In the short story “Shredni-Vashtar” by Saki(H.H. Munro), the animal the boy names Shredni-Vastar is called a polecat.
Here in the USA polecat is a term that can be used for skunk. But based on the description of the animal(it’s caged in a shed, and not tamed), it sounds larger and fiercer than a skunk. SV kills a human being in the story, the boy’s aunt. However, I still don’t know what it’s actually supposed to be.
If any British Dopers can shed some light on this I would appreciate it.
Wild ferret, basically.
Here’s a good picture.
Maybe it’s like calling somebody a weasel?
:clears throat:
“I’m a lonesome polecat
Lonesome, sad and blue
‘Cause I ain’t got no feminine polecat
Vowin’ to be true…”
Thanks for the information DrFidelisus. I’ve wondered for a long time about that.
ArchiveGuy? *Seven Brides for Seven Brothers * is one of my all time favorite movies!
This has already been answered, but here’s some more info from http://m-w.com/ :
Main Entry: pole·cat
Pronunciation: 'pOl-"kat
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural polecats or polecat
Etymology: Middle English polcat, probably from Middle French poul, pol cock + Middle English cat; probably from its preying on poultry – more at PULLET
1 : any of several carnivorous mammals (as of the genera Mustela or Vormela) of the weasel family; especially : a brown to black European mammal (M. putorius) from which the domesticated ferret is derived
2 : SKUNK
So, basically, the etymology of “polecat” is “chicken-eating cat.” And although both animals using this name belong to the caniform line of carnivores, they are somewhat cat-like in appearance, the skunk moreso than the ferret.
However, I’d rather deal with the residue of a cat’s spray than a skunk’s any day of the week.
-hijack here-
I know we’re not talking about skunks here, but in the American South, ‘polecat’ is used as a word for skunk.
The funniest thing I may have ever heard was a girl from Alabama say (imagine this phrase as a replacement for ‘Well I’ll be damned’) was:
“Well stripe my hide like a polecat and I’ll stink my way to Hell!”
or
“Wayull stripe mah hide like a polecayut 'n Ah’ll stank mah way tuh Hayull!”
I almost peed my pants.