Bring tae me my twa greyhunds

Japanese Cherry. Brookside Park. Cleveland. Wednesday, 12ᵗʰ of April.

Why “twa greyhunds”?  Greyhounds were hunting hounds that coursed in pairs. Francis James Child was the first professor of English at Harvard. He collected folklore ballads. Some had many variants, Child #114 is sometimes titled “Johnie Cock”, and other times variants on “Johnnie O'Breadisley”. Ewan MacColl recorded a version, and Alan Lomax (another song collector) recorded people singing. Lomax recorded John Strachan singing it. Their versions, have lyrics like “Bring tae me my twa greyhounds that are bound in iron chains”. Most versions have “iron bands”, and the greyhounds are not consistently spelled. I have chosen “my twa greyhunds” [roll the 'r', make the 'u' long to sound as in 'boo'].

My first houndie is Captain America, and my second houndie is Cassius. My dear beasts came from Greyhound Adoption of Ohio in Chagrin Falls. Captain had the clumsy racing name 'Braska America', and was called 'America' at the rescue shelter. The two women there seemed to really like calling him America. Captain was one of several names which i thought fit dogs well; so, the adoption paper says Captain America. The relatives, at first, called him America; but soon Captain, Cap, and Captain America have become more usual. Most people approve. Only once, someone i met at the dragon boat races mentioned 'Steve Rogers', which was Captain America's real name in the comic books.

Cassius is named after Caesar's Cassius, although everyone [so far] thinks of Cassius Clay. A relative in the old country wrote me that Cassius is a good name for a fighter/warrior.

Among some of the American Indians, custom was not to name until some indication of character or circumstance suggested something. If such was so, Captain would be 'van Winkle', and Cassius would be 'Tripper Wagmore'. Cassius doesn't seem to know there is a space boundary between him and me (or anyone). After we came home, his first walks outside he became a canine sawhorse.  Cassius, in greyhound terms, is a 'leaner'. He also has more tail wagging than Captain.