Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 13, 1902.djvu/412

 392 The Origin of Totem Names and Beliefs.

the then-current local A^. &' O. column (Feb. 13, 1884), where I saw it.

I was not then living at Edgmond, but I made inquiries there through trustworthy channels, and discovered that two old people, natives of Edgmond, gave the first two lines as

follows :

" Tibberton tawnies, Cherrington chats, Edgmond men, and Adeney cats."

They further said that in their young days, children used to annoy persons who came from these outlying townships to be married at Edgmond parish church, by shouting these words at them. (1 have no note of the date at which Tibberton and Cherrington were formed into a separate ecclesiastical district, but this must refer to a time before that event. I could find out the date, probably, if it were thought desirable.)

" Chats," which are explained in the Shropshire Word Book as " sticks for firing," were said by some of the old Edgmond people to mean gossips. Tawnies are ex- plained in the next note. I sent the above to the local paper aforesaid, and its publication brought me the follow- ing letter. " To Miss Charlotte S. Burne,

"From an old Tibberton Tawnie.

" I myself being bred, born, and reared at Tibberton, seeing your sketch in the Newport Advertiser concerning Tibberton folks, and as you would like to know the meaning of Tibberton Tawnies, the people of Tibberton years ago were remarkable for being very dark looking, and the real Tibberton-bred folks show their breed to this day. Now I beg leave to correct your rhyme, which perhaps you will please correct in the Advertiser. The old true rhyme runs as follows :

" ' Tibberton Tawnies, Cherrington Chats, {sic Edgement Bulldogs and Adeney Cats,

spelling) Edgement Bulldogs made up in a pen

Darna come out for Tibberton men.'