The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1880-09-25
Our @lio.
LUNAR EooEETRIoITIEs,
Queer Notions About the MOOn-A Batch
Of Interesting Anecdotes.

perstition Of the Aryan race survives in
the fanciful conception that the lunar spots
are not meaningless specks, but rspresen-
tatious of human beings Every one, says
Mr.. Barring Gould, knows that the moon
isinhabited by man with bundle Of
sticks on his back, who has been exiled
thither for many centuries, and who is so
far of that he is beyond the reach Of
death. Dante calls him Cain; Chaueer
speaks of him as undergoing punishment
up there for theft, and gives him thorn
bush to carry, whereas Shakespeare, whilst
assigning TO him the thorn load, by way
Of compensation allows him dog for his
companion. From general account, how.
ever, his offense seems not to have been
stealing but Sabbath breaking--an idea
derived from the Old Testament. Like
tho man mentioned in the Book Of num-
bers, he was caught gathering sticks on
Sunday, and for this act Of disobedienee,
and as an example to mankind, was con-
demned to reside forever in the moon, with
his bundle on his back. A further legend
identities him with the figure Of Isaac in
the act Of carrying bundle Of sticks for
his sacrifice; while the Jews have a Tai
mudical story that Jacob is 10 the moon,
aud they believe that his face is occasion
ally visible. This belief in the moonman
is found in most countries, aud under a
variety Of forms. Thus the Swedish pens
antry explain the lunar spots as represent
ing boy aud girl bearing pail Of water
between them, whom the moon once kid
mapped aud carried up 10 heaven le-
gend existing also in Icelandic mythology.
According to one German tale, q man and
a woman stand in the moon--the man,
because he strewed hrambles and thorns
on the church path, so as to hinder people
from attending mass on Sunday morning;
the woman, because she made butter on
that day. The woman carries her butter
tub, aud the man bis bundle Of thorns.
The Dutch myth is that the unhappy man
was caught stealing vegetables. The na-
tives Of CeylOn, instead Of man, have
placed hare in the moon, and it is re.
ported to have got there in the following
manner Their great deity Buddha, when
hermit on earth, lost himself one day in
forest. After wandering about in great
distress, he met hare, who thus address
ed him ;-"lt Is in my power to extrieate |
you from your difficulty; take the path on
your left hand, it win lead you out cf the
forest" 81 am greatly obliged to you"
said Buddha, "but unfortunately am very
poor aud very hungry, and have nothing
to offer you in reward for your kindness.
"If you arc hungry" returned the hare,
81 am again at your service. Make FIRE,
kill me, roast me, aud cat me" Buddha
made the Gre, and the hair at once jumped
into it, where he has remained ever since.
The Chinese represent the moon by rab-
bit, pounding rice in a mortar. Their
Psychological moon Jut-ho is figured BY
beautiful young woman with a double
sphere behind her head and a rabbit at
her feet. If the nursery rhyme is to be
credited, the man in the moon once visited
this earth, aud took fancy to some pea
porridge, which he was in such a hurry to
deyour that he scalded his mouth.
THE man In The moon
Came tumbling down.
And asked his way 70 Norwich"
but whether he ever reached bis dcstina-
tiou We are not told. An Australian le-
gend says that originally the moon was n
native eat, who fell in love with some one
elses wife, aud was driven away to wan
der ever since. Among sLe Esquimaux
the sun is a maiden aud the moon Is her
brother, and the Khaxias Of the Himalayas
say that the moon falls every month 10
love with his mother-in-law, who throws
ashes in his face, whence his spots. The
tribes Of the Malayan peninsula believe
that the moon is a woman aud the stars
arc her children, whereas in South Amer
lea there is legend that the moon il a
man aud the sun Is his wife.
One of the supsrstitions associated with
the moon is its supposed influence IN heal
ing certain diseases. In the South Of
England the May new moon is said to have
a share 10 curing scrofulous complaints
An interesting case Is related of man re-
siding near Chichester who twice travelled
into Dorsetshire with different members Of
his family to place them under acunning
man" residing there. His charms we're
only potent In the month Of May. He
further required his patients TO have their
eyes liked upon the new May moon, while
they received from his hands boxes Of oint-
ment made from herbs gathered when the
moon was full. On one occasion az many
as two hundred persons waited to be
In StafFordshire remedy for
whocping-cough consists in taking out the
child to let It see the new moon, at the
same time rubbing its stomach and re-
peating the following invocation;
what see, may 1t Increase
What feel, may IL decrease:
N uie name OF thc Hnthef, Son and Holy Ghost.
Amen"
In Cornwall tho club4moss, If properly
gathered, is considerd fsgood against al
diseases Of the eyes Tho gaihssing Is
regarded as mystery, and il any man
ventures to write the secret, The virtues Of
the moss avail him no more. In spite Of
this, however, some one has boldly reveal.