Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1894-04-25
No. go

tersst In this connection, where q robin
had been killed by q Yorkshire peasant.
10 quote the Language Of his son, O young
miner In those parts, by whom the circum-
stances were frst recorded, his father tThsd
terrible bad luck after i'll he had at that
time pig that was ready for pSgsine; she
had litter of seven and they ali died,
When the pig was killed the two hams
went bad Presently three of the family
had the fever, and, he declares, In posi-
tive proof of his statement, "my father
himself died of itI"
The aboriginal peoples of this continent
were invariably ayerse to destroying the
robin, fact which may be accounted for
BY legend of the Caippewas, but which,
In one form or smother, was current smone
number of different tribes. There was
once, - they say-and as probably their
scattered descendants yet recount IA
nous cnief and hunter, who, through
many years, carefully reared an only son,
training him In the arts of war and Of the
chase, and of all the manly accomplish-
ments. AT last, when be had reached the
age az which young men were won't to
choose their guardian spirits, he was led
BY bis father to a lonely and seouestered
hut, there to fast and remain alone eight
days, to undergo the Necessary yieIls. AT
the expiration of the customary time the
son should distinguish himself sbove all
others by his prowsss and endurance, be
bsde him continue still smother day. The
young man, ere the passing Of the ninth
day, however, had paid the penalty of the
violated nature, and when the old chief
came again he had just hown to the roof
of the hut in the share of q robin.
There, before he aew away to the woods,
ne entreaied bis father not to mourn his
transformation. 81 shall be happier in
my present form than / could ever have
been as a man, /" said he; 'I shall Alwsys be
the friend of men and keep near their
dwellings. ! could not eratify your pride
as warrior, but will cheer you with nv
songs. am now free from care and pain,
my food 10 furnished me by the fields and
the mountains, and my path is the bright
air."
A very singular belief that has long ex-
listed In many countries, and which 10
probably the most popular of the con-
ceits regarding the robin, lie that, in his
zeal for the well-beIng of man, he will
never at any time permit 8 corpse to
lack proper burisl-sn idea with which
the wren lie also associated. Every one
will remember that little passage in the
ancient ballad of the Babes In the
Wood, where, after wandering for weary
hours, they finally sink beneath q protect
the robins:
No burial these pretty babes
or any man receives
I'LL robin REQ breast ID UusiE
DIG cover them with leaves"
SIS the quaint lines run. Old Izaac Walton
speaks of the robin THAT loves mankind
both alive and dead" and, In Johnson's
-CornucnPis, pnblished In the latter part
OF the sixteen century, IL is said that 'sthe
robin-red breast, IL he fnde q man or vo-
man dead, will cover the face with moss;
ands come thinks that, IL the bodie shold
remsyn unburied, he will coyre the whole
bodie." In fact, the belief, which ts stIu
current In some German and oheatAl pro-
verbs, Is constantly finding expression In
the cd literature. Shakespeare, who had
the most wonderful acquaintance with
the superstitions of bic own and of all
other times of any writer of any period,
slludes, In his "Cymbtltne," to -sfhe rud-
deck with the charitable bill" and Web
sier, In The white Devil" refers to the
came notion when be says:
Call for the robin-redhreAst or the wren,
Since Der saG6y groves they hover
And With leaves and flowers DO cover
The hiend'eSs bodies OF unburied men"
Undoubtedly the prettlest slluSlon Of
them all occurs in the poem The Owl"
where Drsyton tells rs how,
"CoveIisg with moss the deAd's upclosed eye
Inc Aallar Eeobfe feASt teEcheth chhr1tae-'
There is a tradition in Brittany that
grain or wbsat wac 6rst introduced into
that country by the robin. The legend
is thst In ages past, when the people
were hesihenr q small company of monks
came into Brittany, and, building 9 rude
shed In which TO dwell, and q chapel Of
moor stones, prepared 10 TIL the coll.
But, alas they had no wheat At last one
of the monks sp.ed a reihreast sitting on
s cross they had erected, and suspended
from his bssk was an ear of the precious
cereal Securing this grain, the monks
respsd from it, Ia due time. a little bar
vest, which, In the next year. was q little
larger, and the next ear larger yet "And
30 it Il, they conclude, "thst, If you 60
into Brittany, and wonder st the vaving
fields Of golden grsin, the people will tell
you that II all comes from the rob,n-red-
breasts morsel"
The EoglIsh peasants Of the border
country have saying ihst,
III the robin sings 10 the bush,
Then the weather viii be coarse.
Bot II the robin sinEs the barn,
Then the weather viii be warm
Tho rural people In the south of Ireland
are particularly fearful of the robin en-
tering their houses, for they tsy that 81 !s
always q certain prognostio Of severe
snow aud frosts.