[214] Gaukr (mod. gickr) is a congener of the A. Sax. Gaec; the Irish Cuach (hence Mo-chuachin, “my little cuckoo!”); the Scotch Gowk; the German Gauch; the Danish Gick, and the Slav. Keuk or Kukavitsa: the Serbian legend makes it a sister calling upon a lost brother. The Index Vocum, etc. (Landnámabók, p. 486), explains it Cuculus.
[215] This is a lineal descendant from the ancient and venerable root which named the Aryan race, Ἄριοι, i.e., ploughers not pastors, and which produced Ar-atron, Ar-atrum; Bohemian, Or-adlo; Lithuanian, Ar-klas; Cornish, Ar-adar, and Welsh, Ar-ad, and which survives in our word to “ear.” The Arðr of the Sagas was probably heavier and bulkier than the Plógr, a late word of foreign stamp, which “our American cousins” will degrade to “plow.”
[216] This word, Melr (plur. Melar), wild oats or bent, also Mel-gras (whence Mel-rakki, the fox), must be distinguished from what the Dictionary, erroneously I think, makes its secondary sense, a sand-hill, dune, dene or link, overgrown with such grass, and a sandbank generally, even when bare. The question is, was the oat called from its sand-bed or vice versâ? For a description of this feature, see Chapter IX.
[217] Etymologically, Reynir is applied to a cousin, the rowan tree, or mountain ash (Pyrus aucuparia), especially sacred to Thor. Hence the Vikings were called ash-men, because they sat under the sacred ash, which defended them from the evil eye.
[218] Hooker (ii. 325) found a true rose, the Rosa hibernica, growing in the Seljaland, but only there. Thus it is not wholly wanting, as in the southern hemisphere.
[219] Further notices will occur in the Journal (Chap. V.) about this Surtar-brand (not “Surtur-brand”). Etymologically, it is from Surtr (a congener of “swarthy”) “the Black,” a fire-giant, who, coming from the south, will destroy the Odin-world, and Brandr, a firebrand. After the change of faith, this northern Ahriman or Set (Typhon) was ready to hand, and at once became the Semitico-Scandinavian “Devil.” Upon the same principle, the latter is known in Scotland as “Auld Sootie,” since the classical gamins gave horns and tail to Pluto, and the face of the great god Pan was blackened by the monks. The Surtshellir tunnel in western Iceland, famed for the atrocious “Cave-men” (outlaws), is also derived from the Surtr of Scandinavian mythology. The author did not visit it, but the descriptions and illustrations suggested the Umm Nírán in the lava formations of the Safá, near Damascus, noticed in “Unexplored Syria.”
[220] In Switzerland, also, the minimum of snow coincides with the last of July and early August.
[221] The indigenous Poas number twelve, and the Festucæ three
[222] Óðal is a congener of the German Edel and Adel, noble, as the “chiefs” of Scandinavian and Teutonic communities were the land-holders. Hence the mid. Lat. Allodium; and (Cleasby) “feudal” is fee-odal, odal held as a fee (Germ. vieh; Dutch, vee; pecunia, capitale) from the king: Dr Sullivan prefers Feodum, from Fuidhir, fugitives. Popularly, Udal, Allodium, prædium hereditarium, is opposed to feudal.
[223] The Icelandic Umboð are our Umboth-lands, formerly belonging to the bishop, and afterwards transferred to the Crown. Etymologically, the word means a charge or stewardship.