A'la Saint Aubin On tond d'ordinaire le mouton: Mais si vous voulez m'en croire, Tondez-le à la Saint Gregoire (March 12).-Eure. The quarter in which the wind lies on this day is especially observed in Russia, hence the saying, "Wherever the wind is on St Eudoxia's day, there it will remain during the spring and summer.' 10. (The Forty Martyrs of Sebaste.) Wie's Wetter ist auf die vierzig Ritter, so bleibt es vierzig Tage lang. And so the Italian, Se piov el de dei quaranta Marter. Per quaranta dè ga n'em ü sguater—Bergamo : i.e., If it rains on the day of the 40 Martyrs, it will rain for 40 days (and there is the same proverb in Belgium, Russia, and Bohemia). Wie die Vierzig, so Peterstag (June 29). Mists or hoar-frosts on the 10th of March betoken a plentiful year, but not without some diseases. -Shepherd's Kalendar. 12. (St Gregory the Great.) In the Tyrol, on this day, the peasants climb trees and listen to the wind. Should it go down, they say "We must mend our gloves, for there will be cold weather." Se venta el di de San Gregorio, venta per quaranta di. Geht um Gregori der Wind, Geht er, bis Sanct Jorgen (April 24) kimmt. Sanct Gregor und das Kreuze (Sept. 14) macht. A San Gregorio Papa La rundane le passa l'acqua--Bergamo : i.e., On the day of St Gregory, the Pope, the swallow crosses the water (arrives in Europe). 17. (St Gertrude of Nivelles.) Gehen die Kühe Sanct Gertrudis nicht in Klee, Gertrude nützt dem Gartner fein, Wenn sie zeigt mit Sonnenschein. Sainte Gertrude, lorsqu'elle est éclairée par la pleine lune, protége les ensemencements du jour. 19. St Joseph (husband of the B. V. M.) St Joseph is supposed, as well as St Gertrude, to watch carefully over plants sown on his day. In the north of Italy winter is now considered to be at an end. Thus Per San Giusep Le rundane le passa❜l tëc: Passa o no passa, el frèd el ne lassa-Bergamo : i.e., On St Joseph's day the swallows fly over the roofs: whether they fly or not, the cold weather has gone. A San Giusep Se mèt via❜l scoldalèt-Milan : i.e., On St Joseph's day away with the warming-pan. 21. (St Benedict.) St Benedick: sow thy peas or keep them in the rick. 25. (Annunciation of the B. V. M.), Called in Belgium "D'ons Lieve Vrouw Beklyving,"—i.e., Notre Dame de la prospérité: because anything transplanted on this day easily takes root, and seed sown prospers. It is also believed that the year will be fruitful if before sunrise the sky is clear and the stars shine brightly. S'il gèle le 25 Mars Les prairies diminuent d'un quart.-Loir et Cher. Se a la madona de Marz vèn giò la brina, No la fa altra ruina-Milan : i.e., If there be hoar-frost on the morning of the Annunciation it will do no harm. S'il pleut le jour de la Bonne Dame, il pleut à toutes ses fêtes.-Allier. A Notre Dame de Mars, Si le soleil fait le luzer-i.e., is not bright— Mariä Verkundigung Die Schwalben kommen wiederum. Mariekchen pustet dat Licht uth, Michel steckt et wedder an: i.e., St Mary blows out the candle, St Michael (Sept. 29) lights it again. Farm-servants in Germany generally leave off candles in the evening at Lady Day, and begin to use them again at Michaelmas. So, too, the Italian proverb, A la Madona de Marz se scoven, A la Madona de Setember se troven-Milan : i.e., At S. Mary's feast in March we put them (candles) on one side at her festival in September (Sept. 8, Nativity B.V.M.) we take them up again. 29, 30, 31, Borrowing Days. The warst blast comes on the Borrowing Days. Scotland. a. March borrowed from April Three days, and they were ill : The one was sleet, the other was snow, The third was the worst that e'er did blow. b. March borrowed of April Three days, and they were ill : They killed three lambs that were playing on a hill. c. March borrows of April Three days, and they are ill : The Scotch version runs as follows;d. March said to Aperill, "I see three hogs upon a hill; It froze the bird's feet to the trees.- Dr Jamieson, in his Etymological Dictionary of the Scottish Language, Edin. 1808, vol. i., "Borrowing Days," remarks: "These days being generally stormy, our forefathers have endeavoured to account for this circumstance, by pretending that March borrowed them from April, that he might extend his power so much longer. Those who are much E addicted to superstition will neither borrow nor lend on any of these days. If any should propose to borrow from them they would consider it as an evidence that the person wished to employ the article borrowed for the purpose of witchcraft against the lenders. Some of the vulgar imagine that these days received their designation from the conduct of the Israelites in borrowing the property of the Egyptians. This extravagant idea must have originated, partly from the name, and partly from the circumstance of these days nearly corresponding to the time when the Israelites left Egypt, which was on the 14th day of the month Abib or Nisan, including part of our March and April. I know not whether our Western Magi suppose that the inclemency of the Borrowing Days has any relation to the storm which proved so fatal to the Egyptians." Traces of the same superstition are to be found in Andalusia, where there is a story among the country people to the following effect: A shepherd once upon a time promised March a lamb if he, i.e., the month, would favour the flock with propitious weather. March agreed, and conscientiously acted up to his part of the agreement. But when, just before the end of the month, he asked for his lamb, the shepherd bethinking himself that only three days were left, and that his flock was in fine condition, refused to stand by his promise. "You won't give me my right, won't you?" said March; "then know this, that in the three days I have left, and in three more that my gossip April will lend me, all your sheep shall die." And accordingly such fearful weather ensued that the whole flock perished. (Das Wetter im Sprichwort.) So, too, in the south of France, the story is almost identical, viz. : A rich man said on March 30, "Mars et Marsilloun qu'é passat, Ni braou, ni baque, nou m'en a coustat. |