Morris tribune., 1888-04-11
LEAP YEAR LEGENDS.
A VARIETY OF PEASANT SUPERST
TloNS AND FOLK LORE +;

The Years UnprOp1tlOus AnHue1co~Aoh
Farming Operations-A Bit of Tuscan
superstitiOn-Traditio in the EARLY
Days of the Church-A Demon.
The break in the regular order OF days
is naturally matter of awe and appre-
hension for the peasant mind. We &C.
cordingly find, in nearly all the old coun-
tries, a variety of superstitions clustering
around leap year. The rural folk lore OF
England tells us how all the peas and
beans grow the wrong way in their pods
that is, the seeds are set in quite the con-
trary way to what they are in other years.
The reason commonly assigned for this
supposed eccentric freak of nature is 'be-
cause it is the ladies' year, they (the peas
and beams always lie the wrong way in
leap year"
In Belgium the peasantry maintain that
this year is not only TOO frequently unpro-
pitious for farming operations, but that
throughout it the young of no domestic
animal will thrive as at other times. A
similar fatility, they argue, extends to
every kind of young grass and shoots,
which it is affirmed invariably become
either stunted in their growth or blighted.
The same peculiar idea prevails in GER
tain districts of Russia, and, in accord
ance with the time-honored and much
quoted proverb, the peasant is reminded
how, eff St. Cassian Feb. 29 look
on COW it will wither." Oh the other
hand, there would seem to be exceptions
to this rule, as in Sicily, where the former
is advised to ''set and graft vines in leap
year."
The ancient Romans considered the bis
sextile, or ''leap day." a critical season,
reckoning it among their unlucky days.
That this belief has not by any means lost
ground is evidenced by the deep rooted
dislike parents have to child being born
on 'leap day." it being popular notion
that to come into the world at such an
odd time is ominous as signifying the per-
sons speedy exit. But those, however,
who chance to be born on this particular
day have little occasion to dread such I'M
necessary alarms, for ''it must be remem-
bered how leap years comes around again
and again, only too truly to testify the
utter falsity of the many articles of belief
attached to its anniversary"
A variety of this superstition prevails
| on the continent, and, according to q
piece of Tuscan folk lore, when-a child is
born in leap year, either it or its mother
| will die before the year has expired But,
apart from considerations Of this kind, it
must be acknowledged that it is somewhat
awkward to be born on 'Eleap day." as q
person can only celebrate the anniversary
| of his birth once in four years. It like.
| wise also has its advantages, as In the
case of those of the fair sex who like, as
far as possible, to minimize their age, and
hence look with envious eyes on those
whose birthday comes only once to their
| four.
| Referring to this month, Mr.. Chambers
remarks, in the Popular Rhymes Of
Scotland" that cit appears to be consid:
cred by some people as the most import
ant. We have as many rhymes about
| this docked month as about all the rest
put together, many of them expressing
| either an open detestation of it or a pro-
| found sense of its influence in deciding
the weather that is to follow"
But again, leap year is not without its
traditions and legendary lore. st. Angus
tine, for example, writing of it, says:
''The almighty made it from the begin
ming of the world for great mystery, and
if it be passed by untold, the first course
| of the year will be perversely altered, be-
cause there is one day and one night not
reckoned. If you will not account it also
to the moon, as to the sun, then you fus-
trate the rule for Easter, and the reckon
| ing of every new moon all the year,
Hampson, in his ''Medii Gvi Kalendar-
ium," quotes the following quaint tradi-
ton from Saxon treatise: "Some assert
that the bissextus comes through this,
that Joshua prayed to God that the sun
| might stand still for one days length,
| when he swept the heather from the land
| as God granted to him. It is true that
| the sun did stand still for one days
length over the city of Gebaon; but the day
went forward in the same manner as other
days. And the bissextus is not through
that, as some think" y,
In France there is q popular tradition
among the peasantry in the environs Of
La Chatre of different kind altogether.
| It is said that every leap year particular
| sort of evil demon makes its dread ap-
pearance, whose ':only pleasure is to be
| displeased." His shape is not distinguish
| able in member, joint or limb. Nearly
| thirty years ago, M. Maurice Sand eXhib-
tied in the salon powerful and graphic
picture of this mysterious being. ''1t is
evening; the sun has just set over waste
| country covered with marshy boys land
| fens full of stagnating water. The clouds
| are bloodstained by the last rays OF the
departing day star, and the dark red color
is reflected on the spleeping pools. Out
| Of the depth of one of them in the distance
a marvellous monster has arisen, and lis
leaning against an old water worn pile.
Before him the frightened fishermen fly
and fall. His form is not to definite as
could be desired, but still he is the ghost
of leap year. 1T. F. Thistelton Dyer in
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