Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 7 1889.djvu/64

56 and, in consequence, they go by the hated name of Varg-Mödrar or wolf-mothers." — (i. 475). "The singular notion is entertained by some, that when the lynx shifts his hunting-ground, the migration, if so it can be called, always takes place either at the end of the last quarter of the old moon or at the commencement of the new ; and that, should he return again to the same district, it is never within less time than a month."— (ii. 3). "The hare, as soon as killed, is disembowelled, and its head, with the exception of the ears, which remain attached to the skin, is severed from the body. The only reason I could ever hear alleged for this very strange custom, which is usually adopted throughout Sweden, is, that if a woman in a state of pregnancy was to see the head of the animal, her offspring would inevitably have a hare-lip." — (ii. 97). "It (the raven) has, they say, a certain white feather on its body, which, if a man can get possession of, he will be endowed with all wisdom ; but that it is a matter of extreme difficulty to obtain this plume, as the bird, when wounded, and in its dying agonies, always exerts its last strength to pick it out and gulp it down, that its wisdom may perish along with it." "Another notion is, that in the body of this bird there is a so-called Korp-sten, or raven-stone, which is possessed of the remarkable property that the individual swallowing it will be invisible to mortal eyes."— (ii. 330—331.) "When our Saviour was crucified, a little bird came and perched upon the Cross, peered sorrowfully down upon the sufferer, and twitted Hugsuala, svala, svala Honom — that is console, console, console Him ; and hence obtained the name of Svala. In consequence of the commiseration thus evinced by the swallow towards the Redeemer, Heaven ordained that blessings and prosperity should ever afterwards attend on those who protected it and its nest. "It is furthermore said that, for a long time afterwards, it would often sit upon the Cross ; but when this was taken down by the enemies of Christendom, and buried in the earth, it flew sorrowing away from the spot. When, however, at an after-period, the Cross