Most well known as an insult in Bilbo's rhyme against the spiders in The Hobbit, "attercop" is a reference to a venemous creature. Attorcroppe is the archaic form of attercop--both forms translate literally to "little poison head". The word shares the same root as the word "adder".

In mythology and folklore, the attorcroppe are a particularly rare and poorly-known "fairy" or fey-folk. They look like small serpents with arms and legs, upon which they walk upright. They are not at all friendly towards humans, who they view as threats and intrusions. Unlike some of the fey who may be worked with magically, it is not a good idea to search for the attorcroppe or try to contact them in any way.

At"ter*cop (#), n. [AS. attercoppa a spider; ǣtter poison + coppa head, cup.]

1.

A spider.

[Obs.]

2.

A peevish, ill-natured person.

[North of Eng.]

 

© Webster 1913.

Log in or register to write something here or to contact authors.