Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 11, 1900.djvu/266

 254 Animal Superstitions and Totemism.

Sheep : Elsass ; S. and C. Germany^ (ii.) (iv.). Stagbeetle : In Lautenthal the boys, when they found a stagbeetle in springtime, buried it and struck at it with eyes blindfolded. The winner was accompanied home by his companions.^ Glowworm : A similar custom seems to exist in Italy wath regard to the glowworm, which is threatened with a beating just as the snail is in England, in the well- known rhyme.^ To these must be added the blackbird, sparrow, yellow- hammer, toad,"^ and perhaps the herring^ and dog.^

(c) The Simple Fortn. (i.) The first butterfly is killed in Cornwall ''in order that they may conquer their enemies."'' Similar customs are found in France, Somerset, Devon, and North Hants ; ^ the first snake in W. Sussex, the first wasp in parts of England, the first toad at Berne. ^ In Schleswig-Holstein the first bee should be killed and put in the purse in order to have money all the year.^° With this may be compared the well-known cuckoo custom ; further, that of running, rolling on the ground, &c., on seeing the first swallow, wagtail, &c., in order to be free from disease.^^

' For refs. v. Jahn, p. 190.

- Kuhn, Nordd. Geb., p. 377 ; cf. N. &= Q., 2nd Ser., ii., 83,

' De Gubematis, p. 504; F. L.J., v., 193.

•• F. L./., ii., 120; Napier, p. 112; Rolland, iii., 49; A^. &= Q., 3rd Ser., iv., 492.


 * Rolland, iii., 126.

® Nicholson, p. 22. Eartsch, Abergl. aus Mecklenbterg, ii., 139.

^ F. L.J., v., 214.

^ Sebillot, Cotitumes, p. 365 ; Rolland, iii., 315 ; Hone, Table-book, p. 339. Miss Marriage informs me that in Essex the head of the first white butterfly is bitten off.

^ F. L. R., i., 8; Rolland, iii., 54, 272. In Pomerania the head of the first cockchafer should be bitten off as a protection against fever. Juhling, p. 94.

'» MS. note.

" Grimm, No. 217, 348, 986; Z. fiir d. Myth., ii., 95; Leicester Folklore, p. 39; F. L. R., ii., 88; F. L. J., v., 187 ; Strackerjan, i., 66; Germania, xix.,349; cf. Panzer, ii., 125, 203; Aristophanes, Aves, 498; Pliny, ^w/. Nat., XXX., 25.