Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1888-03-10
LEAP YEAR LEGENDS.
A VARIETY OF PEASANT supeRsrA
rioNs AND FOLK LORE.


The Years u.propitieas influence ON
Fsrning Opcrssioss--A nit os ruscan
observation-disclosures n tAs Early
Days Of the Churoh--A Demon.
Tho break In the regular order Of days
is naturally matter of awe and apprc-
hcnsion for tho peasant mind. We &C
cortingly find, In nearly all the old coun-
tries, . variety Of superstitioDs clustering
around leap year. The rural folk lurc of
England tells MS how NIL the peas and
beans grow tho wrong way In their pods
that Ia, 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 IL is the ladies' year, they (the 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 rs 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 I'm Ger
tain districts Of Russia, and, In accord
ance with the time-honorcd and much.
quoted proverb, the peasant Is reminded
how, "1f st. Cassian (Feb. 90 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 'tset and graft vines in leap
year."
The ancient Romans considered tho bis
sextile, or ''lcap day." a critical season,
reckoning 1t 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 bejug born
on 'leap day" 1t being n popular notion
that to come into the world mt such an
odd time is onlinous 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 un-
necessary alarms, for ''it must be remem-
bered how leap years comes around again
and again, only too truly TO testify to tho
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 1t or its mother
will die before the year has expired. But,
apart from considerations Of this kind, 1t
must be acknowledged that 1t Is somewhat
awkward to be born on '1eap day." as a
person can only celebrate the anniversary
Of his birth once I'm four years. It like
wise also has its advantages, rs In the
case Of those of the fair sex who like as
far as possible, to minimize their age, and
hence look with enyious eyes on those
whose birthday comes only once to their
four.
Referring to this month, Mr.. Chambers
remarks, in the Popular Rhymes Of
Scotland, T" that cit appears to be consid-
cred by some people as tho most import
ant. We have as many rhymes about
this docked month as about all tho rest
put together, many of them expressing
either an open detestattou of it or n 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:
''Thc almighty made it from the begin
ming of the world for a great mystery, and
II 1t 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. II you will not account it also
to the moon, as to the suu, then you frus-
tA0tC JIG lutc CuotcC, abilu tuc IeCkOn-
ing Of every new moon all the year"
Hampson, In his "Medii Eyi Kalendar-
ium," quotes the following quaint tradi-
tion from a Saxon treatise: "Some assert
that the bissextus comes through this,
that Joshua prayed to God that the sun
might stand still for ono days length,
when he swept the heathen from the land
as God granted 10 him. 1t is true that
the sun did stand still for one days
length over the city OF Gebaon but the day
went forward I'm the same manner rs other
days. And the bissextus is not through
that, as some Think
In France there is a 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
displeased." His shape liz not distinguish
able in member, joint or limb. Nearly
thirty years ago, NJ. Maurice Sand exhib-
tied in the salon a powerful and graphic
picture OF this mysterious being. 'It IS
evening; the sun has just set over waste
country covered with marshy bogs and
fens full Of stagnating water. The clouds
nrc bloodstained by the last rays Of the
departing day star, and the dark red color
10 reflected on the spleeping pools. Out
of the depth Of one of them in the distance
n marvellous monster has arisen, and is
leaning against an old water worn pile.
Before him tho frightened fishermen fly
aud fall. His form is not to definite as
could be desired, but still he is the ghost