The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1851-11-27
GOTHAM.

Most Of our readers have seen mention
made Of Gotham and its wise men, as il is
frequently applied in derision to the great
icommercia emporium of this country; bat
iprobably feware acquainted with lis origin.
Gotham, pronounced Go.tam.) is rustic
village in Noltinghamshirc, England; and
a number Of ridiculous legends are told Of
its ancient inhabitants. such asa Goth
,amite was going to market with a bag Of
wheat, he thought the load was too heavs
for The horse, so he GO; on the horses back
aud took tho bsg on his own shoulders to
relieve the anina! of its weight.
Another going TO Nottingham fair With
cheese rolled them all down the bill and
ordered them to meet him in the market
place.
A number of villagers having returned
from fishing, finding that some Of the fish
we're still alive threw them in a poud e
drown them.
On one occasion being desirous Of hav.
ing the Cuckoo sing all the year, they
caught one, and building hedge 10 circle
they pu. in the bird, which quickly flew
on, at The top. "a vengeance ee her, said
the wise men, swe did not build onr hedge
high cnoagh.' This Legend has furnished
4 name for the village inn, which is called
the Cuckoo Blsh,' and has on its sign a
Cuckoo painted as large as chicken,
perched on the branch Of q tree; the tree
lis the size of geranium plant, and the
branch which supports the bird is no thick
er than knitting needle!
The Inhabitants when away from home
are averse 10 telling where they are from,
and will frequently shy they come from
Leakc; which il another village near Goth.
ln. this they do to avoid ironieai compli.
nen,s on their wisdom We have before
as a small old-fashioned book, printed on
paper nearly brown, aud illustrated With
wood cuts, which arc certainly not ca'cu-
lated to pleasa the lover Of art; the Ian.
gpage is quaint and not always very choice
or delicate. We extract one legend as {,
specimen:
'0n certain time, there were twelve
men OF Gotham that went fishing; and
some did wade in the weter, and some did
stand on dry ground And when they
went homeward, one said 10 the other, We
have ven,urcd wonderful hardthis day 10
wading. pray God that none of lis have
come from home to be drowned Nay
marry, said one to the other, let US see that.
for there did twelve of US come out. Then
they told (counted) themselves, and every
man told eleven, and the twelfth man did
never tell (count) himself. Alas! said one
to the other, there is some one ofus drown
| ed. They went back to the brook where
they had been fishing, and sought up and
down for him that was drowned, and did
| all make a great Iameniaiion. 4 courtier
did come riding by and did ask what twas
they sought for, and why they were SO sor-
rowful Oh! said they, this day we went
to fish in the brook, and there did come Out
twelve of us, and one Of Us is drowned.
Why, said The courtier, tell how many there
he of you, and the one said eleven, and he
did no, tell himself Well, said the cour-
tier, what will yon give me, and vii! find
out twelve meu? Sir said they, all the
money we have got. Give me The money,
said the courier, and began with the first.
and gave him recomnendibus over the
shoulders, which made him groan; saying,
here is one aud 50 he served all, that they
groaned al the matter. When he came to
The last be paid Uhnmped) him well, say
ing. here is the twelfth man; and they all
with ioyful lips cried out Gods blessing on
thy heart for finding out our dear Brother