Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1873-08-28
WEST OF ENGLAND FOLK.LORE.

OuT COuQtry Is r1CQ IN the super.
stitions relating to childhood. It would
fill an ordinary sized volume if all we're
collected. It 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 as innocent charms,
found chiefly in rhyme. Were it not
for this rhymiDg method it would have
but little attraction for children-hence
they still llnger in our midst.
Children amuse themselves BY
chanting to snails, I suppose, in their
simple way to charm them-generally
the large garden snail with thick
brown shell is chosen. The following.
which is varied to suit circumstances,
also in different divisions of the coun-
try the rhyme changes:
"Snail, snail, come out OF your hole,
Or else I'll beat you as black as a coal.
Or
''Snail, snail, put out your horns,
Father and mother are dead,
Brother and sister arc far away,
Begging for barley bread.
In the North of Ireland we hear
the children repeat as follows:
"Shell muddy, shell muddy,
Put ont your horns,
For the kings daughter is
Coming to town,
With rcd pettlcoat and a green gown.
It is pleasing to observe this pecu-
liar charm, intended, though often to
the child's establishment and vexation
in vain, to persuade the snail
to shoot ont his horns, is not confined
to the United Kingdom. Thus in
Naples it occurs somewhat like
"Snail, snail, slug slow
10 me thy tour horns show;
II thou dost not show me thy four
will throw thee out OF the door,
For the crew III the gutter
10 cat for bread and butter
''Snail, snail, put out your horn,
Your mother is laughing you to scorn,
For she has little son just born.
The cuckoo, on it's first appearance,
is hailed with delight by ali classes.
Children sometimes sing when it is
first heard
Cuckoo, cuckoo, cherry tree.
Catch penny for Johnny and me.
Older people, when they first hear
it's welcome notes, turn their money in
their pockets, SO they may not be with
out money all the following year.
Speaking Of birds, we frequently, in
Central Cheshire, hear another charm
or saying of childhood IN reference to
the crow. It seems to be regarded
with aversion in fact its croaking is a
prediction of death
"Crow, crow, get out Of my sight,
80 Or else I'll eat thy liver and igh,s."
Well would it be if this rhyme would
terrify it from the corn fields. It wonld
save Tommy with his clapper (oftcn
nearly as large as himself) 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. It is supposed to bring
calamity and bad luck to any one
injuring the bird, for
"The robin and the wren
Are Gods cock and hen."
One legend about this bird, which
seems to be screened and sheltered by
every one, is to account for it's bright
red breast, from which it takes it's
English name. It is believed when
our Saviour was dying no other bird
except the robin would look upon the
scene, and it alone was filled with com.
passion for the suffering Son of God.
1t tried with its small bcak to turn
aside one of the tl,orns which was lacer-
ating his brow: in dong SO its breast
was dyed red with the Saviour's blood.
and when afterwards blessing was
pronounced upon it for it's kindness, il
was permitted through all succeeding
ages to wear the symbol on its breast.
A Welsh story states that he &C
quired his red-breast by conveying
daily . drop of water in it's bill to aid
in quenching the thirst of the lost and
by coming so near the flames its breast
is scorched, therefore it is named
tBrow rhuddyn' (breast-burned.)
prefer TO hear the tale of the cross
than the latter, which appears to have
been invented to terrify our little ones
with the horrors of the bottomless pit
The little lady bird is not forgot
ten by our children, but in this case il
is uery innocent, and the little insect
is used only with kindness innocent
prattlc can do but little harm. Wher
one is discovered it is placed on the
child's open hand, and IL verse, which
like all others varies much, is used tt
persuade 1t to open it's wings and IL,
= away. 1t is more successfully us..t
than the snail charm, for the simpl,
reason, when it feels the warmth from
the hand it quickly flies off.