Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1895-06-16
rIsmERaIEN,s srrENsrIrLoNs.

Ifa Woman wadcs ia Stream no salmon
viii be seen There for the Next Twelve
Months.
The legends. quaint customs and SUI
perstitions connected with fish and
fishermen are many and curious. Ask
a Scandinavian why salmon are red
and have such fine tails. You will be
told that the rudy color of the flesh
is due to the fact that when heaven
was on fire the gods threw the flames
into the water and the salmon swal-
lowed them.
The delicacy of the salmon's tail is
explained by the story that Loid, whem
the angry god pursued him, turned
himself into a salmon. He would have
escaped If Thor had not caught him
by the tail Salmons have had fP"''-
tails fine and thin ever since.
Why are soles, place, and other fat
fish brown on one side and white on
the other2 The Arabs of upper Egypt
give an explanation which no one can
hesitate to accept One day, they tell
you, Moses the Israelitish lawgiyer,
was frying a fish-we am know the
Jews are fond of fried fish, and they
cook it splendidiy.
Moses. however, had only cooked his
fish on one side, when the fire went
out. and so ne angrily threw the half
cooked fish into the sea. Although
half broled il came to life again. and
its descendants the hatfish-have
preserved to-day the peculiar appear
ance Of their half-cookcd ancestor. be-
ing white on one side and brown on
the other
Why do haddochs carry those pc
culiar black finger marks near the
head? Some tell us that they are q
memento Of the pressure of ST. Peters
fingers when ne went fishing for the
tribute money.
On the Yorkshire coast they say the
devil once determined 10 build a bridge
at Filey. His satanic majesty did not
start the bridge for the convenience Of
the people, but for the destruction %
ships and sailors and the ann0yance
Of fishermen i'm general Tn the pro-
gress Of the work Old Nick dropped
his hammer into the sea. Snatching az
it hastily he caught q hadloek and az
haddocks carry the imprint Of his
black fingers TO this day.
Fishermen have queer customs. A
few years ago the fishermen of Pres
ton. Lancashire. used actually % 20
fishing on Sunday i seems incredi-
Bile. but they did a clergyman Of tho
town used TO preach against this Sab
| bath dissertation. and pray that they
might catch no fish. And lhey did
not
But they found ont how go mako his
prayers Of no avail The fishermen
used to make q little c1igy of the par
son i'm rags. and put this small guy
up their chimneys When bis rever-
ence was slowly smoked and consumed
the fish bit-like anything
The fishermen of the Isle 0. Man al
ways feel safe from storm and disaster
| if they have Q dead wren ON board.
They have a tradition tha D. one time
an evil sea spirit Away haunted the
herring pack. and was always attended
by storms The spirit assumed many
| forms. At last n took tle shape of n
wren and few away. II tine fishermen
have a dead wren with them they are
certain that al viii be safe and snug.
On the Norfolk coast they think that
feas and fish come together. an Ole
fisherman near Cr0mer Was heard 10
say. Times is that you might look
in my flannel shirt and see scarce a
aea-and then there amt but a very
few behring's. but times here are when
my shirts alive with EN-. and then
there's sartin TO be q sight o. fish"
Flannel-shirted anglers. please note.
Shocking It is 20 be compelled TO
state that many fishing superstitions
are ungallantly directed against the
ladies. over against Ross there IS the
island Of Lewis. 50 miles in length. IN
this isle there is but one fresh river.
Fish abound there in plenty" but
only let a woman wade in the stream,
and not a salmon will be seen there fo1
at least - months
There is a song about Elias loot
sizes" but the immortal lyric does not
explain why they should frighten the
fish. | believe the ladies deny the al
LEGATION m toto. In the south Of Ire
land an angler proceeding TO FISH de-
clares he will have no luck If he u
asked where he is going to, If he sees
magpie. or III he is so unfortunate
as to NEE. a woman. Fishing Gaz-
cite.