Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-06-15
BIRD LORE.
rHarnAr,S Weekly

[Harper's Weekly
The stork has always been regarded as the
herald OF spring. A very old tradition, re-
corded as early as the thirteenth century,
states hat the storks only adopt the form OF
birds in Europe; but in the distant countries
whittier they wend their way every autumn
they ale human beings, and mercy undergo
an am ual Transformation into stOrks on visit
ing ne rJhern climes The Swabian peasantrv
say that If = 5tOrk had tongue he would
speak, and wen he would betray every body's
secrets, because he hears and sees every thing
however, as It is, he manages to give notice
OF any SPECIAL occurrence by chattering with
his beak. These birds protect the house from
Irbed. ~
:. There is theory in North Germany and
S"abla tha! when nest is manufa cured for
Ine stOrk, which IS occasionally done by put
ing up an old cart-wheel with bOughS tWfned
round the spOkes, he will testify his gratitude
10 the owner of the house by throwing down a
feather the first year, and egg the second year,
ard the third year a young StOTk. Then he
re- 0mmenceS with the feather, and soon.
The demeanOr of the stOrk on his first ap-
peal anee is very important. Should he be
chatteTlng, the spectators will break great
deal of crOckery during the ensuing twelve
month n II di Silent ne VIII be lazy:if flying he
Hanover an Mecklenburg. In the Altmark
a StOrk OH the wing signifies To a maiden that
she will soon enter the bonds of wedlock; but
if stationary she will be asked to act as
sponsor. Whoever has money in his pocket
on hrSt behulding the StOrk will never lack
tllS yGlt. HUI Will lt StliIbT nom TOOTH
ache.
The supers ition that the stork brings the
chlldTen Is current all over Germany. In ST.
Tesla the flight of StOTk over house denotes
the speedy arrival of a baby: while in the
Island Of Rugen they say thar unless the stOrk
lays eggs the house will also be childleSS, and
as the young StOrkS thrive so will the chill
dren. Nobody dare shoot a StOrk in Rugen
Tor then he weepS large tears, and each tear
pOltends great misfortune. The story is
very particular about domestic peace in the
dwelling where he takes up his abode, and
strife soon drives him away. SWabia pea
SAINTS say that when the stOrks assemble for
the winter migration, the males and females
all pair oil, and should there be- an Old one, he
or she IS ptcked TO death by the rest. The
WeStphailan> declare that the Old StOrkS al
ways throw one OF their brood out of the nest
II the number be uneven. In Oldenburg there
IS curious theory that the auIumnal gather
lngS OF the StOTkS are in reality FTeemaSOnS'
meetings The piOuS mOak Cesarius Won
HelSterbaCk lemaTkS in an ancient chronicle,
that the StOTkS are models of cOnjugal fidelity
and when female StOrk attempts filtration
with any other than her lawful husband she is
brought before a jury OF stOTks and if found
guilty they hack her TO pieces with their long
In Olden DAYS, at the time when the swallows
were expected, a solemn procession was form
ed by the whole household to the gate of the
faIm: then at the first glimpse of the welcome
visitors the barn-dOOr was jOyfully thrown
Op' for them. 1t was believed that the swal
lows took great interest in domestic affairs
and examined everything closely on their ar
rival. If they found untidineSS and mISman
agement. they sang:
"Boxes and chests were full when away we went,
Now We are back, they are empty: all is spsut.''
Various ceremonies must beperformed the
first time OF 6ehOlding a swallow. In the
Neumark the person must wash his face to
preserve it from Sunburn during the year. In
TyrOl he must stop directly aud dig with his
knife below his left foot he will find a coal in
the ground which will cure ague. When the
swallows have been constant to one nest for
seven years they leave behind them small
stone OF great healing properties, especially for
diseases of the eyes.
Killing swallow is crime which brings its
own punishment; but the penalty varies. In
the Pusterthal, Swabia, and the Lechrain, the
slayer will have misfOrtunes with his cattle,
for the cows will give red milk. At Nauders
in TyrOl, the criminal will lose his father or
mother and in the neighbOring Tells 1.-The
heavens will open, 4. e., ii will tighten. In the
Ober Inn Valley the murderer's house will be
burned down: and at SarSanS, in the Oetz Val
ley, the destruction or remOva. OF a swallows
nest will cost the life of the best cow of the
herd. The Westphalians say that the slaugh
ter of a swallow causes four weeks rain and
II they are driven away all the vegetables in
the gar en- will be cut OF by the frost.
Whoever bids farewell to the swallows at
their autumnal departure will be free from
chilblair 5 through the winter.
swallows, also, have the gift of prophecy. In
some parts of Westphalia the peasants tell you
to look un er your feet on the appearance of
the first swallow, for if there should chance to
be hair, II will be of the same color as that of
your future wife. A flight of swallows over a
house il the Inter Inn Valley signifies
II.
The cross bill and the robin are likewise
looked on aS lucky BIRDS Every body knows
The pretty legends concerning bOtn birds, and
how the ole IS supposed to have crossed his
bill, and the other redeemed his breast by en-
deayOTing 10 pluck out the nails which fastened
our Lord t" the cross. In Spain a Omewhat
similar act of piety is attributed TO the night
iDgale and goldfnch:
-" hen Christ for us on Go,gotha
Gave UP His latest breath,
The nightingale and gOidfineh sang
IIr mCuTnful song OF death. -
In the HarZ Mountains and the Tyrol the
cross Dill Is highly valued as it is believed that
this bird Will take to Itself diseases which
would otherwise befall the family He has
possessed this virtue ever since his efforts to-
release our Lord from the cross. The presence
of a cross bill drives away govt and rheuma-
tiSm, and even the water which he drinks or
in which he batheS is used as a remedy for
these complaints Moreover, the Tyr0lese
cross bill cOunteracts witchcraft. and protects
home from evil spells and lightning.
The robin is likewise a protection against
lightning, but woe betide the rash person who
ventures to modest the robin or its nest. He
will either be struck by lightning, Or as in the
ZieTthd', he will become epileptie, or, in the
ObeT Inn Thai, his cattle will give red milk
and even the water in his house will assume a
rudy hue The deSpOier of a robins nest
will lose as many relatives in the course of the
year as the number of young birds stolen.
AbSam aEd SchwaZ are the only Tyrolese ex-
ceptlOnS 10 the universal estimation in which
this bi. d is held. At AbSam il is said that the
lest attracts the lightning, and at SchwaZ a
robin flying over house fOTetells death.