I RECOUNTED the legends of the Colne Valley last week and asked if anyone had any other stories or sayings pertaining to other districts.
Arthur Quarmby responded with nicknames from the Holme Valley.
“Perhaps the obvious one is Holmfirth Mutti-Caufs,” he says.
“A Holmfirth man was crossing a field and a bull caught him and tossed him into the next field where there was a mutti-cauf – a little sucking-calf.
“The man ran up to it and started ‘poising’ (kicking) it, saying: ‘If Ah can’t feight thi’ fatther, Ah can feight thee!’”
Arthur added: “Two others relate to Meltham, but I don’t know the stories behind the appellations.
“The first is Meltham Oppen-Gobbed ’Uns and the second is ‘Start again, same as Meltham Singers’.
Any explanations will be welcome.
He adds that in his youth folk from Upperthong were referred to as ‘Reight back o’t’ wallers’.
“Perhaps conceived in a field, somewhat casually?” he suggests.
