CHAPTER XIV
METEOROLOGICAL BELIEFS
To walk under a rainbow is supposed to be unlucky, as the light of a rainbow, while good in itself, harms the one it shines on.
To be out in a sunshower is good luck, and whatever you venture in that hour will be successful.
Thunder and lightning are both lucky and unlucky according to the direction from which they come.
An even number of thunder reports in quick succession have no effect, but an uneven number will bring luck.
The ancients considered thunder as an indication that Jove was angry.
Thunder from a cloudless sky, is considered an indication of luck.
To see a new moon for the first time after a change on the right-hand side or directly in front of you betokens good luck, but to see it behind you on your left, is a bad omen.
To begin a journey or other important work in the last quarter of the moon is bad, and the venture will be a failure.
To see the new moon through a window for the first time, indicates bad luck.
The new moon seen over the right shoulder brings good fortune, over the left shoulder means failure, and straight ahead of you denotes good luck till the end of the season.
The Friday on which the new moon first appears is a bad day and Sunday is equally unfavorable for a full moon.
Red ants swarming through the earth, indicate coming of rain.
If it rains on St. Swithin’s Day, it will rain for forty days more.
If the hedgehog emerges from his hole on Michaelmas and sees his shadow, prepare for thirty days more of winter.
WEATHER SIGNS AND PORTENTS
Small fleecy clouds of “curdled” appearance, indicate neither long wet nor long dry. Long streaky clouds, indicate fair weather.
Thick bands of clouds across the west, indicate stormy weather.
A “weather breeder” is a fine, warm day out of season and foretells bad weather in the near future.
Streaks of light radiating out of clouds behind the sun foretell rain. The sun is said to be sucking up moisture.
“The moon on her back holds water in her lap.”
A halo around the moon indicates rain. The bigger the wheel, the nearer the moisture.
If the evening star is in front of the moon, look out for rain.
When a guinea fowl or peacock calls, prepare for rain.
The call of the green woodpecker is a sign of rain.
Rooks gathering in large numbers and flying in a circle, foretell rain.
If it rains on Friday, it will surely rain on the next Sunday.
Shooting of corns or the aching of an old wound foretell rain.
If during the harvest a rake is carried with its teeth up, it will be a wet harvest.
When the cat scratches the leg of the table, sneezes, draws her paw over her forehead in washing her face or frisks about the house, it is a sure sign of rain.
The following are indications of rain: When crickets chirp louder than usually, when a rooster flies on the gate and crows, when a dog eats grass, and when snails are abundant.
“Wind in the east is good neither for man or beast.
Wind in the west suits everybody best.”
When the robins sing high in the tree, the weather will be fine, but if they sing low down, it will rain soon.
Sea gulls on land bring rain.
“Red sky at night, shepherd’s delight.
Red sky in the morning, shepherd’s warning.”
Early mist indicates a fine day.
If ice will bear a man before Christmas, it will not bear a mouse afterwards.
If the sun shines through the apple trees on Christmas, it foretells a fine crop of apples.
“If in February there be no rain,
The hay won’t prosper nor the grain.”
All other months of the year curse a fine February.
If a cat lies in the sun in February, she will creep under the grate in March.
“When the oak comes before the ash, summer will be dry and mash.”
“Rain on Good Friday and Easter Day, brings lots of grass but little hay.”
Cold May, short hay! Leaky June, plenty of corn!
If it rains on St. Swithin’s Day, the apples are christened and the early kind may be picked.
Warm October means a cold February.
Snow that lingers will bring more snow.
COMETS AND METEORS
That the sudden appearance of a big star with a long tail should cause fear and apprehension is but natural. Primitive man, in fact until a few decades ago, saw in the fiery celestial visitor a sure omen of disaster. In religious countries in the Middle Ages, the appearance of a comet was associated with the second coming of Christ.
In the year 1712, Whiston, a clergyman and astronomer, predicted the appearance of a comet and stated that the world would be destroyed by fire a few days thereafter. The comet appeared punctually according to his calculations, and the inhabitants of England began to prepare for the end of the world. People got into boats believing that the water was the safest place. Divine service was held in all churches, and rich men parted with their wealth. The comet left without having accomplished any damage.
Comets have often been regarded as the precursor of war and famine and nearly every big war occurred soon after the appearance of a comet.
Although we know now that comets are harmless things, and rarely trouble the earth, superstition still clings to them.
Special prayers were instituted by various popes to nullify the evil a comet might do. In Catholic countries these are still used as a preventive of trouble.
It is considered unlucky to engage in any new business during the continuation of a comet in the sky.
Children born during a comet will have a difficult time of it, and are subject to sudden death.
Shooting stars or meteors have also been the subject of many strange beliefs. When a shooting star flashes across the sky, wish for money, and you will be sure to get it.
A sick person, seeing a shooting star, will recover within a month.
If you set out on a voyage at night and see a shooting star, your trip will be successful.
Lovers seeing shooting stars and wishing for health, wealth or happiness, will have their wish gratified.