Irish writer Edna O’Brien’s short story “Madame Cassandra” from her book Saints and Sinners (Bookshop|Amazon) opens with a character observing, “I always love the way bees snuggle into the foxglove … for the coolth and the nectar.” This is part of a complete episode.
Transcript of “Bees that Snuggle for Coolth”
Here’s a line I really like from a short story by Irish novelist Edna O’Brien.
In Madame Cassandra, the narrator is walking outdoors on a hot sunny day, and she says, I always love the way the bees snuggle into the foxglove, for the coolth and the nectar.
For the coolth. You know, that’s not that common a word, C-O-O-L-T-H, but it means coolness.
And it’s now mostly literary or archaic, but it’s just such a lovely word for the coolth and the nectar.
I’ve seen it used like in rock and roll criticism of albums where they talk about the coolth of a performer.
Right, right. That way it’s sort of humorous, right?
Well, maybe, but also kind of respectful, the coolth of David Bowie, you know.
Oh, definitely.
Yeah.
I just really like that line.
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