Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1890-02-06
STRANGE IDEAS.
What Great Many People Believe About
the Moon.
Supposed Effects on the Mind and on Many
of the Ordinary Affairs Of Everyday Life
---Superstitions as Old as the Human Race

Speculations concerning the nature
OF the moon, or the extent to which it
influences terrestrial phenomena, are
not confined to astronomers and other
men of science who tell us that it is a
dead planet devoid OF atmosphere and
water. for many unscientific people
think it consists entirely OF the latter.
not TO mention others who are inclined
to the superstition shat chalk or green
cheese may enter largely into its COM
position, says the London Graphic.
In fact, according to II Wiltshire
legend, there was once a farmers wife
who, seeing the reflection of the moon
in the river, thought that it was a
cream cheese and endeavored 10 fish
1t out of the water with rake. Per-
haps it was as well for this worthy
dame that her efforts were not crowned
with success, for it is recorded that on
one occasion
AN UNFORTUNATE DONKEY,
Having been suspected of swallowing
the moon while drinking from a river,
was tried in due legal form, and, on
being found guilty, had its body rip
ped open in order that the useful plan
ct might be liberated, once again to
shine upon the world below.
Witches are thought to have more
or less influence over the moon, and
the heather Chinee considers it to be,
like the sun, favorite article of diet
with certain mischievous dragons, who
are supposed to swallow it and thus
produce eclipses. Whether the digest
i've powers of one of these voracious
monsters would be equal to the occa-
sion, however, has never yet been sat
isfactorlly proved. Possibly the sun
or moon, taken in raw state, might
produce dyspepsia but the Celestials
lose no time in making such hideous
noises as may be calculated to impress
the dragon with a sense OF his iniquity
and cause him to disgorge his strange
meal with as little delay ms possible.
THE MAN IN THE MOON.
The Canadian Indians tell their
children that if they point at the moon
their fingers will be bitten of. Some
of the tribes OF North America believe
that there is a frog in ii, and the Hin
dus can see on the moons face some
thing very like hare; but among our
selves the popular legends have fixed
upon man and dog as its sole in
habitants. The man in the moon is
generally supposed to have been con-
signed TO his present abode as a pun
ishment for gathering sticks on the
Sabbath-the idea, it is said. having
probably originated from the reference
in the Book OF Numbers TO a man who
was stoned to death for a similar Of
Tense.
The potency of lunar influence in
worldly matters was at one time
almost universally acknowledged, and
even now many of the errors and
superstitions connected with the moon
still hold their ground among the rus
tic population OF the country. Not
only is the restless ocean governed by
the pale luninary OF night, but kind
OF tidal arrangement was supposed TO
exist in the bodies OF animals, their
marrow and brains fluctuating with
the increase and waning of the moon.
1t is n popular belief that the rays of
the latter, falling upon a sleeping per-
torted, and. as some aver, even de-
prive him OF his senses; in fact. luna
tics were so named from their sup
posed susceptibility to lunar influence,
and "moonstrucix" is a common term
for a state OF mental alteration border
ing on imbecility. 1t is still commonly
supposed, as it was in the days OF the
Romans, that the violence OF madness
increases with the moon and decreases
as the latter is waning. the worst par
oyysIns occurring when the planet is
at the full.
One Sometimes meets with the SUI
perstition that when the moon comes
In and goes out on Sunday seed plan +
ed during that month will not grow.
Hair, it is said. should be cut at the
new moon, otherwise it is liable to fall
off; corns, on the other hand, should
be cut during the waning of the moon,
In order that they may gradually
diminish and ultimately disappear.
There are also many similar supersti-
tons, the general idea in them being
that anything which may be done
before the full moon is productive OF
increase or growth, the contrary being
the case II the moon be waning.
WEATHER SIGNS.
Some savages imagine that a fresh
moon is created every month, and 1t
may possibly have been a somewhat
similar idea that has caused the new
moon to become the subject OF the nu-
merous customs and superstitious fan
cies which ono not unireluently meets
with. 1t Is customary with country
people to bow or courtsy TO the new
moon, and by some it is also supposed
that a wish made at such u time will
DO gratified. 1t is held too, that the
money in ones pocket should be turned
for luck. To see the moon through
glass. however, Is considered unluclSy.
When the moon is on its back. that is
TO say with the horns OF the crescent
pointing upward, it is thought by some
to Indicate frost. Sharp horns OF the
new moon arc supposed to presage
wind: and when the outline OF the en-,
tire plannot can be traced it was In
Scotland looked upon as u sign OF bad
weather.