Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 2, 1891.djvu/141

Rh before!" I endeavoured to learn when this sad state of affairs existed, but could only ascertain that it was antes—before, in other times. "El Orso," said his keepers, "is el perso de Dios, el perso de San Pedro; he is very wise and thoughtful; he sits beside the blessed saint at the gate of Heaven, and if those who seek to enter have been cruel and unkind to the bears in this world, the saint will turn them away, and they will have to go and live in hell, with the devils and the wolves." "Que ay mas per deeir!" concluded the woman, "el orso es el perso de Dios." The bear's name was Belis; I spell it as it was pronounced. Throughout the conversation the peasants would constantly interrupt themselves to speak to the animal, assuring me that he perfectly understood all that was said.

What is the origin of the custom which prevails in Hyères, and which I have also seen in Bagnères de Bigorre, of driving two oxen decorated with collars and green wreaths or branches through the town on one or more of the days of Holy Week? The oxen are accompanied by men and boys beating a drum or blowing horns.

"Making Weather" in Denmark.—A most curious custom is still observed in some parts of Denmark. During the months of February and March, the farmer, housewives, thereafter their husbands, and at last their servants, female and male, "make weather". Commonly, the parsonage being No. 1 on the list, the parson's wife "makes weather" on the first of February. Is the weather that day good, Mrs. N. N. is said to be a very benevolent lady, in good humour, and neighboresses go visiting her, congratulating on the fair weather, and are friendly received, treated to coffee and cakes. Is the weather on the contrary foul, Mrs. N. N. is in bad humour; we will go to punish her or to divert her. Maybe she is pulled out into the yard and tied to the waterpump, that she may herself try her own weather. Her neighbours come wrapped up in large cloaks and shawls, whereas they come summerclad when the weather is fair. Otherwise a neighbour may creep cautiously along the housewall and tie some hards on the doorlatch. It is instantly understood, and everything ends with a cup of coffee, given by the person who "makes" the foul weather, some jokes, and everybody goes home again. For further particulars see Feilberg's Bondeliv, p. 255. I possess but one quotation pointing indistinctly to a similar custom: Kuhn, Sagen aus Westphalen, ii, 91, 284: "Die Frauen sind im Februar wetterregentinnen." Is this custom known anywhere else? Wherefrom may this "making weather" be derived? Why in the months of February and March?