Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 7 1889.djvu/65

Rh was recovered, it returned, and frequently made it its resting-place. For this cause, Kors messa, or Holyrood-day, was marked with a swallow on many Run-stafva, or Runic staves — the time tallying with the migration of that bird." — (ii. 355). "There is an equally-beautiful legend respecting the turtle-dove, as that touching the swallow. When our Saviour was crucified, it for awhile hovered around the fatal tree, and at length perched there ; when looking mournfully down on the sufferer's blood, it sighed deeply, and gave utterance to its plaintive kurrie, kurrie, kvrrie (Κύριε) — that is. Lord, Lord, Lord. Since that time it has never more been joyful, but has constantly winged its flight around the world, repeating its sorrowful cry." — (ii. 361). "They say that this bird (the Crested Lapwing) was a handmaiden of the Blessed Virgin, and whilst in servitude, purloined its mistress's silver scissors, and that, as a judgment, the transformation took place ; moreover, that as a brand for the theft, its tail was forked in the manner of scissors, and that it was doomed for ever to fly from tussock to tussock, uttering its plaintive tyvit, tyvit — that is, I stole them ! I stole them ! "— (ii. 371). "The stork is in Scandinavia looked upon with a kind of veneration. Many reasons are assigned for this ; amongst the rest, as with the swallow and the turtle-dove, at the Crucifixion it flew over the Redeemer, crying in a sympathising tone, stryk, stryk, stryk, Honom ! that is, strengthen, strengthen, strengthen Him. Hence it derived the name of stork, and it was in remembrance of the affectionate solicitude it evinced on this occasion, that the gift was bestowed on this bird of bringing peace and happiness to the roof where it was allowed undisturbed to rear its young." — (ii. 390).

Aino Folk-lore. — The issue of the Transactions of the Asiatic Society of Japan, which has just reached us, contains a paper of very great interest on the Folk-Lore of the Ainos, the strange aboriginal race inhabiting, in constantly decreasing numbers, the Island of Yezo, The author is the Rev. J. Batchelor, a missionary among this people, who has devoted special study to their language and legends. The