Omaha daily bee., 1908-12-13


Others play hob in the air on vsmpire-lfke
birds. shri1l calls are sometimes heard in
secluded places and the men who hear
these cries utter a prayer.
In England a contrary belief prevails. At
Christmas. they say. witches are unable to
exercise their power. fairies cease their
mischievous tricks, and In some sections
It is believed that the devil dies on this
night
The people Of Yorkshire say that the evil
one died the night the Saviour was born.
and in celebration Of his death the bells
Of churches in Dewsbury are rung.
In Germany many OF the housewives
grease the heads OF geese. for then they be-
ieve there viii be a big flock the coming
year. They watch carefully for any eggs
hens may lay on Christmas eve, for these,
il is held. produce immense fowls.
Stones are also placed on fruit trees on
Christmas morning. for the peasants say
they will consequently bear more fruit.
Mystic Notions.
In Russia seven grains OF corn are given
to horses by the peasants. These. they be-
lieve, will cause the horse to remain in
good health during the year; he will work
willingly and not balk.
Bohemians will lend things on any day OF
1N SCN NA1SkGAh AAAdN kANNN1Ahk I'll
mas. Should an article be borrowed on
that day, a witch could use 1t to exercise
the most dire entertainments over the lender.
In Prussia many persons go to the great
est trouble to secure the roe of a carp,
which they eat on Christmas eve. The
person who does this insures good fortune.
In the northeast OF Scotland a belief pre-
walls that IL meat is not partaken OF at the
Christmas dinner the cattle will not wax
strong and healthy.
To discover who will die during the COM
ing year. the people Of Anspach. Germany,
observe the shadows Of participants OF a
Yuletide party as they fall on the floor.
Those whose shadows appear without heads
II Is believed are marked by the grim de-
stroyer.
To insure peace in the family the people
OF Scandinavia on Christmas night place
the shoes of all the member Of the house
hold in a row before the fire at night.
Happiness and harmony will then Pr all
during the coming year.
Servtan families bake cakes Of unleavened
bread in which a coin is hidden. On Christ
mas day it is broken. and the one who
gets the coin is assured of being the hap
piest ana luckiest member Of the family.
Straw il spread over the supper table on
Christmas eve in Poland. Young folks are
bfndfolded and told to pick out a straw. If
the straw Is green. it is believed the per
son will marry. II 1t be dry and withered
hopeless, indeed. are considered the pros
poets Of the hapless one.
Seeing Things.
The people OF Sweden affirm that II one
walks the road to church Just as the sun
is rising Christmas morning. he will see
the fields growing with the crops of the
coming year; visions will pass before his
eyes Of future events; all the funerals and
coming marriages will loom specially be-
fore him.
MaIdens reluctant to letting lovers kiss
them might we'll learn the legend which
prevails in many parts of England. Unless
a maiden is kissed under a piece Of mistle-
toe on Christmas eve, mothers tell their
daughters, she need not hope to be mar
rted during the coming year. so all
maidens DESTROYS OF entering wedlock hang
up the mistietoe and automatically ar
range that some one give them the magic
kiss.
On Christmas night a Bohemian girl who
desires to learn where her lover is, shakes
an elder tree and sings;
Sweet elder, / shake. shake;
Tell me. We dogs that wake.
Where is my lover tonight?
Then she listens for a dog to bark. In
the direction of the cry of the first dog
that barks is the lover.
Mothers who wish to secure a good hus-
band for their daughters on Christmas eve
smear their faces with honey, reciting GER
tain charms. This. they hope, win bring
to the fair one a husband with a temper
as sweet as the honey.