Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-06-05
THE CAT IN FOLK LORE.
PROMINENT IN THE MYTHoLoG
 or THE EARLIEST NATIONS.

PROMINENT IN THE MYTHOLOGY
 or THE EARLIEST NATIONS.
 The Cat Naturally Considered . Weather
 Maker-Fsline Weather wisdom in v.- rious Lands-Omens and superstitions.
 In Nursery Lore-The Nine Lives.
 The cat has figured in folk lore and popu- lar superstitions moro than any other ami mal, except perhaps the serpent. and is prominent in the mythology of tho earliest nations In Egypt, especially, 1t was re- garded with peculiar veneration. or with superstitious fear. The presence of thou sands of mummies of cats testify to this adoration of the feline tribe Tho ancient Book of the Dead" speaks of Eau, the Great Cat meaning the sun-the eye of that ami mal glowing and contracting in tho light, being taken to represent the orb of day. Tho feline tribe is also prominent in India.
 As an instrument of power in the hands of Satan and his witch subjects tho cat would naturally become a weather maker. Its early connection with Diana, the moon goddess, would also indicate the same power over the clements possessed by that orb Witches ire quently used it to raise storms. The cat is particularly regarded with distrust by sail ors, who say: '.It carries gale in its tail, :" and thnt it will surely provoke . storm to throw one overheard. Even while on board, if it is unusually froicsome, a gale of wind is thought to be imminent Many stories are told of storms caused by the sacrifice of . cat. These animals arc said to smell wind, while pigs see it. This storm raising power is not confined to witches familiars, nor to cafS af
 The cat is universally weatherwise. in tho west of Ireland you may obtain good wind by burying cat up to it's neck in sand on tho seashore, with it's head opposite to the desired direction. There is an old story told in Block Island of a man who shut cat up in bar rel to prevent a hostile skipper from sailing, and no fair wind came until pussy was TO- leased. In Lancashire, stormy and wet weather is coming when puss frisks about tho house. In Ireland, if she stretches 50 that her paws touch, bad weather will ensue. Scotch fishermen declare that if she sneezes or licks her paws rain will surely come. In Shetland, the cat 'gaanin in da luft'' fortells wind, and ''sleepin on her harms" with tho back of her head down. indicates calms An old English writer says: "When the cat washes her face over the ears we shall have great store of rain"
 A German proverb says, 'If the cat basks in the sun in February she will go back to the stove In March," "Cats courting the flre," says the author of "Nature's Secrets, 1" ''more than ordinary, or licking their feet and trimming tho hair of their head and mustaches, prognosticates rainy weather" |" In our own country if the cat sneezes it is . sign of rain; if it snores, of foul weather When cats wash themselves fair weather is coming. unless tho facs is washed over the ear, in which case foul weather is imminent, and rain if it Is the head behind the ears
 If pussy washes her face after . rain wind will como from tho point to which she turns, and a thaw will occur if ahe washes her face with her back to the fro in winter. Rain is also indicated when the cat scratches itself, a storm when 1t claws chair or table legs lies on its head with it's mouth open, or sits tail toward tho fire. A change of weather is indicated by the electrincation of the cats fur, and wind Is coming when her tail is bushy and stiff. s@.@@ tR
 The presence of tho cat in tho house Is usu- ally deemed an omen of good luck. "Who has Q cat has a happy married life, i" says a German proverb. In antiquity omens were drawn from the entrance and exit of strange cats, and 1t was then bad sign to have a cat cross your path. This is still believed in many places. In Ireland persons entering a house say "God save all hero except the cat. 1" And if any one, in setting out upon jour ney, should meet a cat and look it squarely in the face, the journey must be postponed It is also an i'll omen for a cat to cross your path when you first go out in tho morning In Sussex, if the cat sneezes she must be sum- marily ejected from tho house, for three such explosions would bring misfortune upon the family.
 The cat has figured extensively in nursery lore. The well known tale of "Puss in Boots" has been recognized in tho popular tales of many countries widely separated. In Japan the Wind God is figured with cats face and claws, and in China wooden cats adorn the ridges of tho houses to ward of storms and tempests. The Irish say there is king of the cats who may be discovered by nipping off bit of his ear. He will then speak and declare his authority. | The cat in folk lore Is commonly diaboli- cal, and in the bag of proverbs has probably diabolical allusion. The popular idea that 1t has nine lives expresses its mystical char acter.-F. s. Bassett in Globe-Democr1t