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Questions, Answers and Comments by Category
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Does anyone know the rhyme about the five brothers and their facial hair that describes the various states of feathering on the calyxes of roses like Rosa canina? I have it in a book some where but can't find it.
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#1 of 4 posted
15 FEB 18 by
 Jay-Jay
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Te five brothers went to the barber! And took the book with them.
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LOL, thank you Jay-Jay, I guess I'll have to look through all my books until I find it.
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Found it! translated from the Latin by E.A. Bowles.
On a summer’s day, in sultry weather, Five brethren were born together.
Two had beards and two had none, And the other had but half a one.
“The Five Brethren,” trans. Edward A. Bowles
https://jimtheobscure.com/2012/05/06/the-five-brothers-the-roses-kiss-a-natural-history-of-flowers/
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There are a lot of versions. I could probably turn up five or six. But here are another two:
Bunyard. Old Garden Roses 1936. p66,
One of the old monkish puzzles, so popular in the Middle ages, ran as follows:
We are five brothers at the same time borne.
Two of us have beards, by two no beards are worn.
While one, lest he should give his brothers pain,
Has one side bearded and the other plain.
and this - author unknown:
One bright summer morn
5 brothers were born
2 had whiskers
& 2 were shorn
The fifth a stranger to all his race
Had whiskers only on one side of his face
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