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Language:
English
Series:
Part 18 of Ineffable Holiday Drabbles 2020
Collections:
Ineffable Holiday 2020
Stats:
Published:
2020-12-18
Words:
100
Chapters:
1/1
Comments:
7
Kudos:
31
Hits:
133

18. Caroling

Summary:

Mari Lwyd visits the bookshop.

Notes:

(See the end of the work for notes.)

Work Text:

Aziraphale looked up into the voids of a skeletal horse’s eyes, blinking as the ‘horse’ sang to him before pausing expectantly.

“My Welsh is a bit rusty
But if you’re not fussy
I’ll tell you in English
I’ve no nibbles you’d wish.”

Aziraphale couldn’t translate the enthusiastic reply he received.

“You seem to’ve not got the gist
So, I’m afraid I must insist
Heed my words to you now
I’ve no food here to satisfy this row.”

The horse gave up an hour later, unable to outwit Aziraphale who was apparently a poet, and realizing ... Aziraphale couldn’t understand him anyway.

Notes:

For those not familiar, Mari Lwyd is a Welsh 'caroling' tradition. The Mari Lwyd party (one of which was a skeletal horse's head) would approach a house and sing a song in which they requested admittance. The inhabitants of the house would then offer excuses for why the team could not enter. The party would sing a second verse, and the debate between the two sides – known as the pwnco – would continue until the house's inhabitants ran out of ideas, at which time they were obliged to allow the party entry and to provide them with ale and food.

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