The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1908-12-12
WHO FLoGGED tn HAKE p
Rich Bits OF Cornish Folk Lore and
Traditions.


Traditions.
Apropos of the interest in Irish foll
lore, arising from the visit Of Seumai
McMannus a Cornishman was asked
recently by Houghton Mining Gaz
cite IL Cornwall had not distinctive
folk lore and he answered that IL had
that Cornwall was rich in traditions,
He related few OF the old tales and
said that any Cornishman could tel
hundreds Of them.
The Cornishfolk tales have usually
to do with the fun which people of one
town have with another. There is nc
town In Cornwall but has tradition
which occasions anger in the people OF
that town when il is referred to-.
Probably the best known is that which
has given Cornwall for hundreds OF
years laugh at the expense of st.
Ives.
ST Ives is fishing village and once.
In the dim ages past. st. Ives was the
great port for hake fishing. But the
take OF hake one year was 80 great that
the market was glutted and the good
people of st, Ives had such n quantity
of fish on their hands that they were
distracted and also impoverished
They did not find fault with themselves
for catching 30 many hake but blamed
the poor hake and they attached one to
the tail OF a cart and the men of the
village followed the cart around the
streets, whipping the dragging hake.
Since then IL is said no hake have
been caught on st. Ives and the most
offensive taunt one can throw al st.
Ives man is 90 call ont Who whip.
ped the hake2''
Another story fully as well known as
the foregoing has to do with the parish
Of St Annes The cuckoo is supposed
TO be the bird which brings the sum.
mer, when il goes away winter sets in.
And Cornish people u other towns
claim tnat once upon time the people
OF 81 Annes decided that if they
could keep the cuckoo the summer
would be perpetual So they found a
cuckoo I nest and finding the bird at
home began building turf wall about
the nest. They had bdilt the wall
quie high when the bird became al
armed aud flew away and just skim
med the top of the wall ~ it " emit
There. exclaimed one Of the ST.
Anne's men, another ihger twould
q done inn.
OF Camborne IL is told that Cam
borne man once woke up in the middle
of the night and put mis- hama ont OF
the window TO see il he could feel the
daylight. This is still taunt on
Camborne people
The peorle Of Breage are aspersed by
stories that OF old they were won't to
tie a lantern 10 donkey's tail and
walk IL up and down the beacn that
passing ships might think it another
ship and thus run aground and be at
the mercy OF the Breage wreckers.
People OF other towns delight in tell
ing a story on. Breage people. appsr.
emily to indicate that they are dull
witted. There was pound for stray
In .Breage and one night
man coming home found q wheel
barrow In his yard, He started TO
take IL to the pound and as he trundled
1t along IL sqeaked for want OF oil
'Srceech or cry. TO { pound We 10. /"
the man In said 10 hsv. exclaimed
A Narration man Is said 10 have
found an anchor on the beach after a
wreck He could not tell what II was
he called all the people OF the village
and finally an old man declared that
''it must be Z FATHER o. over picks
Appreciating the fact that Narration is
a seaport town the point OF the story
may be- taken.
The town Of Helston in Cornwall /
celebrates annually about May hol.
day known AZ Furry Day No one
'eems to know the origin Of the festi.
val which is marked by dances on the