Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-03-16
LEAP YEAR LEGENDS.
A VARIETY OF PEASANT sUPERsTL
 TONS AND FOLK LORE.

The Years Unpropitious Influence on
 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., cordinglS 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 fin quite the con- trary way to what they are in other years The reason commonly assigned for this supposed eccentric freak of nature is ssbe- cause it is the ladies' year, they tthe peas and beans) 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 cer-
 
 ance with the time-honored and much quoted prOverb, the peasant is reminded how, If St. Cassian Feb. 29 look on a COW it will wither." Oh the other hand, there would seem to be exceptions to this rule, us in Sicily, where the former is advised to 'tset and graft vines in leap year"
 The ancient Romans considered the bis- sextile, or Heap day." 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 a child being born on 'lcap day." it being a popular notion that to come into the world at such an odd time is ominous ns signifying the per sons speedy exit But those, however, 1 who chance to bc born on this particular 1 day have little occasion to dread such un- necessary alarms. for ''it must be remem- bered how leap years comes around again and again, only too truly to testify to the utter falsity of the many articles of belief attached to its anniversary"
 i A variety of this superstition prevails on the continent, and, according to a 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 'leap day." as a person can only celebrate the anniversary ! cf 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 ! iour.
 Referring to this month, Mir Chambers remarks, in the Popular Rhymes of Scotland," that ''it appears to be consii- cred by some people as the most import ! ant. We have as many rhymes about this doclSed month as about an the rest ! put together, many of them expressing either an open derestation 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 a great mystery, and if il 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 10 the sun, then you frus- trate the rule for Easter, and the reckon ing of every new moon all the year." Hampson, in his "MediI Gvi Kaleudar- i;Im," quotes the following quaint tradi- ton from @ Saxon treatise: ''Some assert that tLe 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, us some think"
 In France there is & popular tradition among the peasantry in the environs of La Chatrc 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 oispleased." His shape is not distinguish able in member, joint or limb. Nearly thirty years ago, NJ. Maurice Sand exhib- ited in the salon powerful and graphic picture of this mysterious being. '.It is evening; the sun has just set over @ waste country covered with marshy bogs md : fens full of stagnating water. The clouds 1 gre bloodstained by the last rays of the i 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 ! U marvellous monster has arisen, and is { leaning against m old water worn pile. . Before him the frightened fishermen fly und fall. His form is not to definite as could be desired, but still he is the ghost ! If leap year."-T. E. Thistelton Dyer in Home Journal.