River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1873-09-02
WEST on ENGLAND FOLKLORE,

! A West of England newspaper has
the following notes collected by a local
correspondent. They pertain to
superstitions still in force ON the Irish
Sea and near the Welsh border:
"0ur country is rich in the super
stitions relating to childhood. 1t would
fill an ordinary sized volume il all were
collected. Ii must suffice for our
purpose TO give few of the common
and well known sayings and practices.
First let us glance at the sayings of
childhood, such rs innocent charms,
found chiefly in rhyme. We're il not
for this rhyming method il would have
but little attra ion for children-hence
they still lInger in our midst.
Children am Use themselves by
chanting to snf'ls, | suppose, in their
simple way to charm them-generally
the large garden snail with thick
brown she'll is chosen. The following.
which is varied to suit circumstances,
also in different divisions of the coun-
try the rhyme changes:
suail, snail, come out Of your hole,
Or else III beat you As black as coal.
Or
Snail. snail, put out your horne,
Father and mother are dead
Brother and sister are far away,
Begging for barley bread.
In the North of Ireland we hear
the children repeat as follows:
"shell a muddy, shell a muddy,
Put out your horns,
For the kings daughter Is
Coming 70 town.
With rcd pethcoat aud a green gown.
Ii is pleasing to observe this pecu-
har charm, intended, though often to
Che child's establishment and vexation
in vain, to persuade the snail
to shoot out his horns, is not confined
to the United Kingdom. Thus in
Naples il occurs somewhat like
Snail, snail. slug slow
To me thy four horns show;
II thou dost not show me thy four
will throw thee OUT of the door,
For the crew IN the gutter
70 eat for bread aud butter
and
"Snail, snail, put out your horn.
Nour mother Is laughing yon TO soorn,
For she has little son just born.
The cuckoo, on its first appearance,
is hailed with delight by all classes.
Children sometimes sing when 1t is
first heard
Cuckoo, cuckoo. cherry tree.
Catch penny for Johnny and me.
Older people, when they first hear
its welcome notes, turn their money in
their pockets, So they may not be with
out money all the following wear.
Speaking Of birds, we frequently, in
Central Cheshire, hear another charm
or saying of childhood IN reference 10
the crow. II seems 10 he regarded
with aversion; IN fact its eroaking ia a
prediction Of death
Crow, crow get out Of my sight
on else M eat thy liver aud tights =
Wen would il be il this rhyme would
tervify IL from the corn fields. IL wonld
save Tommy with his clapper (often
nearly as large as himselD on the gate.
much trouble and labor, without taking
into account the immense quantity OF
breath spent in hallooing when the
black thief comes IN sight Of the
coveted wheat.
Among other birds, the pretty robin
redbreast comes in for his share of
superstition. u is supposed 10 bring
calamity and bad luck to any one
iniuring the bird, for
Tho robin aud the wren
Are Gods cock and hen -
One legend about this bird, which
seems to be screened and sheltered hy
every one, is 70 account for its bright
red breast, from which il takes its
English name. IL is believed when
our Saviour was dying no other bird
except the robin would look upon the
scene, and il alone was filed with com.
passion for the suffering Son of God.
Il tried with It's small beak TO turn
aside eof the thorns which was LAGER.