The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-06-09

light on som cot the Mysteries OF tie
hahftant. of the Deop.

The legends. quaint customs, and super
suuons connected With fish and fishing
are many and curious Ask Scandina-
Wan why salmon are rod and have such
fine tails. You viii bee told That the llay
color OF the flesh is due 10 the fact that
when heaven was ON fire the gods threw
the flames into the water and the salmon
swallowed them. The deiicacy OF the
salm0n's tail Is explained by the story
that LOki. when the angry gods pursued
him. turned himself into "a salmon. He
would have escaped if Thor had not
caught him by the tail. Salmon have
had their tails fine and thin ever since.
Why are soles. plaice and other nat
fish brown on one side and white on the
other? The Arabs Of upper Egypt give
am explanation which no one can hesitate
To accept one day. they tell you. Moses,
tho lsraelitish laweltr was frying a.
hsh-We an know the Jews are fond or
fried fish, and they cook 81 spiendidiy.
Moses. however had only cooked his fish
on one side. when The fire went out and
50 he angrily threw the half-coOkcd fish
into the sea- Although half-brOiied, IL
came TO life again. and It's descendants-
all the fathsh-haye preserved to-day
the peculiar appearance Of their half
cooked ancestor. being white on one side
and brown ON the other
Why do halI0cks carry those peculiar
black Ginger marks" near the head;
Some tell us that they are n memento of
the pressure of ST. Peters fingers when
he went fishing for the tribute money.
ON the Yorkshire coast they say the devil
once determined 90 build "a bridge at filey.
His satanic majesty did not start the
bridge for the convenience OF the people
but for the destruction OF ships and SALE
20 ..NI. Hf
general I'm the progress Of the Work
Ola Nick dropped his hammer into the
sea. snathching az 81 hastily, be caught
a haddOck, and an hadlocks carry the
imprint OF his black fingers TO this day.
Fishermen have queer customs. few
years ago the fishermen of Preston, Lam
cashlre. used actually 20 go fishing on
Sunday. IL seems incredible. but they
did. 4 clergyman Of the town used 10
preach against this Sabbath decoration,
and pray that they might catch no fish
And tLey did hot. But they found out
how TO make his prayers OF no avail. The
fishermen used 10 make a littlt eiiigy OF
the parson I'm rags, and put this small
"guy" up their cnimncys. When his
reverence was slowly smoked and con-
sumed the FISH bit-like anything.
The fishermen or the Isle or Man al
ways feel safe from storm and disaster
II they have a dead wren on BOARD. lneA
have tradition that az one time an evll
sea spirit always haunted the herring
pack and was always attended by storms.
The spirit assumed many forms. Al last
Il took the shape OF a wren ana flew
away II the fishermen have dead wren
with them they are certain tnat ali
will be safe and snug.
on the Norfolk coast they think that
fleas and fish come together. An old FISH
crmou near Cromer was heard 20 say.
Times is that you might look in my fan
mel shirt and see scarce a hea-and then
there amt but a VERY few behring's bur
times there are when my shirts alive with
'cm. and then there's sartin 10 be a sight
o. fish," Flannel-shirted anglers, please
note.
Shocking il is 10 be compelled to state
that many fishing superstItions are UNI
CALAMITY directed against the ladies'. !
over against Ross. there IS the island OF
Lewis, sixty miles IN length In this Isle /
there ls but one fresh river "FIsh I
abound there in plenty" but only let a
woman wade in the stream. and not a.
salmon Will be seen there for at least
twelve months. There is a song about
ELIAS Tootsies." bur the immortal lyric
does not explain why they should frighten
allegation I'm toto. In the south OF Ire
land an angler preceding TO fish declares
he will have no luck II he is asked where
he is going 10, II he sees "a maybe, or
IF he IS 50 unfortunate as 10 meet a
woman"
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