Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1892-03-29
IIlL FOLK LORE OF CATS.
SUGGESTIONS ABOUT Puss RE-
llGiousLy HELD BY MANY

/ Cats have the reputation OF being
4 weatlierwise, an old notion which mas
4 piyen rise to most extensive toik lore.
/ II is almost universally believed that
/ rood weather may be expected when the
cal washes herself, but bad when she
4 licks her coat against the gram, or WASH
es her face over her ear, or sits with hef
tail TO the fire. As, too, the cat is sup
posed not only to have a good knowledge
4 of the state nf the weather. but certain
share in the arrangement OF 1t. 1t Is con
4 sidered 10y sailors to be most unwise 70
/ 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 popular saying that the cat
has got a gale Of wind in her tail
a charm often resorted to for raising
a storm is to throw cat overboard' but
according to Hungarian proverb, as
cat does not die in water, its paws DIS
urb the surface, hence the flaws ON the
1 surface of the water are nicknamed oy
I sailors cats paws. In the same way
also, larger furry Of the water is
..cats skim and in some parts OF Eng
land popular name for the stormy
northwest wind is the "cats nose.
GERMAN SUGGESTIONS.
/ Among other items of weather lore as
ISOLATED with the cat, there is supersti-
ton in Germany that, if it rains when
women,have a large washing on hand 1t
is an infallible sign that they have a
spite against them, owing to Their not
having treated these animals well. We
may also compare the Dutch idea that
rainy wedding day results from the
brides not feeding her cat: whereas, in
I, the valleys of the Tyrol, girls who are
fond of cats are said always to marry
early, perhaps, as Mrs. Busk remarks
ian evidence that household virtues are
appreciated in them by the men. Once
more. there is German belief that any
one who. during his lifetime, may have
made cats his enemies is certain to be
accompanied to the grave amidst storm
of wind and rain
Apart, however, from the weather
lore superstitions associated with the cat
iefs. as, for instance. those relating to
folk medicine. Thus, in Cornwall, the
little gatherings which come on chill
drens evelids locally termed ''whilks. "
are cured by passing the tail of black
cat nine times over the part affected. As
recently as the year 1861, in Pennsylva-
MIA, woman was publicly accused of
witchcraft for administering three drops
of a black cats blood to child as a rem
edy for Group. She admitted the fact
but denied that witchcraft had anything
to do with it, and twenty witnesses were
called to prove its success. Again, lin
many regions" we are told by Mr.. Con-
way, "a three colored cat protects against
fire, and black cat cures epilepsy and
protects gardens"
Formerly in Scotland, when family
removed from one house to another the
cat was always taken, one reason being
that it served as protection against dis
ease. Indeed, before a member OF the
family entered the new abode. the cat
was thrown into it. There was a super
stitious notion that, if Il curse or disease
had been left on the house, the cat be-
came the victim and died, to the saving
of the familys lives. 1t is curious, how
ever, to find the opposite practice kept
up in Ireland, where it is considered
highly unlucky for family to take with
them cat when they are moving,
more especially. too when they have to
cross river.
IN TIMES OF ILLNESS
Mr.. Gregor also tells US that, in the
northeast of Scotland, if COW or other
domestic animal was seized with disease.
one mode of cure was to twist rope of
straw the contrary way, join the two
ends, and put the 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-
tensive charms of which the leading idea
was that of substitu ion
a remedy for erysipelas lately prac-
ticed in the parish of Locharron, in the
northwest highlands, consisted in cutting
off one half of the ear of cat and letting
the blood drop on the part affected.
Abiding, moreover, to the numerous
other items of folk lore in connection
with the cat, there is popular notion
that May cat-a cat born in the month
OF Mays OF no use for catching rats
and mice, but exerts an injurious infiu,
ence on the house through bringing into
it disagreeable reptiles of various kinds.
Mrs. Latham. in her "West Sussex Su-
perstitions,N says that May cat is sup
posed Ito be inclined 80 melancholy. and
to be much addicted to catching snakes
and to bringing them into the house" |
had heard that this west country belief
existed in our village; and very lately.
observinga most detected looking cat by
the fire in cottage, said in lest; Il
should think that cat was born in Nav y
"Oh, yes, said the owner of it: that
she was, and so was her mother; and she
was just as sad looking. and was ALWAYS
bringing snakes and vipers within doors. =
Mr.. Henderson, speaking of thissuper
stluon, tells lis that an old north country
woman on one occasion said to lady.
Its ma wander Jock IS lassies marry
oil 50 fast; ye ken what Draw black cat
theve got. 1t is considered unlucky 10
dream Of cat, piece of folk lore preva-
lent IN Germany, where if one dreams of
black eat at Christmas it is an omen of
some alarming illness during the follow,
ing year.
Equally unfortunate. too, is it for cat
TO sneeze, this act being supposed to indi-
El1n 1hat iln o.. IL. - Ii