The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-12-25

horses, on the other hand, kept up
continuous row, stepping from one foot
upon the other and kicked and neighed
all the time. In remembrance of this
we favor the animals who were good
to the Christ-child and His Holy
Mother and naturally the horses don't
come in for the feast"
Strange to say, a legend popular
among some tribes of North American
Indians is that the races of animals
present at the nativity gain mans
speech during certain portions of
Christmas night. This legend also pre-
walls among German speaking peas
ants in all parts of Europe, the Empire
proper, Austria, Tyrol, Denmark and
Russia.
l talked with a number of Suabians
distributed over twenty or more viii
lagos, who firmly believed in the mira
Gle. They seemed to think that so
great wonder must necessarily beget
others.
In Syria, once part of the ancient
Roman Empire under the name of Nor
icum, the country people not only be-
lieve in this gift of speech to animals,
but maintain that kindly and evil spir-
its talk to their cattle and through
them.
Has anybody ever heard them
talk?" / asked the village master of
Tuner, in the province of Nieder-
Stelermark. He answered that only
persons free from deadly sin might
aspire to that privilege and told me
the following story:
At Christmas Eve some five years
ago Johann, a farmland belonging to
the neighboring estate Of Castle Feis-
trltZ, went to the nearest town, Como
WITT, for confession, intending to cele-
brate Christmas by going to Holy Com
munion. There being many other de-
Vout people in the church, he had to
wait considerable while for his turn,
and arrived quite late at his sleeping
place, which was in the loft above the
stable where the fine cattle were kept.
Johann soon went to sleep, but toward
11:45 (as far as he could guess) loud
talking awakened him. He listened.
The voices came from the stable. ard
but for the articulation sounded like
the lowing of oxen.
Remembering the legends he had
heard so often form old and young
lips, Johann's faculties were astir in
an instant. One of the oxen said: Let's
go up the ladder and kill the farm
hand. He whipped me numerically this
afternoon
This OK was undoubtedly devil rid
den," interpolated the village elder,
and continued: But another voice re-
piled: You ought to know that we are
not made to climb ladders. Besides, Jo-
ham has been to confession, and I'M
doubtedly repents the beating he gave
YOU
Then a voice spoke up: But I
heard our master moving above. He
will know what we said and punish u.s.
He will not, said the OK who first
objected to the murder of Johann, for
he is a devout Christian, and ven
geance is not in his heart. Besides,
brothers, the short space of time when
speech is given us will 500 be over ="
The burgomaster concluded: After
this Johann's courage returned and,
crawling to the edge of the loft, he
looked down into the stable. His six
oxen were still talking, but at the
stroke of the twelfth hour their CONVEX
sation ceased"
The written and spoken folklore of
the Tyrol assumes that on Holy Night,
between the hours of 11:30 or 11:45 and
midnight. animals not only speak, but
also possess the gift of prophecy. The
same belief prevails in Eastern Prussia,
! that part of the empire which was last
| to be converted to Christianity on the
continent of Europe During my trav-
els in the government of Konigsberg
and Gumbinner / gathered the follow
| ing stories on the subject:
Some twenty years ago at Zielonnan,
| T
man named Blau, horse trader, farmer
and usurer by profession, decided to
test legend saying that it meant death
| to watch the animals during Christmas
night So he hid in a fodder chest, and
at 11:45 the horses really began to talk
| among themselves. An old stallion was
the first to speak.
Wonder who will be our new mas
ter he said, and each of the animals
| aeat1tf inc
| at the same time on the character and
personality of his candidate.
| Blau went to his bed more dead than
! alive, and from that hour on sickened.
He died during January, "a victim of
mis- prying spirit and curiosity" as the
people whereabouts assert.
The Rhenish peasants think only
| Sunday children" persons born on the
Lords Day, may listen to the animals
and live. In the village of Birmingham
sen, not far from Dusseldorf, peeping
| Tom overheard this conversation in
| his stable: First Horse-"I'm glad the
| week is over. The master came near
working me to death the past few
| DAYS"
Second Horse-"There will be no rest
for u.s. just the same
| First Horse-"Why not? We live in a
Christian land, and ought to have three
full holidays"
Second Horse-"I will tell you why.
Tomorrow morning you will have to
trot to the city to fetch the physician,
and little while later I will have to
go for the priest, while on the third
holiday both of us will be employed
to drag the hearse with our master as
| passenger" All the village is willing
to swear that this prophecy came true
| word for word.
| That trees blossom and even bear
fruit during Christmas night is a su-
| perstition popular in many parts of Eu-
rope particularly among the peasant
| folk of the Latin countries and of Ger
many. Scandinavia and the Balkans.
| Most wonderful stories are told of far
away lands, where these things happen
to the JOY and edification of good
| Christmas.
But the people there are not content
with repeating the old legends. While
believing in miracles as such, they like
them to happen in their very midst.
and, conditions not being favorable. do
not hesitate to help them along. thus
making the wish father of the deed.
| On or about Sept. / the people of
! Thuringia, for instance, secure some
promising elder boughs and branches
! from cherry and linden trees to put in
| tubs of water near the stove.
The heat makes them thrive, and The
little trees are usually in full bloom on
| Christmas Day the family boasting of
| the biggest in the neighborhood per-
suading itself that the dawning year
will bring in an unusual amount of
! good luck.