Yʹvetoʹt (pron. Eve-tó).

The King of Yvetot. Yvetot is a town in Normandy, and the king referred to is the lord of the town, called roi d’Yvetot in old chronicles. The tradition is that Clotaire, son of Clovis, having slain Gaulthier, lord of Yvetot, before the high altar of Soissons, made atonement by conferring the title of king on the heirs of the murdered man.

“Il était un roi d’Yvetot

Peu connu dans l’histoire;

Se levant tard, se couchant tôt,

Dormant fort bien sans gloire,

Et couronné par Jeanneton

D’un simple bonnet de coton,

Dit-on.

Oh! oh! oh! oh! ah! ah! ah! ah!

Quel bon petit roi c’était, là! là! là!”


Beranger: Roi d’Yvetot (1813).


A king there was, “roi d’Yvetot” clept,

But little known in story;

Went soon to bed, till daylight slept,

And soundly without glory

His royal brow in cotton cap

Would Janet, when he took his nap,

Enwrap.

Ah! ah! ah! ah! ho! ho! ho! ho!

A famous king this “roi d’Yvetot.”


E. C. D.

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Entry taken from Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, edited by the Rev. E. Cobham Brewer, LL.D. and revised in 1895.

Ysolde, Ysonde
Ysolt of the White Hand
Yue-Laou
Yuga
Yule
Yule Log
Yule Swain (The)
Yuletide
Yumboes
Yves (St.)
Yvetot (pron. Eve-tó)
Zabian