The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-01-27

REVERENCE FOR ANIMALS MENTION.
Ed IN THE SCRIPTURES.

ED IN THE SCRIPTURES.
Popular Snperstitions Connected With
Christmss-wicksd Work Of the "Dsrs
Daei''-Licking Lixard-Curious Gus
TOMBSTONE signs Of Ill Fortune.
| In Ireland, as in every country OF Eu-
rome. MANY curious ideas about almost
everything that Is seen or heard In ordi.
nary life have been handed down from
parent to child. Beasts, birds and in
sects are regarded with superstitious fear
or favor, and when any object has its
mention In Scripture the popular belief IN
its good or evil influence is materially
strengthened.
The OK and the ass, as appearing ire
quently In the Bible, are always highly
regarded, and, as It Is tho general BELIEF
that our Saviour selected the ass to rldo
upon OIL account Of the cross on his back,
that animal Is looked upon with signal es'
TEEN. 1t Is considered lucky to have one
of his species in q field with cattle, as the
mark Of the cross fs certain safeguard
against malicious witch or wantoa fairy.
| But this fortunate animal can do more
than ward of evil spirits. He can tell
Christmas as unerringly as a schoolboy,
and every Christmas eve he falls down at
midnight and brays three times in honor
Of the approaching dawn. II this fact DO
doubted there are always plenty Of wit
nesses who have kept awake to see the oc'
currence and who have seen 1t frequently.
The cock Is regarded with similar rev.
erence on account Of the scene between
Christ and St. Peter, and is believed to be
as well aware of the Joy Of Christmas
as the ass, and IN consequence crows dur
ing good part Of the nine nights proceed
ing the Christian festival The Growing
of a hen, that at any other time would be
a most uDlucky omen, 10 then all right, rs
it Is then supposed to share in the Joy OF
the cock at the coming of Christmas.
AFRAID OF A DARA DAEL.
The dubh dael, or dara dael, is black
insect of the earwig class; the meaning OF
the name in English is the black or other
devil. In creeping along, whenever IT
hears any noise, 1t always halts, cocks up
its tail and protrudes Its sting, which Is
similar to that Of the bee. NO reptile mas
been so much abhorred or dreaded by the
peasantry Of Ireland as the dara dael, and
legends Of its evil doings abound. Its
wicked work began at very carly day.
IL is said to have eaten the core OF tho
apple thrown away by Eve, and to this
iay strong smell OF apples is perceived
when it is crushed, for IL is always to be
crushed BIZ q stone or lump of iron, which
must be Hurled at the yermin, as other
wise the devils essence would be con-
viewed through any medium Of wood or
leather held In the destroyer hand. Iron
and stones are deemed non-conductors.
The Irish boys and women, when they
throw the stones, generally eXclaim' Ma
shocht paca agus ma paca morrio urth -
1. g., my seven sins and my deadly sin
upon YOU" The allusion in the exclafna-
ton Is to another legend, which claims
that the dara dael acted as q spy upon
Christ and told his enemies where he
went. Judas, on his way to betray
Christ, is said to have met number OF
dara daeIs, who turned mp their tails to
indicate the way the Saviour had gone.
The lizard-in Irish, aire luichair,
which literally translated means 1.-THE pig
of the rushes'-is held in esteem for its
curative powers. When caught, the per-
son who is anxious TO receive the curative
power takes the aire luichair In his hand,
ticks the creature all overhead, feet,
belly, legs, sides and tail; and the tongue
Of the person who thus licks the aire luz
chair Is said ever afterward to possess the
power Of taking the sting and pain out or
q burn. There is also an idea that the
aire luichair or newt, IS always on the
watch to crawl down the throat OF any
person who happens to fall asleep out OF
doors.
CURIOUS CUSTOMS.
When passing over bridge Of any size
in Ireland the wayfarer invariably raises
his hat or utters some word Of blessing or
prayer for the builder Of the bridge. 1t
Is considered unfortunate on May MORN
ing for a farmer or his wife to meet
hare, as under such circumstances "puss"
Is said to take the milk from the COWS.
Just at present, when evictions are in
full swing, it may help to illustrate the
popular sentiment by recalling the custom
OF cursing known US 1.-THE Fire OF Stones. "
The aegrieved person collects as many
small powders as will fill the principal
hearth of the holding he is compelled to
surrender. These he piles in the manner
Of turf sods arranged for firing and then,
kneeling down, prayS that until that heap
burns may every kind OF sweat, bad luck
and misfortune attend the landlord and
his family to untold generations. Rising,
he takes the stones in armfuls and hurts
them here and there, in loch, pool, bog
hole or stream, so that by no possibility
could the collection be recovered.
Certain trades and avocations are held
IN disrepute, but thinkers come In for moro
than ordinary dislike. The reason al
legged is that when the blacksmith was
ordered to make nails for the cross he re-
fused, but the tinker made them, and
therefore Christ condemned him and all
his race to DO wanderers and never to have
a roof OF their own to cover them to the
worlds end.
1t is uniucky to take a cat with you
when removing. In consequence OF this
belief cats often suffer terribly. 1t Is un-
lucky to meet barking dog or bare