word of the day: cockchafer
Miss Bianca and Bernard have come to the Antarctic on a mission. Some things go well, some things don’t. At this point they are clinging to a wreath of chrysanthemums thrown into the sea to honor the loss of a ship’s crew. “[The] red-and-white wreath [was] frozen almost to red-and-white coral, and floating just like a life-belt!”
The resemblance to a life-belt catches the attention of a passing helicopter, and an adventurous member of the crew volunteers to be lowered on a winch to investigate.
Says the pilot, ‘[D]own you go, my gallant and intelligent lad — though I warn you we can’t allow more than two shakes!’
No longer was needed, for the Mechanic to waver down like a cockchafer on a thread, and then with a strong right arm to grasp the chrysanthemum wreath and bear it (all unwittingly bearing Bernard and Miss Bianca too) safe back!
definition (wikipedia): a European beetle also called a doodlebug or Maybug. Children since antiquity have played with cockchafers. In ancient Greece, boys caught the insect, tied a linen thread to its feet and set it free, amusing themselves to watch it fly in spirals.
source:
Miss Bianca in the Antarctic
by Margery Sharp
illustrated by Erik Blegveld
1971. Little, Brown & Co., Boston MA
No comments:
Post a Comment