The Dickinson press., 1889-12-21
THE FOLK LORE OF CATS.
SUPERSTITlONS ABOUT PUSS RE-
LlGloUSLY HELD BY MANY.

VIC '"S 1850"
Cats have the reputation of being
wcathcrwisc, an old notion which has
given rise to a most extensive folk lore.
1t is almost universally believed that
good weather may be expected when the
cat washes herself, but bad when she
licks her Goa against the grain, or wash
cs her face over her car, or sits with her
tail to the fire. AS, too, the cat is sup
posed not only to have a good knowledge
of the state of the weather, but a certain
share in the arrangement of it, it is con-
sidcrcd by sailors to be most unwise to
provoke it. Hence they do not much
like to see a cat on board at all, and when
one happens to be more frisky than usual
they have a popular saying that "thc cat
has sot Il gale of wind in her tail"
a charm often rcsortcd to for raising
q storm is to throw Il cat overheard; but,
according to u Hungarian provcrb, as a
cat does not die in water, its paws dis
turb the surface; hence the flaws on the
surface of tho watcr arc nicknamcd by
sailors "cat's paws" In the same way,
also, Il larger furry OF the water is q
'cat's skim" and in some parts of Eng
land Il popular name for the stormy
northwest wind is the "cat's nose"
GERMAN sUrEIsTlTIoNs.
Among other items of weather lore as
sociated with the cat, there is Il supersti-
ton in Germany that, if it rains when
womcrihavc % large washing on hand, it
is an infalliblc sign that they have a
cpito 1trninsf f,nn, nu.inr I'm f1,oir NOT
having treated these animals we'll. We
may also compare the Dutch idea that a
rainy wedding day results from the
brides not feeding hcrcat; whereas, In
the valleys of tho Tyrol, girls who are
fond of cats are said always to marry
early, perhaps, as Mrs. Busk remarks,
can evidence that household virtues are
appreciated in them by the men," Once
more, there is Il German belief that any
one who, during his lifetime, may have
made cats his enemies is certain to be
accompanied to the grave amidsta storm
of ~ind and rain.
Apart, however, from the weather
lore superstitions associated with the cat
there is an extensive class of other be-
liefs, as, for instance; those relating to
folk medicine. Thus, in Cornwall, the
little gatherings which come on chill
dren's cyclids, locally termed "whilks,"
are cured by passing the tail of 4 black
cat nine times over the part affected. AS
recently as the year 1867, in Pennsylva-
mia, Il woman was publicly accused of
witchcraft for administering three drops
of a black cats blood to a child as rem
edy for Group. Slo admitted the fact,
but denied that witchcraft had anything
to do with it, and twenty witnesses We're
called to provo its success. Again, sin
many regions" We are told by Mr.. Con-
way, "a three colored cat protects against
fire, and a black cat cures epilepsy and
protects gardens"
Formerly in Scotland, when Il family
removed from II house to another, the
cat was always taken, n reason being
that it served as a protection against dis
family entered tho new abode, the cat
was thrown into it. There was a super
stitious notion that, if a curse or disease
had been left On the house, the cat be-
came the victim and died, to the saving
of the family's lives. 1t is curious, how
ever, to find the opposite practice kept
up in Ireland, where it Is considered
highly unlucky for q family to take with
them a cat when they are moving,
more especially, too, when they have to
cross a river.
IN TIMES OF ILLNESS.
Mr.. Gregor also tells us that, in the
northeast Of Scotland, if a COW or other
domestic animal was seized with disease,
one mode of cure was to twist a rope of
straw the contrary way, join the two
ends, and put tho diseased animal
through the loop along with a cat. By
this means the disease was supposed to
be transferred to the cat, and the ami
mails life was SO saved by the cat dying.
This, of course, was only one of the ex-
tcnsivc charms Of which the leading idea
was that of substitution.
\ remedy for crysipelas lately prac-
ticcl in the parish of Locharron, in the
northwest highlands, consisted in cutting
| off one-half of tho car of ncat and letting
the blood drop on the part affected.
Abiding, moreover, to tho numerous
other items of folk lore in connection
with the cat, there is a popular notion
that a May cat-a cat born in the month
of Mays of no use for catching rats
and mice, but exerts an injurious intlu-
encc on the house through bringing into
it disagrecablc reptiles of various kinds.
pers,itions," says that u May cat is sup
posed "to be inclined to melancholy, and
to be much addicted to catching snakes
and to bringing them into the house." l
had heard that this west country belief
existed in IL village; and, very lately,
observinga most detected looking cat by
the fire in Il cottage, said in jest: ~
should think that cat was born in May
"Oh, yes" said tho owner of it; "that
she was, and so was hcrmothcr; and she
was just as sad looking, and was always
bringing snakes and vipers within doors"
Mr.. Henderson, speaking Of this super
s%titiol, tells us that an oldnorth country
woman on one occasion said to a lady:
cts ma wander Jock IS lassies marry
off SO fast; We ken what q Draw black cat
the've GOT 1t is considered unlucky to
dream of a cat, q piece of folklore preva-
lent in Germany, where if one dreams of
a black cat at Christmas it is an omen of
some alarming illness during the follow
ing year.
Equally unfortunate, too, is it for axat
to sneeze, this act being supposed to indi-
cate that the family will have colds.
Thus, we are informed by Mrs. Latham
that in Sussex ''even the most favored
cat, if heard to sneeze, is instantly shut
out Of doors; for should she stay to re-
peat the sneeZe three times indoors, the
whole family will have colds and coughs
New York Mail and Express.