dialogues, Paradoxes, Farces, etc.
In 1858 an edition of his works was published by G. Aventin.
Tachebrune (2 syl.), the horse of Ogier le Dane. The word means “brown spot.”
Taciturnian, an inhabitant of L’Isle Taciturne, or Taciturna, meaning London and the Londoners.
A thick and perpetual vapor covers this island, and fills the souls of the inhabitants with a certain sadness, misanthropy, and irksomeness of their own existence. Alaciel [the genius] was hardly at the first barriers of the metropolis when he fell in with a peasant bending under the weight of a bag of gold ... but his heart was sad and gloomy ... and he said to the genius, “Joy! I know it not; I never heard of it in this island.”--De la Dixmie, L’Isle Taciturne et l’Isle Enjouée (1759).
Tacket (Tibb), the wife of old Martin, the shepherd of Julian Avenel, of Avenel Castle.--Sir W. Scott, The Monastery (time, Elizabeth).