Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1884-12-25
CHRISTMAS LEGENDS.
illustrated London News. /

| CHRISTMAS LEGENDS.
illustrated London News
Scattered round the Christmas season, we
find in our own and other countries a host Of
amusing cld-folk tales, most OF which, apart
from their own intrinsic merits, are valuable
as faithfully embodyine the superstitious be-
| hefs OF our forefafhers in connection with
| the Yuie tide festival. 1t would seem that
in day gone by. these iireside legends were
| extensively circulated at Christmas tide the
varied incidents they contained acting as SO
many warnings to those who might, mad
vertently Or otherwise, be induced to disre-
| gard tho Evolutionary notions Of the season.
As the greater part Of these tales are novel
probably to most readers, it may not be in
| opportune TO give some illustrations Of them
Thus, Norwegian folk-tales often allude t.
| the merry doings of the Miss at Christ
| mas time-a class Of fairies about
| the sizs Of small children, and who
| were, we are reminded, far more
numerous in the good old times than nova
days. Like Shakespeares Puck, they are
fond OF pranks, AID unless the master Of the
house pam ers them, they nrs spiteful and
vindictive, and hence it is not surprising
| that their good will is deemed worth So
curing
On Christmas Eve, therefore, offerings OF
sweet porridge, cakes, beer, and other deli
cacies are provided specially for them; but
care must he taken that this act is performed
with every mark Of respect, otherwise they
will quickly show their disp!easure Thus,
it is related bow, one Christmas Eve when a
girl in hooking spirit brought these little
Nj of el,
severely handled by them, that OH the fol-
lowing Christmas morning she was found
dead in the barn.
With tiles of this kind toll amoay tho
peasantry, and received by them with the
utmost faith, We can well i'm
agine how ready they naturally
were to gain the patronage and friendship Of
these mysterious elves who, in a thousand
and one ways, could befriend thos. who &C.
knowiedsed their sup .rior power.
Among Norwegian foik-taies Of the sea re-
lafing to Chr istmas. we are told how q GER
tain sailor, ACCORDING to custom. was desir-
Gus OF presenting ON Christmas Day a cake
to the spirit of the ers; but when he came
TO the shore, io.-much to his disappoint-
ment-the waters Were frozen over Rsluct-
ant to leave lis offeria,; upon the ice. he
tried to make hole; but in spite Of ali his
labors, he could not make it large enough for
the cake To so through. Wien perp,exei as
to what he should do, he was n5reebly SIR
prised by the appearance OF 4 little, tiny
hand, as white as snow, which, stre:chiny
through the hole he had made, se:z.l TIA
cake and instan;ls disappeared with it, In |
this legend originates, it is said, the coulp,i |
ment paid to Norwegian lady, Your hand |
is like a water sprite'sr
The S,rSa raa-apt fp b;- ..n,,,,,,u
has curious solution for tho oft-asked quas
ton, why is the sea salti' II appears. that |
once upon time lo;is. long ago there were |
two brothers, one rich ard the other poar. |
Now II happened on Christmas Eve tina. tie |
poor one lad not 20 mach as n crumb of |
bread TO eat, so be went to his brother for |
help, VINO gave HIN n whole fitch Of bacon. |
at the sun, time bidding hin go to a certain
evii magician On arriving at the magician |
house, he was surrounded by host OF PER
sons anxious TO buy his fitch Well sail |
he, by rights my old dame and ought to |
have this bacon for our Christmas dinner:
but since you have all set your hearts on il. |
suppose you must have it; but il sell it all
must have in return tina: quern behind the /
door yonder." At first the old magician
laughed outright al this proposal. but the
poor brother stuck to it, and 81 at last the
magician Parted with his Quern.
On reaching home the clock struck l2, ns his
wife met him at the door, wondering what
had kept him out so long. Oh said he,
-you shall quickly see the cause of my de-
lay after which words he put the quern on
the table, tiddips it grind everything neces-
sary Tor the CHRISTMAS fare. Ths wife, as |
may TO imagined. stood thunderstrucL,
watching the quern grind cut dainties \
en- f,ryh In, Ia. ell /
ever, the rich brother saw, on Christmas
Day, all that was on tie table he was very
envious and said. whence have you got al
this wealth.
Fer some time tie POOR brother refused Co
tel; but in the course Of the days IL joiciny
he ncautiousy gave out the history of the
Magic que. N. which his brother ultimately
10 u h. for 600. Before long, however, he
iouni that IT kept on griniing, and ~
alarmed was be that be resold il to his
brother for the same money that par
chased IL.
As before, it soon brought renewed pros
perity to tie poor brother, which enabled
him to buy golden house, the fame whereof |
spread far and wide. and attracted strangen
from ali Parts So one dsy q stranger came
to ses The qyern. AMI the frs: question he
kcd was Whistler { could er;ni salt
"Grini sa:tl- sal. the owner, II should jus.
tn nk 81; anG anything eiss you ike
TaeTeupon 50 anxious was 10 70 buy the |
quern that he promised TO pay ua.oli wealth
for il Secured Of his prizs he pa: To sea.
and when 50 far of that nc unc could reach
him. he said to the quern. Grind salt. and
grind both sas. and good No ss1ner had
be spoken than the quern forthwith began
grinding salt, which, in an amazing short
time arose in heaps on the deck aal threat
enei TO sink his vessel Alarmed
at the rspidity witt which ~, quern
kept grinding h. en.-ea.ei IL On
his knees, IL leave OF; bu, still il went o.
and before many minutes the vessel ssnk he
still beneath tn4 water. keeps grindinS. ard !
hcnce the saltnes, " t.l- s-s II
Thrse tales in wai-h the ~iteh element
figures strongly. ,tili sAist IN cur own cocn-
Try. Thus. IN the Lie 81 Man, /. l. related
how fiddler. having a. II With stranger
to pay during the twelve days - Christmas :
TO whatever com2any be should BRING him,
was asfouisbed at seeing his new rusxscr Z
vaai>h into the earth soon as the bargain I
had been made Terrified At the thoushs of {
having agreed 10 work for so mysterious I |
rersoaa,e. he quickly rescrte. to the Clergy {
MAJ. wao sdvisei him u fulfill hi. engage
neat aai to play nothing but ;~Airn> Ac
rs soon rs c rssfmss-t,ie arrived,
he wrird stranger made his appear
ance. and beckonei the nddicr 10
! spot where the company were as
.sn5ied On reaehing his destinati1n {
A. q. oace struck up . psalm tune, q
rhich ~ enrzScd his audience tina. they in
family vanished but nos without 30 VIC
emily brEisins him that il vas with soma ,
iif.icuisy be succeeding IN reaching home. =
md narratiag his Christmas experiencs e
he family as they were gathered rouni tbs 9
ireside
In Germany, Christmas Eve is the ssascu !
4 AL others when fairies are supposed TO be 9
most active. keeping their festival On tAs a
mountain topA Thsu. Ne are told. IL rough !
tone b trankormsd into brilliant cryssAl-t G
'eins Of gold starting cut a<snucaiiy into !
Magic pitiars-bsnsash which grscesui can