As a child in Yorkshire I heard the local lads charging into battle against those from 'Bank End' - uttering their war cry which in later life, when reading Gaius Julius Caesar I thought could be a remnant of the high pitched yelping warcry of the Icenii.
It is not impossible that the practise was passed along down the years, as younger boys grew big enough to join and older ones were sent off to work, the local gang remained, and in the long days of the summer holidays from school practised warcraft on the gang from the next village or housing estate. It could well have travelled across oceans.
It is surprising what it can do - at one time when in considerable danger from a man I threw caution to the wind and with a yell of iiy yii yii I knocked the beggar down and kicked him several times before running away. At that moment it was not something I had thought of for ten years, it had obviously been waiting for when it might be needed.
Maybe my tendency to wear blue is more than personal preference, and my temper, when I really do lose it, is worthy of any berserker. I'm quite handy with an axe too.
Anne the Pleater :ootd:
I presume to dictate to no man what he shall eat or drink or wherewithal he shall be clothed."
-- The Hon. Stuart Ruaidri Erskine, The Kilt & How to Wear It, 1901.
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