NOT a fairy diddle, but this little fellow volunteered to pose for me and he’s kin.
Fairy Diddles are alternately real woodland creatures or mythical rodents depending on who you ask. In West Virginia, they probably refer to small red squirrels but in North Carolina they’re more likely a Carolina northern flying squirrel.
Regardless, they’re fast, smaller than average, and make a lot of noise. One myth suggests that they raid the nests of other squirrels and castrate their young. (Yikes!) This may have something to do with the fact that they’re omnivorous and in addition to eating acorns and other nuts will also eat smaller rodents. Although perhaps not JUST, ahem, select parts. I sense a mountaineer with a colorful sense of humor came up with that one.
Mountaineers tell stories of “steer” squirrels created by this legendary castration. And some say fairy diddles themselves are of the “steer” variety. I’m pretty sure no naturalist or biologist has ever backed either assertion.
When we first moved to WNC we had a pair of fairy diddles living in the woods across the creek. They were adorably small and almost pink in color. After a few years we saw them no more. I can see how they would give rise to tall tales and myths. Perhaps I need to work a mythical fairy diddle into a story of my own . . .
Hey diddle diddle—squirrels are such greedy little stealers but so cute it’s tough to give them the boot
I LOVE watching them sit on our swing shredding wild hazelnut shells. They’re such acrobats when they grab the nuts on the ends of the branches!
No such cuteness for us. They want to raid our bird feeder. Grrr
My WVA Dad called me a “Fairy Diddle” all the time when I was a very young girl. “Stop darting around like a Fairy Diddle!” he would say.
Always thought it was a made up word as there are so many made up ones in WVA.
Now, at over 70 years old, I finally realize what he was talking about.
How wonderful is the internet.
Cheers!
Alexis M.
Ha! Yes, there are MANY made-up words among West Virginians. But what a sweet nickname your dad gave you and what an even sweeter memory. Thanks for sharing it!
Amazing the stories and the people you come across when you google something as simple as fairy diddle!! Hi Sarah!!
Ha! How about that!?! Hey Jamie!
Sorry to hear about your fathers passing last year! I always enjoyed the time I spent with him, you and your brothers. Feel free to catch up, you can email me at jameswestfallrn@gmail.com . Glad to share my number from there, Not really going to put it on a blog…lol
Take Care!!!
As a native, life-long West Virginian, my father and grandfather always called chipmunks fairy diddles. It wasn’t until adulthood that I learned that chipmunks were in fact chipmunks and not fairy diddles. But, I still call them fairy diddles, just to be stubborn if nothing else.
I love that! We called wild azalea honeysuckle which turns out to be a southern vine. I, too, stick with the name I grew up with!