Hi! Regarding the issue of the hurdy gurdy appearing in the 1937 movie _Captains Courageous_ starring Spencer Tracy. I checked the Project Gutenberg Etext of _Captains Courageous_, by Kipling. The words hurdy and gurdy do not appear in it. The instrument Manuel played was the machette (or machete), a Portuguese folk guitar. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ... Dan went on, with a cautious look at Tom Platt, holding the accordion low in the bunk: ... "Ef you don't like my music, git out your fiddle. I ain't goin' to lie here all day an' listen to you an' Long Jack arguin' 'baout candles. Fiddle, Tom Platt; or I'll learn Harve here the tune!" ... Tom Platt leaned down to a locker and brought up an old white fiddle. Manuel's eye glistened, and from somewhere behind the pawl-post he drew out a tiny, guitar-like thing with wire strings, which he called a machette. ... -----------------------------------------------------------------------
There's a drawing of this scene in my copy of Kipling, showing accordion, fiddle, and machette, although its accuracy is questionable, since it shows the fiddler holding the bow with his left hand (perhaps the engraving was reversed?). The machete is shown as a small ukulele-like instrument. We'll probably never know why they substituted a hurdy gurdy for it in the movie. Best regards, -Gary P. Seth Hamon wrote:
I noticed when watching this movie that he is not actually playing the hurdy gurdy but I was wondering if you can play this song on the hurdy gurdy and does' anyone have a copy of the score... Its Called 'Yea Ho Little Fish , Or 'Hey Ho Little Fish... Cheers, Seth
