Hello Penelope,
I have several things on the subject for you:
Online Etymology
1. Penelope
fem. proper name, name of the faithful wife in the "Odyssey," from Gk. Penelopeia, probably related to pene "thread on the bobbin." Used as the type of the virtuous wife (1581) as it was in Latin.
2. Bobbin
1530, from Fr. bobine, small instrument used in sewing or tapestry-making, probably connected with bobbinet "cotton net," or perhaps from L. balbus (see babble </index.php?term=babble>) for the stuttering, stammering noise it made.
Webster Online Dictionary
3a. (Greek mythology) the wife of Odysseus and a symbol of devotion and fidelity; for 10 years while Odysseus fought the Trojan War she resisted numerous suitors until Odysseus returned and killed them.
3b. A genus of guans (turkey-like arboreal birds valued as game and food birds).
First two are from online Etymology.
Three, a + b are from Webster Online.
There seem to be some incoherences.
Etymology leaves out the bird connection at all and
Webster's Dictionary mentions a different kind of bird.
There seems to be some melting together of things, both in the definitions and the story.
I can't think of any ducks that live in trees. Or are there?
