(Vol. viii., p. 587.)
The invention of these domestic instruments, called "tongs, fireshovels,
and prongs" by Sir T. Browne, dates from a very early period. The "shovel"
is the A.-S. _fyr-sceofl_. Lye refers to "the fire-sholve" of the sixteenth
century, which he tells us was "made like a grate to sift the sea-cole
with," exactly as we see it constructed now (See Gage's _Hengrave_, p. 23.)
The "poker" (see Du Cange, v. _Titionarium_) is mentioned by Johan. de
Januâ in the thirteenth century. It had formerly two massive prongs, and
was commonly called the "fire-fork." There is a poker of this description,
temp. Hen. VIII., in Windsor Castle, which is figured in Britton's _Archit.
Antiq._, vol. ii. p. 99. (See also Strutt's _Horda Angelcynn_, vol. ii, pp.
62. 64., and Fosbrooke's _Encyc. Antiq._, pp. 264. 305. 340.) The "tongs,"
A.-S. _fyr-tang_ (see Du Cange, v. _Tenalea_, _Tenales_, _Tenecula_), with
which Swift mischievously directs us to stir the fire "if the poker be out
of the way," are of the remotest antiquity. They are frequently spoken of
in the sacred records, as by Isaiah, vi. 6.; and we all know to what
purpose a similar weapon was applied by holy St. Dunstan. In fact, they are
doubtless coeval with fires themselves. The word "tongs" is the old
Icelandic, Norræna, or Dönsktúnga, _taung_, pl. _tángir_, the Dan. _tang_,
Scot. and Belg. _tangs_, _taings_, Belg. _tanghe_, Alem. _zanga_, Germ.
_zange_, Gall. _tenaille_, Ital. _tenaglia_, &c. The most ancient of the
mytho-cosmogonic poems of the elder Edda attribute to this implement an
origin no less than divine; for in the _Völo-spa_, st. vii., it is stated
that when the mighty Oesir assembled on Idavöllr to regulate the courses of
the stars, to take counsel for the erection of temples and palaces, and to
build furnaces, amongst other tools, by them also then fabricated, _tángir
scópo_, "they made tongs," for the use and delectation of the _völundr à
járn_, or skilful blacksmith (the Weyland smith of "Kenilworth") and
careful housewife of future days.