Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-08-02
THE CAT IN FOLK LORE.
PROMINENT IN THE MYTHOL OGY
OF THE EARLIEST NATIONS.

The Cat Naturally Considered q Weather
Maker-Feline Weather Wisdom In Va
! riOus Lands-Omens and Superstitions.
| In Nursery Lore-The Nine Lives.
| The cat has figured in folk lore and popu-
lar superstitions more than any other ami
mai, except perhaps the serpent, and is
! prominent in the mythology Of the earliest
| nations In Egypt, especially. it was 70
! garded with peculiar veneration, or with
! superstirious fear The presence of thou
sands of inummies Of cats testify to this
alteration Of the feline tribe. The ancient
Book of the Dead" speaks OF Mau, the Great
Cat, meaning the sun-the eye OF that ami
NAL glowing ard contracting in the light
being taken to represent the orb Of day. Tho
feline tribe is also prominent in India
AS an instrument of power in the hands Of
Satan and his witch subjects, the cat would
naturally become q weather maker. It's early
connection with Diana, the moon goddess,
would also indicate the Same power over the
elements possessed by that orb. Witches fire.
quently used it to raise storms. The cat is
particularly regarded with distrust by sail
ors, who say: 1T carries q gale in its tail,
and that 1t will surely provoke a storm to
throw one overheard. Even while on board,
il it is unusually frolicsome, gale Of wind
Is thought to be imminent. Many stories are
told OF storms caused by the sacrifice Of a
cat. These animals are said to smell wind,
while pigs see it. This storm raising power
is not confined to witches familiars, nor to
cats at sea-
The cat is universally weatherwise In the
west of Ireland you may obtain good wind
by burying cat up to its neck in sand on the
seashore, with its head opposite to the desired
direction There is an old story told In Block
Island OF man who shut q cat up I'm a bar
rel to prevent hostile skipper from sailing,
and no fair wind came until pussy was re-
leased In Lancashire, stormy and wet
weather is coming when puss frisks about the
house. In Ireland, if she stretches SO that
her paws touch, bad weather will ensue.
Scotch fishermen declare that II she sneezes
or licks her paws rain will surely come. In
Shetland, the cat "gaanin in da luft" fortells
wind, and ''sleepin On her harms" with the
back Of her head down indicates Gains. An
old English writer says: "When the cat
washes her face over the ears we shall have
great store Of rain"
A German proverb says, If the cat basks
IN the sun in February she will go back to
the stove In March" Seats counting the
fire." says the author of Natures Secrets"
more than ordinary, or licking their feet
and trimming the hair of their head and
mustaches, prognosticates rainy weather."
In our own country ii the cat sneezes it is q
sign OF rain; If It snores, Of foul weather.
When cats wash themselves fair weather Is
coming, unless the face Is washed over the
ear, in which case foul weather is imminent,
and rain If il is the head behind the ears
II pussy washes her face after a rain wind
will come from the point to which she turns,
and thaw will occur if she washes her face
with her back to the fire in winter. Rain is
also indicated when the cat scratches itself,
a storm when it claws chair or table legs,
lies on its head with its mouth open, or sits
tail toward the fire. A change Of weather is
indicated by the electrifcation of the cats
fur, and wind is coming when her tail is
bushy and stiff.
The presence Of the cat in the house is usu-
ally deemed au omen Of good luck. "Who
has a cat has happy married lfe," says
German proverb. In antiquity omenS were
drawn from the entrance and exit of strange
cats, and it was then bad SIGH to have a cat
cross your path. This is SIN believed IN
many places. La Ireland persons entering q
house say "God save all here except the cat"
And if any one, in setting out upon jour
ney, should meet a cat and look 1T squarely
in the face. the journey must be postponed.
1t is also an i'll omen for q cat to cross your
path when you first go out In the morning
In Sussex, if the cat sneeZes she must be sum-
marily elected from the house. for three such
explosions would bring misfortune upon the
family.
The cat has figured extensively in nursery
lore. The we'll known tale Of "Puss in
Boots" has been recognized in the popular
tales Of many countries widely separated In |
Japan the Wind God is figured with a cats
face and claws, and in China wooden cats
adorn the ridges Of the bouses to ward of |
storms and tempests. The Irish say there is
king Of the cats who may be discovered by |
nipping off a bit Of his ear. He viii then /
speak and declare his authority.
The cat in folk lore is commonly diaboIi.
cal, and in the bag Of proverbs has probably
a diabolicsi allusion The popular idea that
it has nine lives expresses its mystical char
acter.-F. S. Bassett in GloDe-Democrsr.