The word budget gets into English from the French “bougette”, small leather bag, essentially a Medieval fanny pack. Budget first meant pouch, wallet or bag, but not one however used to carry money. Budgets were more often used by travelers, messengers, tinkers and peddlers to transport small goods. Shakespeare wrote that tinkers “bear the sow-skin budget”. A 15th Century English folk song called Sheep Crook and Black Dog, tells of a broken-hearted shepherd who gives up “my bag and my budget - I bid it adieu”. But there’s more still in the budget…
© 2024 John Oliver
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