The famous Seventeen Year Cicada or Brood X is arriving in North America. Already we see the failed emerging larvae jutting out from tree bark, still, stalled in their life process, half-emerged from their casings. The reddish color of their bodies and their red eyes are not yet visible. The source of survival - sheer numbers. They are not to be confused with a yearly Cicada that has black eyes and is greenish in color. But have you ever talked with someone from another county about a most curious bug that you find in your own backyard, that you can’t help liking in a curious way?
Is it similar? Is it different? How do the people in other countries feel about them? The exchange begins. A connection with life and its diverse forms. Many people are just upset by the coming of the Cicadas. They emerge at night, climb up trees, unfold their wings, and the males “sing” by furling and unfurling tymbals on or near their legs. The females, attracted to this sound, find their mate. And voilà! Life continues. While naturalists find them to be “ugly and cute” with their red eyes (Why red?), others find the “creepy-crawly” nature of the bugs disgusting. Or is it the self-sacrificing way they survive. Some get eaten so that the many can reproduce. While they are not venomous, and do not hurt anyone, people just are anxious about their appearance.
What does this have to do with French language? There are about 3,000 species of Cicada all over the world and some species live in Southern France. Because they live so long underground (a year is long, too), the French believe they bring good luck.
While waiting for a bus with a group of French visitors, I saw a one-year Cicada, the green kind with black eyes - not the seventeen year kind. I picked it up and showed them how cute it was. They were a little put off by the big eyes and the little hooks on their feet; and well, it was a bug. The teenagers rolled their eyes, bored; but the little ones look bug-eyed with curiosity. The French call them “les Cigales.” They are known for La Fontaine’s fable. But the illustration was always of a grasshopper. Les Cigales are not to be confused with les Sauterelles. Do you see the word for jump in the name? Sauter. Cicadas don’t jump. They fly.
Our conversation went like this:
“Qu’est-ce que c’est cette bestiole?”, un touriste m’a demandé.
“Ah, voilà! C’est une Cigale. On les appelle le “Cicada,” j’ai répondu. “Il est beau, n’est-ce pas?”
“Ouiay - y - y …“ le tourist a hésité. “C’est vrai, c’est une Cigale. Il y avait un artiste de Provence qui a créé des céramiques en forme de Cigale. Il s’appelait Louis Siccard. Les Cigales sont un symbol de la bonne chance. Ces céramiques de la Maison Siccard sont très populaire.”
“Vraiment? l y a des Cigales in France? Ils sont trouvés dans le sud de la France? Ils font un bruit très sonnant. Ils restent dans la terre pendant toute l’année et puis, au moi de juilllet, ils sortent pendant deux semaines pour completer le cycle de la vie. Mais le Brood X reste toujours dans la terre pendant treize à dix-sept ans.”
“Ah la la la! C’est triste ça! Que de deux semaines pour vraiment vivre après treize à dis-sept ans sous terre?” le tourist dit.
“Ouay. C’est pourquoi on les admire et on a du mal à tolérer ces insectes. Ils ont beaucoup à faire sans étre mangés par les oiseaux, les serpents, les renards et les êtres humains. C’est un cadeau de la planète Terre. Un peu plus à manger.”
'“On mange ça?”
“Oui, avec un peu de beurre, d’ail, et de poivre - pas mal,” j’ai répondu. “Mais ne mangez pas les ailles.”
“Quand même. Ils ne sont pas très beaux,” le touriste m’a dit.
“Oui, et non. Elles sont belles d’une autre manière.”
“Ah bon, Ça se voit — peut-êre.” le touriste a répondu en souriant.
Could you get the idea of the conversation? Here is the translation:
“What is this bug?” a tourist asked me.
“Oh, It’s a Cigale. We call it a Cicada,” I answered. “It is handsome, isn’t it?”
“Yes, sort of, “ the tourist hesitated. “There was an artist in Provence who created ceramics in the shape of Cicadas. He was called Louis Siccard. The Cicada is a symbol of good luck. Siccard’s ceramics are very popular.”
“Really? There are Cicadas in France? They can be seen in Southern France? They make a loud buzzing sound. They stay underground the whole year round and then, in the month of July, they come out of the earth for two weeks to finish their life cycle. But the Brood X stays in the ground for thirteen to seventeen years.
“Oh no! That’s sad. Just two weeks to live after thirteen to seventeen years underground?” the tourist exclaimed.
“Yeah, That’s why I admire them and then others have a hard time tolerating them. They have a lot to do without being eaten by the birds, the snakes, the foxes, and the humans. It’s a gift from the planet Earth. Just a bit more to eat.”
“They are edible?”
“Yes. With a little butter, garlic, pepper — not bad.”
“Anyway. They aren’t good looking.”
“Yes and no.” The are good looking in their own way.”
“Ah, yes. Perhaps,” the tourist answered, smiling.