Evening journal., 1897-11-06
MOON MYTHS.
Strange Bellies of Different Races
of People. r
The Greenland EsiSimOH Delieve the
sun Rnd Moon Were Originally
brother and sister = s0me
of tho SIEnA.

of the signs.
eff you see the new moon over your
right shoulder it's good luck all the
month'-over the left shoulder being
bad luck, of course. IF you meet the
new moon face to face with money in
your pocket, you will have that kind of
money in your pocket for month
and so on, this last being taken from
an old black-letter treatise on things
worth knowing" Everywhere in the
world the idea prevails among those
who lack scientific training that any
thing falling TO the lot OF man when
the moon is waxing will likewise in-
crease, similarly decreasing while The
moon wanes. The Hindoo troubled with
warts looks at the new moon. picks
up a pinch OF dust from beneath his
left foot, rubs the wart with it-and
when the moon goes, so does the wart.
If you fall IN you can he cured by herbs
gathered in the full of the moon.
The Moslems in the kingdom of Oudh
cure insomnia, palpitation OF the heart.
nervous prostration, aud similar evils
by stationing the sufferer with basin
Of water in his hands in the light Of the
full moon in such way that its re-
fulgent image shines directly from the
LIQUID into his eyes. Then. without
moving his gaze, he is required to swal-
low the water at draught.
In northern India the people lay out
food in the full moon that comes in the
months corresponding TO our Septem-
Der and October, half Of each, and give
Il to their friends as a means Of insuring
longevity. That same night the girls
pour water in the moonlight, sayi&g
they are getting rid Of the cold weather.
It was long ago noted that the York
shire maids "do worship the new moon
on their bare knees. kneeling upon an
earth-fast stone" and Lady Wilde says
that the Irish damsels drop on their
knees when thoy first catch sight Of the
new moon,and say; "Oh, moon leave us
as we'll as you found usl" In India the
natives take seven threads from the end
of their turbans and give them TO the
new moon, with a prayer.
The spots on the moon are caused by
many persons or things. Sometimes II
is q man with a fagot on his back, sent
thither for picking up sticks on the
Sabbath. Clfaucer calls him thief and
puts a thornbush on his shoulders.
Dante SAYS IL is no less a criminal than
Cain. Shakespeare provides dog to
keep him company. Hindoos keep. not
q man, but hare in the moon. and the
well-known connection in the minds OF
the man of the moon and insanity may
account for the statement regarding
the March mare, and possibly the thorn
bush may be the distinctive covering OF
the hatter-at any rate. this Is as good
guessing as a lot of the sun myth people
have done; while Baring-Gould identi
fies the moon children. Bill and Hulk
of the northern mythology. with Jael
, and Gill of the nursery rhyme.
The GreenlaDd Eskimo believes thal
the sun and moon were original,
brother and sister. She. being tease,
by him past ordinary endurance. seizeC
, some lampblaoiI and rubbed IL on hi
face. Then she ran, her brother after
Finally she went so fast she rose M
into the air and became the sun, while
ntl noOA N-AAtNu blolutI AhAhfh liAto Ah'
moon. In Samoa when a great famine
oppressed the people the moon rose on
night, big aDd round, like bread fruit
, | A patient mother, unable to quiet thu
pangs Of her little one, looked up ant
said: "Why don't you come down an,
/ let my baby have a bite of your" Thi
made the moon so angry that she sim
e ply picked up both mother and child
2 and they have been there ever since.
n All sailors are certain that sleeping
e In tropical moon rays will either max
i them cross-eyed or blind. On the Amer
Y lean vessel FL Captain year or two ag
Z a number Of the crew, disregarding th
B ndivce Of their fellows during spell o
e hot weather, slept on the deck in tn
r moonlight, and soon after went com
+ pletely blind at night, though the
4 could see as well in the daytime as ever
v The skipper of the ship reported In
e | occurrence, and with IL made a state
s ment to the effect that up to that tim
he had been q disbeliever in the SC
3 called moon blink. Paul Eve Stever
/, son reports that he, too. was hurried
n awakened on his way to New York fror
e the Bahamas with the assurance froI
d the captain that all sorts CT thing
n would happen. TO him if he slept !
d moonlight. This is a disease unlSnow
S to the medical profession.-Chicag
= Times-Herald.