Running Weasels

[annemehr]

--- In HPFGU-Catalogue at yahoogroups.com, "carolynwhite2"
<carolynwhite2 at a...> wrote:
> 
> --- In HPFGU-Catalogue at yahoogroups.com, "annemehr" <annemehr at y...> 
> wrote:
> > 
> > I'm beginning to see references to that old "folktale" popping up 
> (it
> > has a yellow rat in, too) -- the one which nobody could find any
> > references to, except in HP fandom.  Are we agreed that posts about
> > that being a basis for Ron's character go into 0.7
> > Mistakes/Perpetuating Mistakes?
> > 
> 
> Um, do we know for definite it is a mistake? I thought that it was 
> just another myth, neither definitely proved or disproved to be 
> associated with HP, like much else? I'd tend to put it under Ron for 
> the time being unless you are sure...
> 

Anne again:
Well, I'm personally confident it's a bogus story.  I do remember an
effort on the main list (but not how many months ago it was) to nail
down the legend outside of fandom, which was unsuccessful. Now,
whether that's good enough for the catalogue...

Here's what the Lexicon says; a comment at the bottom of the page for
Hagrid:

http://www.hp-lexicon.org/wizards/hagrid.html
*************************************************************
NOTES ON THE NAME:

Regardless of what you may have read online, the name "Hagrid" does
not come from Greek mythology. There is a persistent rumor floating
around to that effect, but it is false. Milz, in response to a
question about this rumor on HPfGU, writes:

    I read that on several HP sites. Like you I thought I was missing
something in spite of having read numerous Greek mythology books
(Hamilton, Bullfinch, etc.) as a child. I even looked it up in a
"who's who" book of mythological characters. The result: nothing. 

    I assume this is "hagrid" name information is make believe.

    [skip incidence of word "hagrid" in Hardy's _Mayor of Casterbridge_]

    Between Thomas Hardy and these HP websites, I'd believe Hardy.;-)

I have also researched this rumor and found nothing whatsoever, except
a lot of Harry Potter sites who have reprinted the same exact tale
without question. It's simply not true, any more than the oft-quoted
but equally false tale of "Running Weasel."

Here's a transcript of the false story:

    Hagrid - Name and tale comes from greek myth. The ancient Hagrid
from the myth was the god of Jewels. This god was said to be the
kindest of the gods, but Hades framed him for the death of Piraeus's
(the killer of Medusa) son. Hagrid was banished from Olympus but Zues
allowed him to stay as the watcher of the animals.
******************************************************************


Anne again:
And I found a site with three bogus etymologies together, which
contains the Hagrid quote on the Lexicon, and may have been the origin
of the rumors:

http://www.harrypotterrealm.com/mn_history_legends.htm
******************************************************************
Submitted by Riley:

Voldemort-
< >Voldemort is derived from the little well known evil wizard named
Voldermortist, in another language, Voldermortist means "Lord of Evil"
or in the simple form of Voldemort means "Dark Lord". The legend is
that Voldermortist once tried to destroy Merlin before the time of
King Arthur, by bewitching good people, and simply bribing those who
already were evil.
< >Legend has it that Merlin destroyed Voldermortist by using a simple
paralyzing charm (full body bind in the case of Harry Potter), fed him
to the many headed beast (translated as Fluffy, in the book) of the
lake, the Lady of the Lake's pet, freed the bewitched people, and
destroyed the evil men. That was maybe twelve, thirteen years before
Arthur.

Rubeus Hagrid-
< >One of the early Greek gods was the giant of jewels, or in Greek,
Hagrid Rubeus, with Hagrid meaning giant and Ruebus meaning rubul, or
jewel. This god was said to be the kindest of the gods, but Hades
framed him for the death of Perseus's - the killer of Medusa - son. He
was therfore banned from Olympus, but Zues took pity on the poor giant
and gave him a job as the keeper of any godly beasts on Olympus.

Ronald Weasley-
< >Ron Weasley, in another language, is called "Running Weasel."
Running Weasel was a warlord in the 6th Dynasty. He was a brilliant
statigist, and he never lost a game of chess.
< >Unfortunately, he died when a rat that had been dyed yellow by his
soldiers for fun earlier that day, knocked over a lamp in his palace,
burning it to the ground, and killing Running Weasel. -- Told to us
August of 1999. 
******************************************************************

Anne again:
As you can see, these three entries were credited to one person; there
are legitimate entries above them on the page.  The page is copyright
1999-2002, for what it's worth.  It seems to be the one Milz found and
the Lexicon refers to (I refuse to type "references" as a verb)

I'm convinced it's baloney, but I'll code away however you like.

Anne

P.S. Sorry about the length, but the research was fun and I found it
interesting.  It's fun delving into the past (as we do here, of
course) -- I found the origin of the Icicle rumor that way.  :D