The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-09-22

bring DR., Armand, / feel sickW
My doctors MAIZE
New Orleans, September, 1878.
BIRD LORE.
ss,nre of the Curious superstitiOns Pre-"
va1ent I'm Germany Concern
Ing Blrds.
LHarper's Weekly.l
The stork has always been regarded as the
herald OF spring. A very old tradition, re-
corded as early as the, thirteenth century,
states that the storks only adopt the form OF
birds In Europe; but In the distant countries
whittier they wend their way every autumn
they are human beings, and merely undergo
an annual transformation into storks on visit
Ing northern elimes. The Swabian peasantry
say that IL q stork had a tongue he would
speak, and then he would betray everybodys
secrets, because he hears and sees everything.
However, as it is, he manages TO give notice
+ of any special occurrence by chatter1ng with
his beak. These birds protect the house from
lightning, and must therefore never be dis
turbed.
There is theory In North Germany and
Swabia that when q nest Is manufactured Tor
the stork, which s occasionally done by put,
ting no q cart-Wheel with boughs tWined /
around the spokes, he will testify his graft
tude to the owner Of the house by throwing
down a feather the first year, an egg the sec
ond year, and the third year q young stork:
Then he recommences with the feather, and
SO on.
The demeanor Of the stork on his first ap-
pearanee is very important. Should he be
chattering, the spectator. will break great
deal Of crockery during the ensuing twelve
months; If silent, he r will be ley; II LYING
Hanover n and Meckienberg. In the Altmark
q stork on the wing signifies to maiden that
she will soon enter the bonds Of wedlock; but
IL stationary, she will be asked to act as a
sponsor. Whoever has money In his pocket
on first beholding the stork will never lack
during the year, nor Will he suffer from TOOTH
The superstition that the stork brings the
children Is current all over Germany. In 81
lesia the flight OF stork over house denotes
the speedy arrival Of O. baby; while In the
island Of Rugen they say that unless the stork
lays eggs the house will also be childless, and
as the young storks thrive SO will :. the e chill
dren. Nobody dare shoot stork In Rugen,
for then he weeps large tears, and each tear
portends a great misfortune. The stork Is
dwelling where he takes up his abode,
and STRIFE soon drives him away.
Swabian peasants say that when
the storks assemble for their winter
off, and should there be an odd one, he Or she
Is pecked to death by the rest. The West
phalians declare that the old storks always
throw one OF their brood out OF the nest II the
curious theory that the autumnal gatherings
of the storks are In reality Freemasons' meet
ings, The pious monk Cesarius Won Hester
back remarks, in On ancient chronicle, that
the storks are models Of coningal fidelity. and
when female stork attempts Irritation with
any other than her lawful husband she Is
brought before jury of storks, and, il found
guilty, they hack her to pieces with their
In the olden days, at the time when the
swallows were expected, q solemn procession
was formed by the whole household to the
gate Of the farm; then, at the first glimpse OF
f|n ola nrG
thrown open for them. It was believed that
the swallows took great interest in domes-
tic affairs, and examined everything closely
on their arrival. II they found untidiness and
Encouragement, they sang:
Boxes and chests were full when away we
vent,
Now we are back, they are empty; all is
spent"
Various ceremonies must be performed the
first time Of beholding a swallow. In the
Neumark, the person must wash his face to
preserve it from sunburn during the year. In
Tyrol he must stap directly, and dig with b bis
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, eS-
Decially for diseases of the eyes.
KILLING a 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 big
Nauders In Tyrol. the criminal will lose his
father or mother, and in the neighboring
Tells sthe heavens will open,"' I. G., it will
Tighten. In the Ober Inn valley the MUIR
derer's house will be burned down; and at
Sarsans, In the Oetz valley, the destruction
or removal OF a swallows nest will cost the
life Of the best COW of the herd. The West
phalians say that the slaughter OF swallow
causes four weeks rain; and If they are
driven away all the vegetables in the garden
will be cut off by. the frost:
Whoever bids farewell to the swallows at
their autumnal departure will be free from
ehilblains through the winter.
Swallows, also, have the gift Of prophecy.
In some parts Of Westphalia, the peasants tell
you to look under your feet On p the appear,
chance to be hair, it will be OF the same
color as that of your future wife. A flight OF
swallows over house in the Inter Inn Val
ley signifies death.
The croSs-bili and the robin are likewise
looked on as lucky birds. Everybody knows
the pretty legends concerning both birds, and
now the one is supposed to have crossed his
bill, and the other redeemed his breast, by en-
deavoring to pluck out the nails which fas-
tened our Lord to the cross. In Spain a
somewhat similar act Of piety Is attributed tc
the nightingale and goldtinch:
when Christ for us on Golgotha
Gave up His latest breath
The nightingale and goldanch sang
The mournful song of DEATH"
In the Hartz Mountains and In TyroI the
GLOSS-DllI Is Q1SAly Ealueu DIS IL Is DeLeVeC
that this bird win take to itself diseases
which would otherwise befall tho family. He
has possessed this virtue ever since his
efforts to release our Lord from the cross
and rheumatism, and even the water which
he drinks or in which he battles is used as
remedy for these complaints. Moreover, tn,
Tyrolese cross-bill counteracts witchcraf
and protects a home from evil spells ant
lightning.
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