Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1873-08-28

AUSTIN, MOWER COZ
"Ladybird, lady bird, fly to thy home.
Thy house is on fro, thy children all roam,
Except little John, who sits in his pan,
Weaving gold laces as fast as he can.
More often VIC hear only 'Ladybird,
ladybird, fly away home,' repeated
over and over again. In Cheshire the
ladybird is known better perhaps by
the name of cowlady. 1t is the Gee
cinella of Linnmus.
When a boy is stung with the net
tie he scientifically applies the dock
leaf, beating the part violently, repeat
ing at the same time this verse until a
cure is effected:
| Nettle in-Dock out,
Dock in-Nette ont,
J Nettle in-Dock out;
Dock rub Nettle out.
Or more commonly thus:
s'Ncttle out, dock in,
Dock remove the net,le sting.
I say scientifically applies because
the nettle venom is of a strong alkaline
nature, on the contrary oil docks con.
tain the acid principle, which of course
neutralizes the nettle-sting-thus the
smarting, itching sensation is speedily
subdued.
Grain with it's attendant rainbow
also are looked upon either with de.
light or displeasure according to the
disposition of the child-thus, If q
holiday or pleasure party is likely to
be interrupted with the rain cloud, then
it is:
Rain, rain, go away,
Come again some other day.
But if it is matter of indifference,
Rain, rain, pour down,
And come no more to our town.
OF couse it must be said very devout'
ly; no irreverence must be allowed, ol
they might be punished.
"a friend informs me that in the
north of England the children invoke
the rainbow. do not think it is known
in Cheshire, but it appears to be fre
quent in many parts OF Berwickshire
j" Rainbow, rainbow, hand ava hame,
A. yer BARNS are dead but ane,
And 1t lies sick at yam gray stane,
Aud will be dead ero you win hame:
Gang owre the Drumaw, and yon't the lea,
Aud down by the side o. yonder sea,
Your bairn lies greetin, like to dee,
And the bg tear drop is in lis &c.
By careful search and observation, the
savings and doings of school day life
might be considerably extended.
So far as midwives and other attend
ants are concerned, they are rich in
folklore, from the moment of an in.
fant's birth until he has reached
years of maturity; something either
for good or ill attends upon his every
step. Some few of these superstitious
notions will try to place before my
readers. First, it is thought to be
lucky to have still. infant placed
first in new grave; yet, such infants
must be inferred in consecrated
ground, after nightfall, and without
! the usual burial service. Again, this
sentiment or feeling about un-
baptised or still.born infants being
buried in new graves takes quite q
different turn in Scotland, especially so
on the borders, according to Wilkie
MS. no ono will thread knowingly on
the graves of sti]l-born or unbaptised
children, or they would be afflicted
| with the grave merelo, or grave scab.'
Cln Scotland such children are inferred
in unconsecrated ground.) What kind
of disease this is cannot soy. 1t is
thus described: This complaint comes
on with trembling of the limbs and
hard breathing, and at the last the
skin burns as if touched with hot iron. ,
Something may also be gathered about
this remnant of the dark ages from the
annexed verses
Love to the baby that Deer saw the sun,
All alane, and alane oh
His body shall lie in the kirk, meath tue rain.
All alane, and alane oh
His grave must be dug at the foot Of the wall,
All alane, and alane obi
And the foot that treadeth bis body upon
Shall have scab that shall eat to the bane oh!
And it will ne'er be cured by doctor on earth,
Tho every one should tend him oh;
He shall tremble and die, like the elf shot eye,
And return from whence ne came OIL
"To discover the sex of an expect
ant infant, q charm is reso1ted to
thus, all the flesh must be scraped off
the shoulder blade bone of q lamb,
which in the evening, when retiring to
rest, must be hung up behind the door.
The first stranger who enters through
the door next morning will be of the
same sex as the child.
"Before q newborn babe infant is
taken down stairs it should first be
lifted as high as possible in the room
so that it may rise in the world; but if
it is first lowered it is said never to get
on in the world.
''Very great fear is manifested in
the minds of many mothers about their
infants being changed by fairies be-
tore baptism. To protect them from
this evil influence they must be placed
near the fathers clothes, or some por-
tion of the fathers garments should be
worn by the infant; hence we observe
the greatcoat placed as a coverlet on
the body while sleeping in the cradle.
After baptism or christening the fairy
folk can exercise no power over them.
In the Isle Of Man it is customary for
the mother, when carrying her child to
the church for baptism, to take with
her piece of bread and cheese, which
is given to the first person she meets
on the road. This will savc the child
from wicked influence and propitiate
the fairies."
| Tho 1So,,>v. Tvosln