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Featherd-Gold-art - 8/22/04

 

"Feathered Gold, Golden Feathers" by Ld. Daniel Raoul le Vascon.

 

NOTE: See also the files: falconry-msg, p-falconry-bib, fowls-a-birds-msg, p-animals-bib, pets-msg, Zoomorphics-art, Cats-n-the-MA-art, bestiaries-msg.

 

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NOTICE -

 

This article was submitted to me by the author for inclusion in this set

of files, called Stefan’s Florilegium.

 

These files are available on the Internet at:

http://www.florilegium.org

 

Copyright to the contents of this file remains with the author.

 

While the author will likely give permission for this work to be

reprinted in SCA type publications, please check with the author first

or check for any permissions granted at the end of this file.

 

                               Thank you,

                                    Mark S. Harris

                                    AKA:  Stefan li Rous

                                         stefan at florilegium.org

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Feathered Gold, Golden Feathers

by Ld. Daniel Raoul le Vascon.

 

This is a very strange story indeed.  It began when the Spanish conquered what were then called the Fortunate Islands late in the 15th century.  These were lush tropical islands off the west Coast of Africa.   Upon these islands lived some very small but very cheerful little golden birds.

 

All over Europe the Spanish sold these happy little birds as pets.  Being very crafty merchants they sold only male birds.  The fame of these birds quickly spread and everyone who was anyone wanted one for their very own.  As a result the price of the birds went up and up and up.

 

The clever Spanish merchants kept the origin of the melodious little birds very mysterious.  They spread the tale that the birds had to be gotten at great price from a far distant land.  The truth was the Spanish were hatching them out in secret in Spain.

 

The Spanish maintained their grip on the supply of the birds until 1622 when a ship coming to Spain, carrying both male and female birds, sank at sea.  Thousands of birds escaped drowning and flew to the nearby Isle of Elba.  The birds were quite happy in their new home.  They  made nests and thrived.  In due time the birds in their new home were discovered by passing French and Italian travelers.  These travelers recognized them and quickly captured some as pets.  The Spanish hold on the market was thus undone.  The little golden birds, like the islands from which they came, are now called Canaries.

 

from:

"A Browsers Book of Beginnings", Charles Panati, 1984, Houston Mifflin Company, 2 Park Street, Boston, Mass

 

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Copyright 2001 by Daniel C. Phelps, 3359B Trafalgar Square, Tallahassee, Florida 32301.  email: <phelpsd at gate.net>. Permission is granted for republication in SCA-related publications, provided the author is credited and receives a copy.

 

If this article is reprinted in a publication, I would appreciate a notice in the publication that you found this article in the Florilegium. I would also appreciate an email to myself, so that I can track which articles are being reprinted. Thanks. -Stefan.

 

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