Three Cactus Flowers

 

According to the Chronica Gallica, Saxons invaded Brittain in 409 or 410. They landed on the east coast and worked their way west. At some point, the Saxons pointed to a hill in Wales and asked the locals for its name. The Welsh told them they called it “pen,” which means “hill” in Welsh. So, the Saxons used their name for hill, “Tor,” and called the place “Torpen” (hill hill). The Vikings began raiding Wales around 850. Using much the same process, they added the Norse name for hill, “haugr” to the place. That’s how the spot became known as “Torpen Haugr” (hill hill hill). The English invasion of Wales began in January, 1277. There was a Norman conquest before that, in the year 1067. But apparently the Normans didn’t bother to rename this particular hill. Anyway, when the English showed up, they began calling it “Torpenhow Hill” (hill hill hill hill). Language is awesome.