Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1888-05-01
RAINBOW FOLK LORE.
ssllsFs CONCERNING BEAUTIFUL
LUMINOUS PHENOMENA.
"'v'ne Honors and Worship Paid to tn.
B"w-various Names Given-A sIesssp
ger from Heaven-Ths Road of Souls
Demon.


B"w-various Names Given-A sIessxn
ger from Heaven-Ths Road of Soul.
Demon.
Many curious beliefs concerning III,
riinbow-the most beautiful of the lumin
ons phenomena of the sky or air-hav,
prevailed in all ages, and do still survive
me ancients have left on record many o,
these strange beliefs. They grew and
spread during the Middle Ages. The
symbolism Of Christian art employed the
Rainbow as an ornament. Christ being
frequently shown seated on the MANY
colored arch Of heaven
The bow has been recognized as the
deity himself, and divine honors and wor-
ship have been paid to it. Ancient Greeks
OF Delos offered cakes of -four, meal and
dried fruits to the rainbow, Iris tbe
Charming and swift messenger of the gods.
was the rainbow in early mythology. and
one OF the lesser diyinities in Olympus.
In Samoa the rainbow is recognized as
the village god, and Pava god of war;
appeared in its shining arch. Mozambique
Turks regard it as the bow of Mouloucou
genius of good, and Turks as the bow of
Cousa tangel of clouds) In the Philip
pine Islands vows are addressed to it. and
one Of the servants of the sun in ancient
Peru, and niche was reserved for it in
the Quito temples. In Tahiti it is one of
the children of the God Taaroa
When not regarded as the deity himself.
IL Is often believed to be in some way con-
nected with him, as many of modern
names for it indicate. CARDS consider il
the ''basket of the God Joulouka.',
Samoyedes, ''the edge of the garment of
supreme being" and Kamschatkans.
1.-The God Biloucay." Its name In San
scrit was the ''arm' or the bow OF
Indra," God Of the Elements. In Finnish
it is called "Ukko's bow" Tsigane peas
ants call 1t the ring of God," and Scla-
vonians the seal of God;" Croatians, the
belt, rod, foot, or "stave of God. ~
while to inhabitants of Archangel the
Walloon country, and 10 Arabs and
Czecks it is the ''bow of God" 1t is
known in one part of France as the
''girdle of od.'
Others credit. the saints with power
through It, Various saints have been Sc
lected as patronymic In is "St. Marks
bow" in parts of Italy and France; s.St.
Martins ring" in other localities of
France, and his 'bow'' in still other
places, and in Spain also In Belgium it
is called ''St. Michael's humble bee;" in
France ''St. Bernar,ls crown" and in
Lorraine his body in Provence and
Dauphny his ''bridge.' 1t is EST. Leon
ards crown" in one place, his carriage"
IN another. Basque folk lore records its
name as the farm of ST. John" One
Arab name is the ''bow of the prophet"
In accordance with the tradition that
the rainbow was sign and promise to
Noah. we find it connected with his name
IN many place, and frequently shall also
lind it in weather indication. Sicilians
call it "Noah's arch;' provincial Rus
slams, "Noah's legacy" and it is named
the boat of the Holy deluge" in Franche
Compile. Regarded in many lands az a
messenger from heaven, or way to the
celestial regious, the luminous bow is
famed in accordance with these beliefs,
IN old French and in modern Finnish dia-
lects it is the celestial arch, " while in
spanish it is the heavenly bow" in Ar
teche, the bridge of the Holy Spirit"
in Welsh, the ''arch of tine Trinity" and
III central Russia, the ''bow of pardon. ~
Ancient Eddaic lore named it ''Bifrost.
the bridge between heaven and EARTH
over which the gods journey Later
Greek mythology represented it as the
road to the gods by which Iris Travelled.
''Arcanum non Trim, sed viam Iridis
diXit," says Suevius.
In Austria-llungury, the rainbow is the
bridge by which St. Elias descenls from
heaven, and the thunder is the sound OF
his chariot wheels. Central Asian tribes |
also call it st. Elias Bridge" and Rus
sian peasants of kazan name it the I'm
tiined Bridge" In one portion of France |
1t Is said to be the shadow of bridge |
which exists between earth and heaven.
In Greenland and Slavonia it is the road
Of souls, and is thus COMPOUNDED with the
Milky Way. WEIGH tradition represents
the rainbow as the way by which the |
man in the moon climbed to his elevated |
perch 1t is the way by which saints de-
scend to earth to punish and reward men, |
according to Lettonian traditions. Souls |
Of the just ascend TO heaven thus in many |
beliefs, and it is frequently named lad |
der Ukraine peasants say the angels de- |
scend by it TO draw water from the earth |
to replenlsh the heavenly reservoir, whence |
fall the copious showers New Zealanders |
thought it ladder by which their chiefs
climbed into the sky, and Philippine
Islanders, Stairway by which the souls
Of those dying a violent death assembled to |
heaven, An Indian folk tale relates that
mice climbed its threadlke steps to
heaven, gnawing them to liberate cap
tive there imprisoned.
Contrary TO this idea Of celestial orr
gin, the rainbow is sometimes regarded as
iemouacal. The karens of Burmah
point it out to their children as demon
hat will devour human souls The un-
sorunate possessor OF these will, they say,
lie sudden and violent death. 1t is also
said to devour human beings, which
;auses it great thirst, and it is then that
t is seen over pond drinking the water.
f. 5. Bassett i'll Globe Democrat