Subject
A possible Botkin sighting: Odds Bodkins!
Date
Body
From: Chris J. Magyar, The Colorado College. Icrywolf@aol.com
Although I don't think that this use or form of the word was what VN intended
when using his mysterious "botkin" in _PF_, it made me chuckle and rethink
some of homosexual Kinbote's uses of it. I took this from The Straight Dope
website, although this particular piece was not written by the infamous Cecil
Adams. It was penned by one of his numerous underlings calling herself Melis,
in an article that tries to explain the origin of the phrase "colder than a
witch's tit"...
'Supposedly, witches would suckle their familiars, and sometimes the Devil
himself, from this "unholy" body part [the teat]. To find these marks, as well
as insensitive spots on the skin called devil's marks--caused by the Devil's
claws or teeth--the suspects were stripped, shaven, then closely examined for
any blemishes, moles, or even scars that could be labeled as diabolical. To
find marks invisible to the eye, the examiner would poke the victim inch by
inch with a blunt needle (called a bodkin) until they found a spot that didn't
feel pain or bleed. Discovery of these marks or spots--one supposes they would
be considered cold since they were a sign of communion with the Devil--would
be "proof" of the person's dealings with Scratch, so they would be shown in
full court before the execution.'
One wonders at the correlation between this 18th century 'medical instrument'
(for lack of a better term) and Nabokov's given definition of a 'Danish
stilleto.' Perhaps the quirky dictates of fashion coerced the Danes into
heeling their shoes with witch-pokers? To ward off the devil maybe? At best,
this is a curious combination of definition to fit under the umbrella of
synonym, a combination that I'm sure N would have enjoyed.
Chris J. Magyar
The Colorado College
Icrywolf@aol.com
Although I don't think that this use or form of the word was what VN intended
when using his mysterious "botkin" in _PF_, it made me chuckle and rethink
some of homosexual Kinbote's uses of it. I took this from The Straight Dope
website, although this particular piece was not written by the infamous Cecil
Adams. It was penned by one of his numerous underlings calling herself Melis,
in an article that tries to explain the origin of the phrase "colder than a
witch's tit"...
'Supposedly, witches would suckle their familiars, and sometimes the Devil
himself, from this "unholy" body part [the teat]. To find these marks, as well
as insensitive spots on the skin called devil's marks--caused by the Devil's
claws or teeth--the suspects were stripped, shaven, then closely examined for
any blemishes, moles, or even scars that could be labeled as diabolical. To
find marks invisible to the eye, the examiner would poke the victim inch by
inch with a blunt needle (called a bodkin) until they found a spot that didn't
feel pain or bleed. Discovery of these marks or spots--one supposes they would
be considered cold since they were a sign of communion with the Devil--would
be "proof" of the person's dealings with Scratch, so they would be shown in
full court before the execution.'
One wonders at the correlation between this 18th century 'medical instrument'
(for lack of a better term) and Nabokov's given definition of a 'Danish
stilleto.' Perhaps the quirky dictates of fashion coerced the Danes into
heeling their shoes with witch-pokers? To ward off the devil maybe? At best,
this is a curious combination of definition to fit under the umbrella of
synonym, a combination that I'm sure N would have enjoyed.
Chris J. Magyar
The Colorado College
Icrywolf@aol.com