#william the gonnagle

[potato-lord-but-not]

finished The Wee Free Men and HAD to draw something for it or I’d never forgive myself

[pratchettquotes]

William coughed politely. "And the big wave threw up a lot of sunken vessels full o' trrrreasure," he said. "We stopped off for a wee pillage."

The Nac Mac Feegle held up wonderful jewels and big gold coins.

"But that's just dream treasure, surely?" said Tiffany. "Fairy gold! It'll turn into rubbish in the morning!"

"Aye?" said Rob Anybody. He glanced at the horizon. "Okay, ye heard the kelda, lads! We got mebbe half an hour to sell it to someone! Permission to go offski?" he added to Tiffany.

"Er...oh, yes. Fine. Thank you--"

They were gone, in a split-second blur of blue and red.

Terry Pratchett, The Wee Free Men

[calamitys-child]

I have to say. Terry Pratchett is the only bitch in the world I will allow, as a non Scottish person, to write Scottish characters. He kens the difference between a negative stereotype and a running joke, he's pretty reliable in using actual Scots rather than whatever fuckin bastardisations we usually see, and, most importantly, every time I remember the character William the gonnagle, I laugh on and off for a week. Perfectly constructed pun. No notes. At one point Nanny Ogg's house is referred to as Tìr Nanny Ògg and I lose my shit every single time.

[beaft]

literally just realised that "william the gonnagle", terry pratchett's scottish bard character who defeats his enemies by reciting poetry at them, is a reference to "william mcgonagall", often hailed as the worst poet in the english language (or indeed any language). it has taken me a full two decades to understand this joke. discworld truly is the gift that never stops giving

[writerystuff]

A SAD REALIZATION

A local bookstore in my area sponsors a monthly science-fiction/fantasy book club. It's not a real “club”; there is no list of  members, there are no dues, and one doesn’t have to formally join. They post on their website a list of the books to be read in the coming months, and anyone who is interested can come and discuss that month's book.

Last month, the book to be discussed was The Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett, so of course I had to attend.

To my great surprise, one of the first people who spoke announced, “I couldn't really understand this one at all--I mean, what was going on in this book? What was it about?”

Another participant announced, “I couldn't understand anything the Feegles were saying, so I just skipped those parts.”

There was also, believe it or not, a lot of confusion about the actual names of some of the characters.

One participant spoke very movingly about how much she loved Granny Aching, who took care of not just the sheep and the chalk and the people but also the ship. Say what?

Then I realized that she was mistaking the way the Feegles pronounce “sheep” for an actual ship.

And that's when it dawned on me that most of them had not read the book—they had listened to the audiobook.

Science tells us that multitasking is a myth: you really can't do two things at once. If you’re focused and concentrating on your audiobook, that's when you put your keys in the refrigerator and pour orange juice into your coffee mug. I'm sure many of the people who came to the discussion had listened to the book while driving, or doing something else equally demanding of concentration.

Since that gathering, I can’t stop thinking about how much they missed.

Did any of them pause the book to look up "carlin" or "brose"? (There's a glossary in several of the books in this series.)

Did any of them think to look up the origin of the word “gonnagle”?

Did any of them catch the Gonnagle's sly reference, when he gives the name of the tune he's going to play, to James II?

Did any of them realize that Rob Anybody was quoting directly from The Fairies by William Allingham?

And did any of them catch the reference to Hamlet, Act II, scene 2, when Roland breaks open the walnut?

I don't think so. And Sir Terry really, really deserves better.

Please READ.

[discworldtour]

But William the gonnagle remained for a moment. He bowed to Tiffany. “Ye didna do at all badly,” he said. “We’re proud o’ ye. So would yer grrranny be. Remember that. Ye are not unloved.” Then he vanished too.

-- a reminder | Terry Pratchett, The Wee Free Men

[thegonnagle]

Just as a heads up, I, the tumblr-user formally known as randomlyopeneddictionary, changed my name to this because I wanted to synchronize with my other accounts.

Don’t worry though, I‘m still mostly the same. I think.

[tamsinbeybey-she-no-porcupine]

In addition to absolutely loving everything about this song and Ben as William Wallace, I now just really want to see the six idiots as the Nac Mac Feegles.

Imagine Jim as Daft Wullie, Mat as No'-As-Big-As-Medium-Jock-But-Bigger-Than-Wee-Jock-Jock and Awfully Wee Billy Bigchin , Simon as Big Yan and Horace ,Larry as William the Gonnagle and Hamish (and the toad) and Ben as Rob Anybody and Martha as Jeannie.

It would be hilarious.

[legend-collection]

Nac Mac Feegle

They are six inches tall and are a generally seen as occasionally helpful thieves and pests.

The Nac Mac Feegles' skin appears blue as it is heavily tattooed and covered with paint, and all have red hair. The tattoos identify a Feegle's clan. Wings or similar features of any kind are out of the question.

They talk what can only be described as some sort of variation on the Scots language, usually Glaswegian in the clans encountered so far, although William the Gonnagle (from a different clan) has a softer, Highland accent. They are notably strong and resilient, which comes in handy given that male Feegles (almost all of them) tend to be notoriously rowdy as a lifestyle.

The Feegles spend their time drinking, fighting and stealing, alone or in various combinations. The immense strength and rowdiness of these pictsies means that they will fight anything, and they have a particular fondness for headbutting creatures far larger than themselves. In a good fight, a Feegle will take on all comers, fight his fellow Feegles, with such enthusiasm that makes missing someone hazardous ("Crivens! I kicked meself in ma ain heid!"). Failing to find a suitable adversary, they will simply fight themselves.

Some clans have an apparently superstitious fear of their names being written lest their names appear on unwelcome legal documents. Some of the upland clans have mastered the concept of law as a weapon however, and note that it is a good idea "neever te sign a feegle contract; six inch high people write verra small print". Beware the cry, "We've got a cheap lawyer an' we're not afraid to use him!" Their swords glow blue in the presence of lawyers.

They are loyal friends, and never go back on a geas (not the bird), regardless of the trouble this brings the other party.

They are helpless only in the face of hags, their kelda, or any female who has mastered the crossing of the arms, the tapping of the feet, and the shaking of the head.

[noirandchocolate]

“The Wee Free Men,” by Paul Kidby Discworld 2018 Calendar November Image

And see again!  This crowd includes a lot of named feegles!  Kidby’s designs for some of them changed over the years (you can compare the Shepherd’s Crown pictureI posted a little bit ago--fewer braids in that one for example) but their faces remain the same across images and they always have their personalities showing!  Also of note: William the Gonnagle’s ‘mousepipes.’

[thebibliosphere]

Who would you choose to voice the Nac Mac Feegle? We know Rhianna wrote the screen play, and I figure I should ask a Scot.

Ooooooh, that’s a good question. I feel like Billy Connolly might be a good choice for the older Feegles, he has a very delightfully Glaswegian “ach whieeeel” which is very Feegle-esque.  

He is of course not our only notable voice talent. David Tennant has the manic energy I think would be necessary for a Feegle. I also feel like Emun Elliot would be a good William the Gonnagle. Or possibly Daft Wullie.

[husberttee]

tagged by @mama-kisu thaanks and tbh you’re right we need to talk more again v.v

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Favourite character(s): idk there are a lot but one I really like is William The Gonnagle from “The Wee Free Man” by Terry Prachet

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[discworldtour]

William was watching her. “Aye, ye’re lookin’ mighty fierce,” he said. “Ye must love your wee brother to face a’ these monsters for him.” And Tiffany couldn’t stop her thoughts. I don’t love him. I know I don’t. He’s just so... sticky, and can’t keep up, and I have to spend too much time looking after him, and he’s always screaming for things. I can’t talk to him. He just wants all the time. But her Second Thinking said: He’s mine. My place, my home, my brother! How dare anything touch what’s mine!

-- the duty | Terry Pratchett, The Wee Free Men

[discworldtour]

William coughed politely. “And the big wave threw up a lot of sunken vessels full o’ trrrreasure,” he said. “We stopped off for a wee pillage.” The Nac Mac Feegle held up wonderful jewels and big gold coins. “But that’s just dream treasure, surely?” said Tiffany. “Fairy gold! It’ll turn into rubbish in the morning!” “Aye?” said Rob Anybody. He glanced at the horizon. “Okay, ye heard the kelda, lads! We got mebbe half an hour to sell it to someone! Permission to go offski?” he added to Tiffany. “Er... oh, yes. Fine. Thank you--” They were gone, in a split-second blur of blue and red.

-- on priorities | Terry Pratchett, The Wee Free Men

[discworldtour]

“They do not want to shout. Their hearts are too full for worrrrds. In time we will hold a wake to help her back to the land o’ the living, and that’ll be a loud one, I can promise ye. We’ll dance the FiveHundredAndTwelvesome Reel to the tune o’ ‘The Devil Among The Lawyers’ and eat and drink, and I daresay my nephews will ha’ headaches the size o’ a sheep.” The old Feegle smiled briefly. “But for now, each Feegle remembers her in silence. We dinna mourn like ye do, ye ken. We mourn for them that has tae stay behind.”

-- on staying behind | Terry Pratchett, The Wee Free Men

[discworldtour]

On the mound of snow William clapped No’-as-big-as-Medium-Sized-Jock-but-bigger-than-Wee-Jock-Jock on the shoulder in a friendly way. “That, lad,” he said proudly, “was some of the worst poetry I have heard for a long time. It was offensive to the ear and a torrrture to the soul. The last couple of lines need some work, but ye has the groanin’ off fiiine. All in all, a verrry commendable effort! We’ll make a gonnagle out of ye yet!” No’-as-big-as-Medium-Sized-Jock-but-bigger-than-Wee-Jock-Jock blushed happily.

-- a good bad poetry | Terry Pratchett, The Wee Free Men