, 1888-09-19
LEGENDS OF INSECTS.
WHAT POPULAR SUPERSTITION
SAYS ABOUT THE BUSY BEE.

A HjSdoo Tradition-Stolen Bees in Hol-
land-Flies and F~leas-Gnats, Ants and
Crickets-The Dainty Lady Bird-Divi-
nation.
No members of the animal kingdom are
regarded by most persons with greater
aversion than certain insects and reptiles.
The folk lore of these branches of that
kingdom is therefore a very extensive
one. 1t frequently assigns to the min
utest members of the insect tribe consid
cradle power for good or evil, and popu-
lar tradition even anticipated scientific
discovery in the matter of insect intelli
gence.
Popular superstition has concerned
itself much about that busy little insect,
the bee. A Welsh tradition SAYS bees
came from paradise, leaving the garden
when man fell, but with Gods blessing,
so hat wax is necessary in the celebra-
ton of the mass. The ancients gener-
ally maintained that there was a close
connection between bees and the soul.
Porphyry speaks of those souls which
the ancients called bees
There is a Hindoo superstition that the
Rakshas or demons keep their souls in
the bodies of bees. Many persons accord
unusual intelligence to bees. They are
said in parts of England and France to
revere the consecrated wafer. They are
also said to sing a Christmas hymn, be-
ginning at midnight. They are said never
to thrive in a quarrelsome family, nor
will they stay with you if you quarrel
about them or in their presence. 1t is a
custom in many parts of England and the
continent to announce to the bees a death
in the family, especially that of the mas
ter. 1t is said in many parts of England
and Germany that if a swarm of bees set
tie on the dead branch of a live tree a
death will occur in the family within n
year. Stolen bees are said in Holland
never to thrive. In some places in Eng
land it is thought unlucky to sell them.
They are given away for another gift
Flies are sometimes regarded as fur
niShing representations of the weather,
and ever of other events. Wilsford, an
old naturalist. who writes much of popu-
lar import, says; "If they are buster or
binder than ordinary, sporting in the
sun or showing themselves in warm
places. 1T may be taken as a sign of hail,
cold showers of rain or wet weather"
tleas are not too small to enter into
popular lore. An abundance of them in
dicates rain, here and in England. Their
eager biting also prognosticates wet wea-
ther. These tormenting insects are not
without their benefits, according to the
English fishermen, for they consider that
an abundance of them indicates good
hauls of fish.
Gnats are regarded by many as accurate
weather indicators. Fair weather is said
to be coming when they fly about in
clouds in the suns beams; heat follows
unusual freshness, and rain is indicated
by their seeking the shade and biting
fiercely. An abundance of these insects
in the spring f~oretells n warm autumn.
Since the days of Solomon the ant has
enjoyed quite a reputation as a worker.
Mohammedans recognize it's industry, and
accord it a place among the ten animals
alone enter Paradise. Without men
his authority, Emerson says, in
Mature, - that they never sleep. Ants
eggs were of old IN antidote for love. 1t
is said that they close their holes in the
on the approach of a storm. If
are unusually frisky wet weather is
at hand. The migration of ants from low
is said to indicate heavy rains, and
stormy weather is imminent when they
travel in lines, fair weather coming when
scatter abroad.
Superstition has been very busy with
that common household insect, the cricket.
Its lively and cheerful chirp has caused it
to be generally viewed with favor. 1t is
usually regarded as q good omen in
and Scotland. In Hull it is I'M
lucky to kill them, and in Lancashire, it
is said, they cut holes in the worsted !
stockings of those members of q family
that kill them. In Shakespeare's time this
notion that the presence of the cricket
was a good omen, indicating cheerfulness
and plenty, was a prevalent one.
The little insect commonly known as
the lady bird or lady bug has been the OBJ
ject of many superstitious ob-servances.
itZ mama Indicates tie gorrol ,h,,aa4.. -
being everywhere the Virgins bird, tho
lady COW, the lady fly, the lady's littls
beast, Mary's bird, Gods calf, etc. Young
girls, on finding one, try to divine their
lovers by it. The fight of the insect N
dicates the direction in which the lover
is TO be sought. German peasants also
try TO divine from its flight how they will
fare in the next world. If, on being ap.
pealed to, it flies upward, they will go to
heaven; if downward, to hell, or if hori
zontally, then purgatory awaits the ques-
TONER.
The insect known as "~granddaddy long
legs is thought in his country to pos
sess some mysterious knowledge. Chill
dren, on seeing it, ask it, "~Granddaddy
long legs, where's my cow?" believing that
it will indicate the proper direction by
raising one of it's legs.
Spider superstitions are also abundant.
They should not be killed. Spaniards. in
the Sixteenth century, believed that
spiders indicated gold. where they were
found in abundance. In Germany. it Is
said to indicate good luck to have a spider
spring his web downwards toward you,
but bad luck when he rises toward you.
There are said to be no spiders in Ireland,
nor will spiders spin their web In an Irish
oak, nor on q cedar roof. S. BassetL in
ClJta-Dc2ocrat.