Fire and Brimestone? : Nature Prompt
Reciprocal nature prompt 4th week of February
Butterflies and other stories
I thought I would have nothing for this week’s ‘Reciprocal’ fire prompt, and then I read this story, which inspired me to write about the butterfly I found in my garden in February, a couple of weeks ago, which came to rest on some creeping Passiflora (or passion vine) I planted a few years ago. I thought the butterfly was unusual so I looked it up and found out it is called Brimestone, and my next thought was Fire & Brimestone.
And this leads me to write about the butterfly as part of this prompt. One word leading to another.
We used to hear that phrase, fire and brimestone, or read it, more often when I was a child. But what does brimestone mean? I have no idea. I thought it was an onomatopoeic word. But thinking about that now makes me wonder why I think that word sounds remotely onomatopoeic. Fire and brimestone is a phrase that suggests hell and angry weather or conditions.
Discovering a butterfly called brimestone gives a whole new meaning to the word. I can’t make the butterfly fit into the word.
I decided to look it up. I have a book on etymology on the shelf. But first my Oxford dictionary; brimstone means sulphur.
