Evening star., 1902-02-24
FANCIES ABOUT BEASTS
suPERsr1T1oHss 5 .lzTERrA1NED
BY MEN IN MANY COUNTRIES.
Fowl Of m-Omen-rThe1Cr Crow Unlucky
2 = Il,
Bird-The Partridge Despised
, in Turkey.


In various parts ofdthe, world. generally
in those countries i4 which education Is
backward, strange superstttions exist with
regard to the animal kingdom. Deep stu
dents of sociology and religion claim to see
in these beliefs a survival Of the age when
the creator was worshiped in the form Of
animals. as in ancient Egypt cats were
deifed and In India a sacred character
was and is attributed to cattle. Perhaps
Asia Minor is more rich in these crude and
interesting fancies than any other coun-
try. When children hear an owl hooting
from the cypress groves they cry, Good
news for us; good messages for YOU" II
they catch an owl they hold 1t up by the
beak and chant, palm Sunday owl, how
does your mother dance? The meaning
Of the rite is lost, but the habit fingers.
The crow is here looked upon as unluchy
and the children cry when they hear him
cawing, Eat your head whole!'' The crow,
in fact has the distinction Of being almost
the only member of the animal kingdom
who has a sinister reputation In all lands.
Even the snake fares better.
The Turkish Partridge.
In Turkey the partridge Is detested be-
cause once it betrayed the prophet to his
enemies and its legs are red because they
were dipped In the blood Of Hassan. II
man kills panther he Is imprisoned for
twenty-four hours and then Is handsomely
rewarded. The crane Is respected and it
Is a crime to kill it.
Poland has a wealth of animal supersti-
tions. The goat Is there considered the
crow and pigeon are looked upon as un-
lucky. The skin OF cat worn on the chest
Is alleged to cure consumption. ITO cure
cataract In the eye take a black cock.
lfn hfY,N1 10n1r OF ha In0tr =
self. then throw the cock on the ground,
jump on a fence and crow three times'
In Lincolnshire the belief is current that
the wearing of toad's breast bone COM
mands the obedience OF all animals. To
keep witches away they stick an animals
heart full Of pins and keep 1t in the house
as talisman.
In Maryland.
In this country Maryland is perhaps the
most credulous state with regard to AMI
NAL portents and beliefs. If one is walking
at night and spider web brushes the face
1t Is supposed to mean that a ghost is fol-
lowing. but in the daytime 1t tells that a
stranger Is coming. 1t is widely believed
in Maryland that horse has the power Of
seeing ghosts A black cat crossing ones
path foretells disaster, but a cat coming
to the house is an omen Of good import.
The neigh of a horse Is q portent Of death.
which will come from the quarter to which
his head is pointed when he neighs.
A curious and inexplicable proverb says:
1T Is good luck to see Mr.; Elephant swing
on Mr.. Rabbits eyetootA at the three
nights ball"
Warts From Toad.
Tho hair Of dog. the skin Of a snake
and the pelt Of black cat are believed to
possess medicinal qualities. while the han
ding Of a toad is said to give warts
ton. A white spider crawling toward one,
the bowling OF dog. the neighing OF
horse. the sight Of q snake are portents Of
death. The killing Of toad or the crow
ing of hen foretells rain. IF the wild
geese fly high lookout for gale"
To kill spider on ones person means Ill
luck.
If the cat washes her face it means that
If a bee stings kill him and the wound
will not SWELL -
.'The back tooth of hog and the blood
or black hen have curative powers"
Sailors Amulets.
''In the fall. when the apples lie on the
ground, the porcupines come out Of the
woods and roll under the trees till they
are covered with apples. when they retire
to the forest and eat their plunder at
leisure"
In New England the sailors carry as
talisman a bone taken from q living turtle.
a pebble from a fish hawks nest or small
bone from the head Of cod.
In Newfoundland and Labrador cramps
are said to be guarded against by carry
ing a Gods head or a bone from haddock
caught without touching the boat.
In Texas superstitious people carry q
small bone from f1sf's head, but the luck
only comes after the charm has been lost
In Massachusetts the most common tails
mans are the claw of crab and the left
hind claw from crows foot.
Superstftfous New Yorkers carry small
round veal bone for good luck.
Kentucky negroes consider that the cat
erpillar brings fever.