Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1884-12-16
SUGGESTIONS.
SHORT CHRISTMAS F0LK-TALES.
Firsside Legends and Other Matters
Both Timely and Interesting
FOR THE HOLIDAY SEASON.

Scattered around the Christmas season,
We find in our own and other countries
host Of amusing old fOlk-tales, most of
which, apart from their own intrinsic inter-
est, are valuable as faithfully embodying
the superstittious beliefs of our toretsthers
in connection with the Iuletide festival.
1t would seem that, in days gone by, these
Preside legends were extensively circulated
At Christmas-tide; the varied incidents they
contained acting as so many warnings to
these who might Inadvertently or otherwise
lie induced 10 disregard the traditiouary
ro,;ons Of the season. As the greater
Fart Of these tales are novel prob
aLly to most readers, it may not
be inopportune to give some illustrations Of
them. Thus Norwegian folk tales often
allude to the merry doings of the Mise
at Christmas time-a class Of fairies about
the size of small children, and who were,
We are reminded, far more numerous in the
good old times than nowadays. Like
Shakespeare Puck, they are fond Of pranks,
and unless the master of the house pampe
them they are spiteful and vindictiye, and
hence it is not surprising that their good
will is deemed worth securing. On Cars
mas Eve, therefore, offerings Of sweet poc-
ridge, cakes, beer, and other delicacies are
provided specially for them; but care must
be taken ttst this act is performed with
every mark OF respect otherwise they
will quickly show their displeasure.
Thus, it is related how. one Christmas
Eve, when girl in mocking spirit brought
these little beings their customary offerings,
she was so severely handled by them that on
the following Christmas morning she was
found dead in the barn. With tales of this
kind told among the peassutry, and received
by them with the utmost faith We can we'll
imagine how ready they naturally were to
gain the patronage and friendship Of these
mysterious elves who. in athousand and one
ways, could befrieud those who ackuowl-
edged their superior power. Among Nor
wegian iolk-tales of the sea relating TO Christ
mas we are told how q certain sailor, &C
cording to custom, was de5iroUS of present
ing on Christmas Day a cake TO the spirit Of
the waters; but when he came to the shore,
lol-much 70 his dissppointment-the
waters were frozen over. Reluctant 10 leave
his offering upon the ice, he tried to make
hole; but in spite of all his labors, he could
not make it large enough for the cake to
go through. When perplexed as to what he
should do, he was sgreeably surprised by
the appearance of little tiny hand, as white
as snow, which, stretching through the hole
be had made, seized the cake and instantly
disappeared with it. In this legend orig.
mates, it is said the compliment paid to a
Norwegian lady Your hand is like water
sprite's."
The Morse peasant, an his popular tales,
has curious solution for the ott-ssked
question, "Why the sea is saltY' 1t ap-
pears, says Mr.. Dasent, that once upon
time, long, long ago, there were two broth
ers, one rich and the other poor. Now it
happened on Christmas Eve that the poor
one had not so much as crumb OF bread to
eat so he went to his brother for
help. who gave him a whole fitch
of bacon, at the same time bid
ding him go to certain evil magician. On
arriving at the magician's house he was
surrounded BY host of persons anxious TO
buy his fitch. well" said he, by rights
my old dame and ought to have this fitch
fer our Christmas dinner but since you
have all set your hearts on it, suppose you
must have it; but if sell it all, must have
in return that qUern behind the door yon-
der" At first the old magician laughed
outright at this proposal but the poor
brother stuck to it. and so at last the ma
gician parted With his quern. On reaching
home the clock struck twelve as 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 delay"
after which words be put the
quern on the table, bidding it
grind everything necessary for the
Christmas fare. The wife, as may be i'm
agiued, stood thunderstruck, watching this
queres grind out dsinties enough to last till
Twelfth Day. When, however, the rich
brother on Christmas Day saw all that was
on the table, he was very enyious, and said:
Whence have you got all this wealth.
For some time, the poor brother refused to
tell; but in the course Of the day s rejoicings
he incautiously gave the history Of the
magic quern, which his brother ultimately
bought for three hundred dollars. Before
long, however, he found that it kept on
grinding; and so alarmed was he that he |
resold it to his brother for the same money |
as he had purchased it. As before, it |
soon brought renewed prosperity to the |
poor brother, which enabled him to |
buy q golden house, the fame where
of spread far and wide, and attracted |
strangers from all parts. So, one day.
stranger came to see the quern, and the first |
question be asked was whether it could |
grind salt. "Grind ssltT' said the owner,
Il should just think so; and anything else |
you like" Thereupon, so anxious was he |
to buy the quern that he promised to pay
untold wealth for it. Secured of his prize,
he put to sea, and when so far of that no |
one could reach him, he said to the qcern,
Grind salt; and grind both fast and good"
No sooner had he spoken than the quern
forthwith began grinding salt, which, in an |
amazing short time, arose in heaps on the |
deck and threateded to sink his vessel. |
Alarmed at the rapidity with which the
quern kept grinding. he entreated it on his
knees TO leave of; but still it went on, and |
before many minutes the vessel sank be-
meath the weight of salt But the quern.
still beneath the water keeps grinding, and |
hence the sadness of the sea-
We may add that these tales, in which |
thewitch element figures strongly. still exist
IN our own country. Thus. in the Isle Of