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] Now it was time for Festa to light the new lamp (FODDIK ), and when that had been done in the presence of the folk (...)
[014/01] Then the lamp (FODDIK) that I have lit for you shall never be extinguished.
[015/01] When a burg is built somewhere, its Lamp (FODDIK) must be kindled from the original flame (FODDIK) at Texland, and that can only be done by the Folksmother.
[015/15] The Folksmother at Texland may have twenty-one maidens and seven spindle girls, so that there might always be seven to attend the Lamp (FODDIK) day and night.
9a. The War of Kelta and Minerva
[065/10] Minerva, her maidens, and the Lamp (FODDIK) were all rescued by swift steersmen.
[066/01] His watch-by-night and some of his men rescued the Lamp (FODDIK) and the maidens.
[066/25] The fighting landsmen were all captured, but Jon saved himself and his men upon his fleet, taking both of the Lamps (FODDIKA) with them, as well as Minerva and the maidens of both burgs.
[068/05] firstly, because the Kelts had no more burgs; secondly, because they had no burgmaids and thirdly, because they had no proper Lamp (FODDIK).
[069/25] Jon took Kelta’s Lamp and maidens with him, and Minerva kept her own Lamp (FODDIK) and maidens.
[075/15] 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 (FODDIK) that was lighted from the one (Lamp - FODDIK) at Texland.
[076/05] According to the maidens, he eventually received a Lamp (FODDIK) from her, though he never saw benefit from it,
[082/01] Two years later, the magus himself came with a fleet of light boats to kidnap the mother of Texland (Frana) and steal the Lamp (FODDIK).
[083/01] 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 (FODDIK).
[085/10] After the mother was killed, he had the Lamp (FODDIK) and the maidens brought to his ship, as well as all the spoils that were to his liking.
[086/20] But the Lamp (FODDIK) had gone out, and no one knew how it had happened.
[107/01] In the tower hangs the Lamp (FODDIK), and the walls are bejeweled with precious stones.
[108/05] Among us at our burg, it is divided thus: seven young maidens attend to the Lamp (FODDIK), in watches of three hours each.
[140/25] They will bring their Lamps (FODDIKUM) and the light into the open, so that all people may see the truth. They will condemn the deeds of the priests and princes.