Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-03-19
RAINBOW FOLK LORE.
ANT QUE FANCY FREQUENTLY AL
 LuDED TO IN THE CLASSICS.

ONNt OOE FfAtNOv VnGe$OCsNt6v Re
 LuDED TO IN THE CLASSICS. The Rainbow Drinks from Ponds and
 Rivers-Its Great Power for Good or
 Evil-Healing Potency-A Strange Be-
 lief-Rindoo Law.
 As survival of the serpent myth, we find almost universally a belief that the rain- bow drinks the water from ponds and rivers. This idea is found in antiquity, alluslon to it being frequently made by classical authors. Slovaks say of one who drinks much, that he "drinks like rainbow'' Many European peoples think the rainbow drinks up the water Throughout Russia it is generally believed to feed the clouds with the water thus drawn. In Little Russia it is called VeselSa, and is said to be maiden, who, with her bucket, draws water from the riv- CTS and waters the earth with it. Esthonians say it has bulls head, which it thrusts into the water when it would drink. In Finis- terre it is said to drink up fish, frogs, etc., from the shallow ponds In Cornwall it is said to be the devil drinking up the water of the ponds and streams. In the Tyrol it is called the 'sdrinking bowl in Votiak the ''drinker of water" Children are assured in the French department of Cotes du Nord that the bow drinks in the river or in the pond.
 In many places the rainbow is said to be great pump or tube, drawing water by me chanical means. So in parts of Russia it is called the ''bent tube" and in Hungary .'the pump" while ill Slovenian dialect it is the ''siphon." In one part of France it is said to come from the sea and to pump up the water To- kl,C 4 Russia the bow is iikened to a tube, with oue end in the sl1y and the other in the wells, while in the SaroJov government it is said to be controlled by three angels, one of whom pumps the W ter, the second feeds the clouds, a..d the third sends the rain. In Lettonia, showers of fish, frogs, etc., are believed to come from the rainbow, which has sucked them up from ponds and rivers. Similar be- liefs exist among the Wends. In many parts of Russia it is compared to water carrier, dipping it's buckets into the ponds and streams. In the Charente department of France they saw the bow fishes in the streams, and representations are drawn from the selection it makes. Malay Mas say it is the net of Nadaoja fishing in the streams.
 The rainbow is frequently credited with great power for good or evil It is wide spread belief that it hides great riches, or
  Swabia, it is said to rest on bowls of gold; in Hungary, that cups of silver will be found where it touches the earth or water, and the fl lder will divine the future. 1t is quite likely that shoe cast over it will fall on the other side filled with gold, as it is believed in Bcrne and among Swabian peasants. The difficulty is to get it over. In Carinthia it is a hat. Czech tradition says that if iron or other base metal be cast into the rainbow it will turn to gold, and similar things are recorded of it in the Tyrol. In many parts of Germany a golden key, or a treasure, is said to be found where the bow touches the earth; in Portugal, silver hen, and in mod ern Greece, curious Byzantine coin, called Constantine coin. Any one finding this will be endowed with marvellous power.
 In Norway, it is said thata a cup and spoon, with kind of gruel, will be found where the bow rests. It is also believed to bestow health. Among the Let's, if you can reach the bow and touch it yu,' will have the heal ing power The water found immediately beneath the arch will it is believed, cure those afflicted with demoniacy. Old women keep this water in trenches dug in the ground or in hollow tree, but not in the house. where it will lose it's force or bring some disaster on the household. 1t is also said that tloclzs should not be pastured where the bow rests, or they will fall sick. German peas ants say they touch of the bow will render plants odorant. On the other hand, in some departments of France the rainbow is said to injure plants on which it rests, to dry up vines and to ruin the harvest. In Bohemia also it withers up the herbage, say the peas ants. In the Ukraine, you must not put out your tongue at the rainbow, or it will dry it up. In Hungary there is Villa or fairy sitting on the water where the rainbow touches it, and whomsoever she sees first will die Esthonians say the bow is but the scythe used by the thunder to chase wicked souls. In Austro- Hungary the sick are not allowed to lie stretched at full length when the first bow of spring appears, for it is thought they would die if permitted to do so. Many ordinary tasks must not then be performed for fear of evil consequences.
 Another strange belief has existed, that the rainbow has power to change the sex. This obtains in districts widely separated. A story from the Nago tribe in Africa relates the adventures of a young man so trans formed. Slovenian peasants have a similar notion, and it is general belief in modern Greece among the common people that any one jumping over the rainbow will have their sex changed. Among the Albanians, Ser vians, and in Upper Loitre, France, it is by passing under the rainbow that the sex is changed.
 The notion that the luminous bow possesses so great power for good or evil has probably led to another curious belief, that harm will come to any one pointing at it. The ancient Hindoo laws of Manou forbade this, and it is said in the Hartz mountains that God will punish any one who points at the rainbow. In modern Greece and in Amiens you will lose finger, and in Bohemia the same disas- ter will occur unless it immediately thun- ders The Chinese say your hand will be at tackled with ulcers, and German peasants tell you that you dig out the angels eyes when you point at the rainbow. Ancient Peru vians said that the mouth must be kept shut when rainbow was in sight or the. teeth would be spoiled.
 Stingy old Millionaire.
 When first came to St. Louis from New York worked ill down town restaurant,