FODDIK
The FODDIK (lamp with perpetual flame) is one of the defining symbols of Fryas culture in Oera Linda (plural: FODDIKA or FODDIKUM). This word only appeared in two of the oldest Old Frisian dictionaries, seemingly only based on oral tradition, recorded in manuscript "Memoriale linguae Frisicae" by the East-Frisian (German) pastor Johannes Cadovius Müller (1650-1725). This work was published in print, 1875 and 1911. Words in it were sorted by category, not alphabetically, and it included drawings of farms, clothes and weapons.
In dictionaries
No entries in these Old Frisian dictionaries: Richthofen (1840), De Haan Hettema (1874), Dijkstra e.a. (1896, p.384); online: Köbler (2014), Integrated Language Bank (gtb.ivdnt.org), DWDS ("German vocabulary from 1600 to today"). The Old Frisian dictionaries after DHH (1832) seem to be based on the known law books only.
Entries in dictionaries (found thus far, translated into English and paraphrased):
| manuscript J.C. Müller (c.1700 and print editions 1875, 1911) | foddick — lamp (in category 'of the house') |
| dictionary Wiarda (1786) p.140 | foddick — a lamp (ref. JCM), from 'fire', gothic: 'fon, fun', Islandic: 'voncke' (a spark), Dutch 'fannung' (a lantern), Anglosaxon [comment JO: he used JCM's entry and added his own explanation] |
| dictionary De Haan Hettema (1832) p.27 | foddik — (feminine [?]) lamp (ref. Wiarda) |
Cognates
The word does not seem to have modern cognates, but may be related to the Old Greek word for 'light' which is the origin of our 'photo': φάος/ φαῦος/ φόως/ φῶς (pháos/ phaûos/ phóōs/ phôs). Also, the Dutch word for 'spark' is 'vonk'. Perhaps, the Dutch 'vod' (rag) once referred to 'wick'/ 'fuse', since its synonym 'lomp' (rag) was the origin of the common word for 'wick'/ 'fuse': 'lont'. Lamps in antiquity probably burned on oil.
Fragments
2a. Festa, Take up your Stylus
[006/05] NW SKOLDE FÀSTA THJU NÉJA FODDIK VPSTÉKA. ÀND THÁ THAT DÉN WAS AN ÀJNWARDA FON THÀT FOLK (...)
Now it was time for Festa to light the new lamp, and when that had been done in the presence of the folk (...)
[014/01] THAN SKIL THJU FODDIK NÀMER UTGA THÉR IK FÁR JO VPSTOKEN HÀV.
Then the lamp that I have lit for you shall never be extinguished.
[015/01] SAHWERSA THÉR ÁRNE ÉNE BURCH BVWET IS. SA MOT THJU FODDIK THÉRA AN THA FORMA FODDIK ET [5] TEX.LÁND VPSTÉKEN WRDA. THÁCH THÀT NE MÉI NÀMMER OWERS AS THRVCH THA MODER SKÉN.
When a burg is built somewhere, its Lamp must be kindled from the original flame at Texland, and that can only be done by the Folksmother.
[015/15] THJU MODER TO TEX.LAND MÉI ÉN ÀND TVINTICH FÁMNA ÀND SJVGUN SPILLE MAN’GÉRTA HÀVA. TILTHJU THÉR ÀMMER SJVGUN BY THÉRE FODDIK MUGE WÁKJA DÉILIKES ÀND THES NACHTES.
The Folksmother at Texland may have twenty-one maidens and seven spindle girls, so that there might always be seven to attend the Lamp day and night.
9a. The War of Kelta and Minerva
[065/10] MINERVA ÀND HJRA FÁMNA ÀND THA FODDIK WRDON ALLE THRVCH THA RÀPPA STJURAR HRETH.
Minerva, her maidens, and the Lamp were all rescued by swift steersmen.
[066/01] MEN THRVCH SIN SKELTA.BI.NACHT AND SVME SINRA LJUDUM WÀRTH THJU FODDIK ÀND THA FÁMNA HRET.
His watch-by-night and some of his men rescued the Lamp and the maidens.
[066/25] THÀT STRÍDANDE LAND.FOLK WÀRTH AL FAT. MEN JON BURCH HIN [25] SELVA MITH SIN LJUD VPPA SINA FLÁTE. MITH NEMAND BÉDA THA FODDIKA. BIJONKA MIN.ERVA ÀND THA FÁMNA FON BÉDAR BURGUM.
The fighting landsmen were all captured, but Jon saved himself and his men upon his fleet, taking both of the Lamps with them, as well as Minerva and the maidens of both burgs.
[068/05] ÉNIS DÉLIS. THAT HJU NÉN MAR BURGA NÉDE. TWÍAS THAT HJU THÉR NÉN BURCH.FÁMNA [10] NÉDE ÀND THRÍAS THRVCHDAM HJU NÉN EFTE FODDIK NAVT NÉDE.
firstly, because the Kelts had no more burgs; secondly, because they had no burgmaids and thirdly, because they had no proper Lamp.
[069/25] JON NAM THÉRE FODDIK FON KÀLTA ÀND HJRA FÁMNA MITHA. ÀND MIN.ERVA HILD HJRA AJN FODDIK ÀND HJRA AJN FÁMNA.
Jon took Kelta’s Lamp and maidens with him, and Minerva kept her own Lamp and maidens.
[075/15] THIS KÉNING WAS THRVCH ÉNE PRESTERESSE FAR.SÉID THAT ER KÉNING [20] WERTHA SKOLDE OVIR ALLA KRÉKA.LÁNDA SA.R RÉD WISTE VMBE.N FODDIK TO KRÉJANDE THÉR VPSTÉKEN WAS ANDA FODDIK IT TEX.LÁND.
It had been foretold to this king by a priestess that he would become king over all the Greeklands if he were able to get hold of a Lamp that was lighted from the one (Lamp) at Texland.
[076/05] NÉI THÉRA FÁMNA HROP HETHER TO LESTA EN FODDIK FON HIR KRÉJEN. THA HJU HET.IM NAVT NE BÁT.
According to the maidens, he eventually received a Lamp from her, though he never saw benefit from it,
[082/01] TWA JÉR NÉIDAM KÉM THENE MÁGÍ SELVA MITH EN FLÁTE FON LICHTE KÁNUM THA MODER FON TEX.LAND ÀND THA FODDIK TO RÁWANA.
Two years later, the magus himself came with a fleet of light boats to kidnap the mother of Texland (Frana) and steal the Lamp.
[083/01] AS HJU NW WITHER ALSA FÉRE HÉL ÀND BÉTER WÉR THAT HJU FÀST SPRÉKA MACHTE SÉIDE THENE MÁGÍ THAT HJU MITH FARA MOSTE. THA THAT HJU HJRA FODDIK [5] AND FÁMNA HALDA SKOLDE.
When she was well enough to speak again, the magus told her he was taking her with him but she could keep her maidens and the Lamp.
[085/10] NÉI THAT THA MODER VRDÉN WAS. LÉTER THA FODDIK ÀND THA FÁMNA [15] TO SINA SKIP TOBRENGA BIJUNKA ALLE INBOLD THÉR IM LIKTE.
After the mother was killed, he had the Lamp and the maidens brought to his ship, as well as all the spoils that were to his liking.
[086/20] MEN THA FODDIK WAS UTGVNGON [25] ÀND NIMMAN WISTE HO.T KÉMEN WAS.
But the Lamp had gone out, and no one knew how it had happened.
[107/01] INNA TORE HANGT THJU FODDIK. [5] THA WAGAR THÉRE TORE SEND MITH KESTLIKA STÉNA SMUKAD.
In the tower hangs the Lamp, and the walls are bejeweled with precious stones.
[108/05] BY VS VPPER BURCH IS.T ALSA DÉLAD. SJVGUN JONGE FÁMNA WÁKATH BI THÉRE FODDIK. AIDER WÁK THRJA STUNDA.
Among us at our burg, it is divided thus: seven young maidens attend to the Lamp, in watches of three hours each.
[140/25] THAM SKILUM HJARA FODDIKUM ÀND THÀT LJUCHT BUTA BRINGA SÁ THAT [30] ALLERA MÀNNALIK WÉRHÉD MÉI SJAN. HJA SKILUN WÉ HROPA OVERA DÉDA THÉRA PRESTERA ÀND FORSTA.
They will bring their Lamps and the light into the open, so that all people may see the truth. They will condemn the deeds of the priests and princes.