St. David's Day
Mar 1
Other Scottish Country Dances for this Day
Today's Musings, History & Folklore
"I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze."
~ I Wandered Lonely As A Cloud, William Wordsworth, 1804
The daffodil is the national flower of Wales and is often worn on St David's Day, March 1 as an alternative to the leek, another national symbol. In Welsh, the daffodil is known as "Peter's Leek." The English name Daffodil is believed to come from the old English word Affodyle, meaning "early-comer." In Shakespeare's day it had many other nicknames such as daff-a-down-dilly, daffodilly, and the Lent lily.
The Daffodil
The daffodil is the national flower of Wales, and is worn on St David's Day each 1 March. (In Welsh, the daffodil is known as "Peter's Leek", cenhinen Bedr/Cenin pedr.) It is also the birth flower of March.
The name Daffodil probably comes from the word Affodyle, old English for "early-comer." In Shakespeare's day it had many nicknames such as daff-a-down-dilly and daffodilly and was also known as the Lent lily.
The most common color of daffodils are shades yellow. But daffodils also come in different colors such as pink and lime green or even combinations of yellow, white, and bright orange.
Daffodils are poisonous and can even cause skin irritations for some - called "daffodil itch."
Many regional superstitions are associated with daffodils:
In Greek mythology, daffodils are pale yellow flowers that grow in Hades for the dead to consume.
Daffodils were also considered unlucky by poultry keepers. If someone who owns chickens keeps daffodils inside the home, it was believed that the poultry would not lay eggs or that already laid eggs would not hatch.
In the US, particularly in Maine, pointing at a daffodil with your index finger is said to keep it from blooming!
For the best places in the UK to view daffodils, click the daffodils.
And for a video of the dance performed at Fanwood in 2016, scroll down below.
