She had a habit of making quite nice people uncomfortable by hinting things in a vague way, and at the same time with so much meaning (by skilful use of her heavy black eyebrows), that they began to wonder whether they hadn't done something dreadful, at some time or other, and forgotten all about it. Her real name was Poll Pineapple, but the crew nick-named her ‘Little Buttercup’, partly because it is a pretty name, but principally because she was not at all like a buttercup, or indeed anything else than a stout, quick-tempered, and rather mysterious lady, with a red face and black eyebrows like leeches, and who seemed to know something unpleasant about everybody on board. She was what is called a ‘bum-boat woman’, that is to say, a person who supplied the officers and crew with little luxuries not included in the ship's bill of fare.
'As the sailors sat and talked they were joined by a rather stout but very interesting elderly woman of striking personal appearance. But let’s recap on the story, with the help of Alice B. He was wondering what one or two of the provisions were that Little Buttercup was trying to sell to the sailors. Also, I found her use of the adjective "soft," provided at least some additional support for the idea (of course, as a selling point, soft, after months of hard tack, makes far more sense).Īnywho, thank you again for providing an explanation.A few days ago I was talking to a friend about Little Buttercup’s song from Gilbert and Sullivan’s opera, H.M.S. I had speculated that what Miss Buttercup might be purveying was tomatoes (for reasons I’ll explain), but this explanation has never truly satisfied me.Īt one time, I’m unsure where or when, I learned that "tommys " sometimes spelled t-o-m-m-i-e-s, is, in some parts of England, a slang term for tomatoes, though the earliest use of the word being used in that sense that I'd been able to verify was is the 1920s. Thank you so much for your definition of Tommys, I've always been unsure. Little Buttercup had a song of her own which she always sang when she came on board.ĭuring 1959 in elementary school 4th grade 🏫 I was about the age of 9 yrs old this was the part I was given in the play, I Lol.! Even to this day.!
So Little Buttercup was not really popular with the crew, but they were much too kind-hearted to let her know it.
A few days ago I was talking to a friend about Little Buttercup’s song from Gilbert and Sullivan’s opera, H.M.S.
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