In Shakespeare's Ist King Henry IV. act 1, scene 2, Prince Henry, likening Falstaff with his old age and young passions to this November summer, thus addresses him : "Farewell, thou latter spring; farewell, thou All Hallow'n summer." But still, in spite of the traditional mildness of this season, there are many proverbs which speak of the near approach of winter. Thus a. On All Saints day there is snow on the ground. b. Alle Heiligen sehen sich nach dem Winter um. c. Aller Hilgen, Sit de Winter up den Tilgen.-Holstein. d. A Agnissanti Manicotto e guanti-Tuscany: i.e., At All Saints take muff and gloves. Se i Sant i troa 'l temp rot, lur i le giösta : Ma se i le troa bu, i le disgiösta : i.e., If All Saints find the weather disturbed, they settle it; but if they find it fine they unsettle it. On All Saints day, cut off some of the bark from a beech-tree, and after that, a chip or a little piece of wood cut it: if it be dry, then the ensuing winter will be dry, but pretty warm and temperate; if moist, a wet winter-Shepherd's Kalendar: With which corresponds the old German saying, Am Allerheiligentag' geh' in den Wald, und haue einen Span aus einer Birke: ist er trocken, wird der Winter kalt ist er nass, so wird er feucht. : On the first of November, if the weather hold clear, An end of wheat-sowing do make for the year. A la Toussaint les blés semés Et tous les fruits serrés.-Eure et Loire. All Saints and All Souls. Se i Sant i le disgiösta, I Mort söbet i le giösta-Lombardy : i.e., If All Saints unsettle the weather, All Souls set it to rights again. All Saints and Christmas. Tel Toussaint-tel Noel.-Ain. Entre Toussaint et Noel ne peut trop pleuvoir ne venter. All Saints and Candlemas. Set trees at All Hallo'ntide, and command them to prosper set them after Candlemas, and entreat them to grow. "This Dr Beal allegeth as an old English and Welch proverb concerning apple and pear trees, oak and hawthorn quicks: though he is of Mr Reed's opinion, that it is best to remove fruit-trees in the spring, rather than the winter." -RAY. 2. (All Souls day.) If it rain on this day the Dalmatians say, "The dead are weeping." 8. St Michael the Archangel (in the Calendar of the Greek Church). If St Michael binds (with ice), St Nicholas (Dec. 6) will loose.-Russia. 11. (St Martin.) St Martin's little summer-See on Oct. 1: L'estat de San Marti El dura tri de e'n pocheti-Bergamo: i.e., S. Martin's summer lasts three days and a bit. Il fait beau de semer son grain Quand est beau l'été de la Saint Martin.-Charente. Se a San Martin el sû va giò in bissacca E se 'l va giò seren Vend la vacca e tègnet el fen-Milan : i.e., If on St Martin's day the sun set behind clouds, sell your bread and keep the cow but if it set in a clear sky, sell the cow and keep your hay. With which may be compared, Si sol clarus obit Martino, nunciat acrem La pleine lune à la Saint Martin donne abondance de neige. Vosges. Wenn auf Martini Nebel sind So wird der Winter ganz gelind. If the wind is in the south-west at Martinmas, it remains there till after Candlemas. Se gh'è vent a San Marti Per töt l'an gh'è 'n pochi-Bergamo: i.e., If there is wind on St Martin's day, it may blow the whole year and a bit more. 'Tween Martinmas and Yule, Water's wine in every pool.-Scotland. Young and old must go clad at Martinmas. A San Martin Mèt la legna sül camin―Milan : i.e., On St Martin's day lay wood on the hearth. At S. Martin's day Winter is on his way. Compare the French proverb, S'il n'arrête tant ne quant Vous l'aurez à la Saint Clement (November 23): Vous l'aurez à la Saint André (November 30): Vous l'aurez en Avril ou Mai.—Calendrier des bons Here comes. St Martin on his white horse, i.e. bringing snow. Bohemia. Wenn das Brustbein an der gebratenen Martinsgans braun ist, sol es mehr Schnee als Kälte bedeuten; wenn es aber weiss ist, mehr Kälte als Schnee. The fatted goose which is eaten in England on Michaelmas day always appears at tables on the Continent at Martinmas. Stukely, Iter. vi. 131, speaking of Martinsall Hill, adds in a note: "St Martin's day, in the Norway Clogs, is marked with a goose for on that day they always feasted with a roasted goose: they say that St Martin, being elected to a bishopric, hid himself, but was discovered by that animal." "The festival of St Martin occurring when geese are in high season, is always celebrated with a voracity the more eager, as it happens on the eve of the 'petit carême,' K when fowls could no longer be presented on the tables of a religious age. A German monk, Martin Schock, has made it a case of conscience whether, even on the eve of the little Lent, it be allowable to eat goose: 'An liceat Martinalibus anserem comedere.""-FORSTER. (It may be observed that the casuist decides in the affirmative.) In wine countries the new wines are first tasted on this day, and the memory of the Saint is celebrated with carousing. Hence the proverbs,— A la Saint Martin Bois le bon vin, Et laisse l'eau pour le moulin.-Tarn et Garonne. Festum Martini propinat pocula vini. Per San Martin, Se spina la bote del bon vin.-Milan. Da San Martin Se tasta 'l vin.-Venetia. A la Saint Martin Faut goûter le vin: Notre Dame après Pour boire il est prés.—Calendrier des bons Labou reurs. 13. (St Homobonus.) A Sant Omobù Töc i strass i sa de bu.-Bergamo : i.e., At St Homobonus all rags are good for something (be cause of the cold). 23. (St Clement.) L'inverna a San Clement El cascia on dent: i.e., On St Clement's day winter sheds a tooth (begins to make itself felt). |