The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-07-02
MINDS INFLUENCED BY SUPERST|T|0NS The Pig Plays a Part in Many
 Beliefs FRIDAY AS UNLUCkY DAY Very Queer superstltlous Notions and the Strange Part They Play In the
 Different Regions of
 the World.
FRIDAY AS UNLUCkY DAY
From the London Globe.

Celebes and adjacent islands, found a tribe who believed that the whole earth is borne by a pig belonging to the god Mak-a-wa-lan who dwells in the under world, and that the frequent earthquakes in that region are caused by the pig rub bing itself against the trees, Some of the inhabitants, however, assert that the world does not stand on the pig itself, bit on a number of piles, and that it is against these that the porker rubs itself, with such terrible results.
 Another example of pig superstition is found in the mythology of the east, from which one learns that when the earth was hidden away by the malice of a giant the god vishnu took upon himself the form of great boar. This animal had fiery tusks, with which it rooted the earth up from the depths of Patalas, putting it once more in its proper place. This circumstance placed the pig high in the estimation of large portion of the people of Asia by associating it with his third Avatar, in commemoration of which the god is sometimes represented in Hin doc temples with the head of pig. Ami mals generally, however, have not insig- l stition. Thus, in Holland and Belgium, to kill a stork is considered one of the greatest mlsfortunes that could happen l to man, for i'll luck is certain to follow him through life. In the Ural mountains the peasantry believe that if a wolf sees a man before the man sees the wolf the man will be struck dumb and remain so as long as the wolf lives. The Es- qumaux consider that bad fortune will follow a hunter unless. whenever he kills | Polar bear. he cuts off the animal s 1 nose and throws 1t on the ice. The Lapps too, belief that the bear is invested with supernatural powers. and consequently never mention his name, speaking of nim as Gods dog,' or the "old man in the fur cloak" The screechng of an owl or the killing of one, as well as the croaking of a raven, or the growing of a hen, are also sometimes regarded as indications of coming calamity.
 But some of the most interesting super stittons are connected with death. In some country districts of England and Germany there is an idea that if the bees swarm upon rotten tree there will be a death in the family owning or living on the property within year. In Greenland when child dies. the natives bury live dog with it, to be used by the child as a guide to the other world, because, they say, a dog can find its way anywhere A
 
 Indians when maiden dies. A young bird is imprisoned until it first begins to
 sing, and then they kiss 1t and set 1t as
 liberty over the girls grave, believing that it will not fold it's wings nor close
 it's eyes until it has flnown to the spirit land and delivered it's burden of affection to the departed one. In this way it is not uncommon for a score of birds to be loosed over the same grace. The Mojaves say that all the dead who are not ere mated are turned into owls, and the
 screeching of one of thees birds at night they imagine to be caused by the spirit of some dead Mojave.
 And in the Mahometan \eed animals have a place. Among the b.>fs of the followers of the Prophet is one that eleven animals were admitted to Paradise These were the dog Khatim, of the seven sleepers of Ephesus Balaam's ass; Col omons ant the particular one which re- proved the sluggard; Jonah's whale; Ish- maers rame; the camel of Saleb; the cue koo of Belkis the OK of Moses: Al Borak the animal which conveyed Mahomet to heaven; the ass on which Christ rode into Jerusalem, and the one on which the Queen of Sheba rode when she paid her famous visit to Solomon.
 This is not, however by any means the only superstitious belief concerning Para disc. For instance. many of the South Sea islanders believe that heaven can only be inherited by persons whose physical forms are perfect. Where this idea pre- vails a man will die rather than submit to amputation. It would seem that John Chinamans pigtail owed its existence to the belief that it would form q con venient handle by which one day he would be lifted into Paradise. But one can find superstition relating to heaven nearer home than China. For few years ago man in St. Petersburg earned for himself a great reputation as a wizard among the ignorant and superstitious. When at last he was laid by the heels one witness testified that she firmly be- lieyed in what he said, especially that the two little keys which he gave her would really accomplish what he assert ed they would-.that with their aid she would be able, after "life's fitful fever." to open the gates of Paradise.
 But in Great Britain there are two par ticular superstitious which have probably the largest following-that Friday is an unlucky day, and that 13 is an unlucky number Fridays bad character was de- rived from the fact that it was the day of our Lords execution. well as the one on which Adam and Eve ate the for bidden fruit, and likewise the day of their death.
 Sailors have still strong objection to beginning a voyage on that day. al- though modern conditions often make 1t imperative. During the last few sum-
 mers one has noticed that the pleasure steamers running from London to the sea nearly all omit their sailings on that day. The truth is. however. that luck is just as likely to come on Friday as on any other day In America 1t is looked upon as a luck bringer. and many important political events there have been consum- mated on that day, while Scotland. it Is said, has a preference for it as wedding day. Moreover. Friday has played no trval part in the lives of many success ful people. In Christian countries. too. the superstition of thirteen at dinner be- ing unlucky. and that one of the diners will die before the year is out. is also of
 Biblical origin. being derived from the Hast Supper of our Lord with His twelve apostles, but the superstition is much anterior to Christianity Thirteen at dinner, in old Morse mythology. was deemed unlucky because at banquet in the yalhalla, Loki once intruded. making the thirteenth guest. and Baldur was