Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1879-07-25
A Few Wishing Customs.



VARIOUS QUAINT DEVICES AND sUPERsTIrIoNs
OF THE oLDEN TINE.
From ali the Year Round
In whatever grade of society or posi-
ton OF prosperity We are placed, We still
hope for something better, and rs man
kind is never i'll this world perfectly hap
ply, We find ourselves constantly wishing
for some future blessedness superlative
to that We at present enjoy. Constantly,
host of futile customs to meet this want
are practiced among the vulgar, who be-
lieve in their efficacy, and many of them
are even patronized by the educated. In
.ha Vest Of England Wishing Wells"
are very Pieht"ui' ar,' ,""-o '.-------i-
longing for married felicity offer up the
following petition
husband, 81. Catherine,
handsome one ST Catherine,
rich one, ST. Catherine,
\ nice one, 81. Catherine,
And soon, 81. Catherine.
At Abbntsbury they used to go ON
certain day of the year to the Norman
chapel of st. Catherine, AT Milton Abbey,
and make the same prayer. 1t is some
what singular that on the Continent this
saint should h. considered the special
pntroncss of spinsters. At Holywell, or
st. Winifred's Well, i'll North Wales,
those who are not satisfied with their cir
cumstanccs in life must find IL wishing
stone" which is two feet below the water,
and while kissing it make the necessary
wish.
During the season when the cuckoo's
note is heard many Curious customs are
observed Thus, in England, MS well ~
Germany it is believed by the peasantry
that, if asked, it will tell You how many
wears you have TO live by the repetition Of
It's cry; SO they say:
Cuckoo. cherry tree,
Good bird. feline.
How many years have 10 live:
As soon ms the Danish village girls hear
this bird, they kiss their hand and ask,
Cuckoo, cuckoo when shall he mar
ried?" Among the Swcles, too, the girls
exclaim:
Cuckoo gray tell To me.
ip IN thu tee. true and free,
How man, tearsl must 1--we ana 90 unmarried:
SuperstitiOns i'll connection with the APP
pcarance Of the moon are very mlner-
Gus ; 1t generally presides over lovers
wishes. In Dcvonshlrc, the young PEG
pie, rs soon us they see the first new moon
after midsummer, go To stile, turn their
backs 10 it, and say
All hail new MOON all hail To thee
I pray thee good moon, reveal Ia me
fhis might who shall my truP love hr;
Who Is he, and what he wears.
And what he does all months AMI Years.
In Ireland they sometimes show the
new moon II knife, and, invoking the Holy |
Trinity, say:
New moul, true morrow, h.. true now To m.
That ere the murtJw my trur love may see;
afterwarI placing the knife under the pill
low, and keeping strict silence lest the
charm should he broken. In Berkshire,
at the new moon, the maadens go into the
fields, and looking ut it say:
New NOON new moon hail thee
BY all the NiItur III Inv baby,
Grant this night that may srs,
lie whn my True love Is 10 ht.
In Dcyonshirc the girls believe that ii
they pluck NARROW from mans grave,
and place. 1t under their pillow, repeating
thcs. lines, they will dream of their
lovers
Yarrow, sweet NARROW, the INST that have found,
Aud in the name OF Jesus l pluck it from the
A. f1srph loved sweet Mary, AMI took her Tor his
dear,
- IN dream ihi. night hope my true love Will
ariear
In Lancashire If the inquirer wishes to
know the abode Of IL lover, an apple pip
pm Is taken between the thumb and lin
h'f' ana whiie moving to"iii' sl.eeA9i
out when ii is supposed 10 fly III the dl-
ltsti"h 'i NV io''i = l'"''' ihN'N "'i''
nre said at the same time
r,ppn plppin, paradise.
lti me- M"r ,t,, nv ~. ,iu ., ,%'e "es
'- -
Hulliwcll. in his Popular Rhymes 1870,
.,ly9 that urls prncti,.tI tlNInutlOu with Il |