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O blow! = "O tired!" ?

 
 
Reply Sun 11 Sep, 2011 02:56 am

Context:

The Mole had been working very hard all the morning, spring-cleaning his little home. First with brooms, then with dusters; then on ladders and steps and chairs, with a brush and a pail of whitewash; till he had dust in his throat and eyes, and splashes of whitewash all over his black fur, and an aching back and weary arms. Spring was moving in the air above and in the earth below and around him, penetrating even his dark and lowly little house with its spirit of divine discontent and longing. It was small wonder, then, that he suddenly flung down his brush on the floor, said 'Bother!' and 'O blow!' and also 'Hang spring-cleaning!' and bolted out of the house without even waiting to put on his coat. Something up above was calling him imperiously, and he made for the steep little tunnel which answered in his case to the gaveled carriage-drive owned by animals whose residences are nearer to the sun and air. So he scraped and scratched and scrabbled and scrooged and then he scrooged again and scrabbled and scratched and scraped, working busily with his little paws and muttering to himself, 'Up we go! Up we go!' till at last, pop! his snout came out into the sunlight, and he found himself rolling in the warm grass of a great meadow.

 
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Ceili
  Selected Answer
 
  3  
Reply Sun 11 Sep, 2011 03:07 am
@oristarA,
Again, same as the last question. The words are meant to be read out loud. Children literature, again, is full of nonsensical words or phrases. The concern isn't accuracy so much as the feeling it conveys, sort of prose poetry..
This fella is tired of being cooped up, he blow's off his responsibilities and runs for it. Oh blow! is a nice way of saying screw it, I'm done! Again, because it's a kids book, it has to be nice.
fresco
 
  1  
Reply Sun 11 Sep, 2011 03:35 am
@Ceili,
But probably a euphemism for "(damn and ) blast" Phrases associated with curses involving "hell" or "the Devil" were toned down as in "go to blazes".
Ceili
 
  2  
Reply Sun 11 Sep, 2011 03:53 am
@fresco,
Absolutely.. I was thinking a little too modern day. Wink
0 Replies
 
oristarA
 
  1  
Reply Sun 11 Sep, 2011 04:26 am
Thank you both
0 Replies
 
 

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