Oo ar, off to the West Country this time for Tavistock in Devon. Going on holiday here in a couple of weeks for the fourth or fifth time as we simply can't get enough of it. In fact, we might even be moving here in a year or so.

Was a bit worried about this one being (as a whole word) too tough a rhyme and yet (where the last syllable is concerned) rhyming too easily with a naughty four-letterer. Then I remembered we've had far worse examples of both criteria

As far as pronunciation goes, despite it being named after the River Tavy (TAY-vee), both the "a" and the "i" are short, as in the words "back" and "big". Emphasis still on the first syllable though.

And people said Bangor was hard to rhyme!

Just to make sure people get it here, for a proper rhyme the final three syllables ALL have to rhyme with the stress on the antepenultimate "TAV".

Can I have a hell dimension please?

You should think yourself lucky: I came this close to choosing Saint-Louis-du-Ha! Ha!

Obviously it's fine to rhyme with the vowels of the first syllables rather than the consonants, what with it being so bloody awkward. "Grab his frock" isn't a bad rhyme for Tavistock, all things considered.

Ugh...give me a day or two.

If I ever win again, I'm doing something miserably hard, like California!

I should point out that I need to judge the entries on Friday, because after that I'll be actually going to Tavistock on holiday.

Since that's not a very long time-frame for this one, I'll accept limericks based on Totnes as well,although Tavistock ones will take precedence. Pronunciation for Totnes is simply as though it was "tot-ness", with the emphasis on the second syllable.

I am struggling with this one...

Well, mine is sent, but it gets the award for the number 1 worst limerick that has ever been written! I just couldn't do it this time. I am almost embarrassed to have you post it here.

P.S....And, it took me a long time to write that wretched limerick!

Tavistock's limerick rhyme was my bane
And I thought it would drive me insane.
But I managed to squeeze one
Which I am certain will please none.
So here's hoping the next town's Fort Wayne.

That's three I have now, which is three more than I was starting to expect! Any more?

Here goes nothin'.

Four entries for this round, which, as I said before, is certainly more than I was expecting. All I can say is that if I'm ever allowed to win again I promise to pick something monosyllabic!


The first one comes from Kalleh and takes advantage of Tavistock's grand old market:

There's a fair in the market town, Tavistock;
Geese can be sold, and they have their stock.
There's crafts and some rides,
Though not many brides
Put their stock in these men who don't have his sock.


The second one hails from Mr English:

A horologist working in Tavistock
Of a visitor said, "I must have his clock.
For it's surely a Bregeut;
It would give me much pleasure
This wonderful thing just to have in stock."


The third from our reader of proofs:

A nancy boy living in Tavistock
Bought a farm from the vicar, and half his stock.
"But you can’t buy my rooster;
Its cries I am used ‘ter
To wake me." So he couldn’t have his cock.


And the fourth - a double-whammy - from Mr Hale:

On a cookery course once in Tavistock
Bugs Bunny as rather a laughing stock
He'd left his equipment
Boxed up in a shipment
And had to make use of poor Daffy's wok.

A farmer of poultry in Tavistock
Woke up one morning and had this shock:
In the post came that day
A demand he should pay
A ransom (from someone who had his cock.)



Bit of a tough choice, this one, because I didn't want to be too pedantic about syllables and so on, since to be quite honest I'm not convinced I could write one myself. I'm quite fond of Richard's, but I have a feeling that "Breguet" is pronounced a bit like "brigade" without the "d" sound on the end. I'd need to ask a horologist to be certain, though!

After much um-ing and ah-ing I've decided to give this one to Bob Hale, because if there's one thing more impressive than managing to write a limerick on Tavistock, it's deciding, having finished, to write a second. Also, I really love the creativity in the rhyming the place name with "Daffy's wok"!

Take it away, Bob, and Hell dimensions are welcome. As for me, I'm off on holiday as of tomorrow to Tavistock itself, where I'm going to see if I can convince the locals to shorten their town's name to "Stock".

That was one of the toughest rhymes yet. I only managed it at the eleventh hour. posting them mere minutes before the results. In an effort to revitalise the game I shall pick somewhere that's easy to rhyme.

quote:

but I have a feeling that "Breguet" is pronounced a bit like "brigade" without the "d" sound on the end. I'd need to ask a horologist to be certain, though!

I think you'll find it's pronounced as I have used it. Remember, Abraham-Louis Breguet (he sometimes spelt his name Bréguet) was a Frenchman and his name is pronounced in the French manner. The stress is on the first syllable as the accent in the alternative spelling shows.