Gone Asouling [a-souling]

[bloomcountry]

Doe this mean that the "beggars have lost their souls?"

"...Shadows of the men grow tall at dawn or short again at dusk,
...
Are sketched out by a newer light
As gulls dip down the freshened air with cries
Like beggars gone asouling Harvest Night"

("Please to Remember the Fifth of November: A Birthday Poem for Susan Marguerite", Ray Bradbury)

 

[lucas-sp]

It probably means "beggars gone hunting for souls." The "go a-verbing" construction exists in English; it means the same as "go verbing." (Here we come a-caroling!) You, the reader, have to imagine what "souling" means. To me, it sounds like going to gather or steal souls.

 

[Keith Bradford]

I think this might be better written with a hyphen: gone a-souling. It means "gone out to celebrate All Souls' Night by begging from door to door". Compare gone a-wassailing or gone a-carolling.

Accepted British usage since 1779 (OED).

 

[lucas-sp]

Oh, well, Keith, if you're going to use a dictionary... I mean, that hardly seems fair to me.

Good to know!

 

[wolfbm1]

It probably means "beggars gone hunting for souls." The "go a-verbing" construction exists in English; it means the same as "go verbing." (Here we come a-caroling!) You, the reader, have to imagine what "souling" means. To me, it sounds like going to gather or steal souls.

Actually during All Souls' Day in England beggars would go door-to door and beg for "soul cakes". Compare: http://www.crystalinks.com/halloween1.html

 

[panjandrum]

For general information about the a- prefix used in this way, see:
a-running ... prefix a- before verb.
Prefix a