Why the Dutch love orange
You've seen the shirts at soccer games and you've seen the ING Direct commercials. If you're wondering why the Dutch like orange so much, it goes back to William, prince of Orange, who was the liberator and defender of the faith in Holland. He was a kind of Dutch version of George Washington. Their national anthem, the Wilhelmus, was written in his honor (all fifteen stanzas).
Speaking of William of Orange (1533-1584), there's a story that he was saved by his pet pug, Pompey. According to a story by Sir Roger William (1618), when Spanish troups were creeping up on the prince's camp one night to assassinate him, the little dog heard them. He barked and licked William's face to wake him up. Pompey was credited with saving his life, and the pug (a.k.a. mopshond) has been the official dog of the House of Orange ever since. An image of Pompey is carved on William's tomb in Delft.
For more information about the Netherlands, check out Information Please.
posted by Joan W @ 6/14/2006 11:14:00 AM
2 comments
2 Comments:
I remember seeing that tomb. That is such a sweet story about his little pug. The story I like the most that I was told, not about William but about soccer games.
When in Holland a friend of mine who is a Dutch citizen told me that when they watch a game against Germany the Dutch always hold up signs that say "Give my grandparents back their bikes."
It ties in when the Germans invaded Holland and took all the tires to the bikes and the Dutch were left without transportation.
I can just see them holding up bike tires over their heads every time the Dutch scored.
Thanks Karen, I hadn't heard about the bike signs at soccer games. I told my dad about it and he chuckled. :-D
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