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Wales Online
Wales Online
Lifestyle
Cathy Owen

BBC Peaky Blinders: Meaning of 'Tickner Mora O Beng' and why it terrified Tommy Shelby

Peaky Blinders has returned for its final ever series, and the first episode saw the normally unflappable Tommy Shelby rocked by words his daughter uttered when she was in the grip of a fever.

While conducting business in Boston, Tommy took a call from his wife Lizzie to say their daughter had a high temperature, so they wouldn't be able to travel to America to be with him for Christmas.

He seemed happy with this until he heard more about Ruby's illness, and quickly changed his mind when Lizzie explained what she had been saying.

Read more: Peaky Blinders' new series leaves some viewers in the dark

When she told him Ruby had been repeatedly saying the words "Tikna Mora O Beng" and hallucinating and seeing visions of a man, Tommy's behaviour quickly changed to one of fear.

Lizzie called with news of Ruby's illness (BBC)

Ordering her to keep his daughter away from school, away from the river and to have someone look after her horses, he announced he was returning to England and the family home immediately.

But why did the words scare him so much? It is difficult to pin down exactly because there are different forms of the language, but 'Tickner' or 'Tikna' means little girl or daughter in Romany. while 'beng' means supernatural person, and can sometimes mean the Devil.

'Mora', which is sometimes translated as 'maura', can mean friend and it is also linked to the Latin word for death.

This could explain why Tommy, who has always shown himself to be superstitious, orders Johnny Dog's wife put a black Madonna around Ruby's neck and tells Lizzie repeatedly what the gypsy family tell her to do.

He is also specific about her staying away from horses and the river.

Tommy ordered his wife to keep Ruby away from horses and water (BBC)
He decided to come back to England immediately (BBC)

Ruby's vision during her illness also included the sight of a green-eyed man, reinforcing his belief that Ruby has the second sight that Polly was gifted with.

After getting off the phone to Lizzie, the lights in the room flicker and he talks to Polly, whose funeral featured at the start of the episode.

The lights in the room flickered after the phone call (BBC)

He speaks to his former confidante: "Polly, Polly. I know I am trying to get out. Pol, they are coming for me."

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