The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1888-07-25
WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 1883.
THE CAT IN FOLK LORE.
PROMINENT IN THE MYTHOLOGY
OF THE EARLIEST NATIONS.

The Cat Naturally Considered Weather
nEaker-FeIIne weather Wisdom in Va
rIOus Bands--0uens ans. surerstitions.
In Nursery Lore--The Niue Lives.
The cat has figured in folk lore and popu-
lar superstitions more than any other ami
NAL, except perhaps the serpent, and is
prominent in the mythology of the earliest
nations. In Egypt, especially, it was re-
garded with peculiar generation, or with
superstitious fear. The presence of thou
sands of mummies of cats testify to this
alteration of the feline tribe. The ancient
"Book Of the Deadn speaks Of Mau, the Great
Cat, meaning the sun-the eye Of that ami
NAL glowing and contracting in the light,
being taken to represent the orb of day. The
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 weather maker. searly
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: ut carries q gale in its tail, y
throw one overheard. Even while on board.
if it is unusually frolicsome gale Of wind
is thought to be imminent. Many stories are
told Of stornls 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 familars, nor to
cats ut sea.
The cat is universally weatherwise In tho
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 cat up in bar
rel to prevent a 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, il she stretches so that
her paws touch, bad weather viii ensue.
Scotch fishermen declare that IL she sneezes
OF ticks her paws rain will surely come. In
Shetland, the cat Hgaanin in da luftn fortells
wind, and ''sleepin ON her harns' 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.n
A German proyerb says, ''If the cat baski
in the sun in February she will go back *
the stove In March, Cats counting the
fire." says the author of Natures Secrets,
more than ordinary, or ticking their feet
and trimming the hair OF their head ant
mustaches, prognosticates rainy weather.
In our own country III the cat sneezes it Is
sign of rain; If it SHORES, OF foul weather
When cats wash themselves fair weather i
coming, unless the face is washed over til,
ear, in which case foul weather Is imminent
and rain il it is the head behind the ears.
II pussy washes her face after rain wine
will come from the point TO which she turns
and a thaw will occur il she washes her face
with her back to the fire IN winter Rain ]
also indicated when the cat. scratches itself
storm when il claws chair or table legs
lies on its head with its mouth open, on sit
tail toward the fire. A change of weather 1
indicated by the electriRcation of the cat
fur, and wind is coming when her tail i
bashy and stiff.
The presence of the cat IN the house is uslI
ally deemed an omen of good luck. "Wb'
has cat has happy married life,n says
German proverb. In antiquity omens wer,
drawn from the entrance and exit OF strang
cats, and it was then bad sign to have a ca
cross your path. This is still believed il
many places In Ireland persons entering
house say sGod save all here except the cat
And IL any one, In setting out upon jour
ney, should meet cat aud look it SQUARED.
In the face the journey must be postponed
II is also an i'll omen for a cat to cross you
path when you first 60 out in the morning
In Sussex, il the cat sneezes she must DO sum
marily elected from the house, for three sucl
explosions would bring misfortune upon tn
family.
n =. l..