Notes and Queries, Number 62, January 4, 1851 by Various


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Page 3

J.P.C.

[The passage to which our valued correspondent refers is in our Second
Volume, p. 358., where J.M.B. points out that the suggestion of a
writer in the _Quarterly Review_ for March 1850, that Shakspeare's
_miching mallecho_ was a mere misprint of the Spanish words _mucho
malhecho_, had been anticipated by DR. MAGINN. It now appears that he
had also been anticipated by MR. COLLIER.]

* * * * *

CROSSING RIVERS ON SKINS.

The mode of crossing a river on skins, mentioned by Layard (_Nineveh and
its Remains_, 5th edition, vol. i. p. 129., vol. ii. p. 381.) is also
referred to in the works of the following ancient writers. I quote
_Facciolati Lexicon Totius Latinitatis_, in vocibus _Uter_ et
_Utricularius_. [Edit. _Furlanetto_, 4to.]

"Frequens fuit apud veteres utrium usus ad flumina trananda, _Liv._ 21. 27.
Hispani, sine ulla mole, in utres vestimentis conjectis, ipsi cetris
suppositis incubantes, flumen tranavere, _C�s._ B.G. i. 48. Lusitani,
peritique earum regionum cetrati citerioris Hispani�, consectabantur,
quibus erat proclive transnare flumen, quod consuetudo eorum omnium est, ut
sine utribus ad exercitum non eant, (Cf. _Herzog._, qui longam huic loco
adnotationem adscripsit), _Curt._ 7. 5. Utres quam plurimos stramentis
refertos dividit; his incubantes transnavere amnem, _Plin._ 6. 29. 35.
Arabes Ascit� appellati, quoniam bubulos utres binos sternentes ponte
piraticam exercent, _h.e._ utribus junctis tabulas instar pontis
sternentes. Adde _Front. Strat._ 3. 13., et _Ammian._ 30. 1. _med._"

"Utricularii vocabantur qui utriculos, seu utres inflatos ratibus ita
subjiciebant, ut iisdem flumina transnare possent. Eorum collegium in
quibusdam urbibus ad flumen aliquod sitis habebatur, ideoque utricularii
s�pe cum nautis conjunguntur, _Inscr._ ap. _Mur._ 531, n. 4. Ex voto a solo
templum ex suo fecerunt collegio utriculariorum."

JANUS DOUSA.

Manpadt House, near Haarlem.

* * * * *

FOLK LORE OF SOUTH NORTHAMPTONSHIRE, NO. 3.

_Hedgehog._--Among other animals looked upon in a superstitious light, we
have the hedgehog, who, in addition to his still credited attribute of
sucking cows, is looked upon by our rustics as the emblem of craft and
cunning; playing the same part in our popular stories as Reynard in the
more southern _fabliaux_. They tell concerning him, the legend given by
M.M. Grimm, of the race between the Hare and Hedgehog. The Northamptonshire
version makes the trial of speed between a _fox_ and hedgehog. In all other
respects the English tale runs word for word with the German.

_Hares._--Besides the ancient superstition attached to the crossing of the
path by one of these animals, there is also a belief that the running of
one along the street or mainway of a village, portends fire to some house
in the immediate vicinity.

_Toads._--Belief in their venomous nature is yet far from being extinct.
This, added to the ill-defined species of fascination which they are
supposed to exercise, has caused them here, as elsewhere, to be held in
great abhorrence. I have heard persons who ought to have known better,
exclaim on the danger of gazing upon one of the harmless reptiles. The idea
respecting the fascinating powers of the toad, is by no means confined to
our district. Witness the learned Cardan:

"Fascinari pueros fixo intuitu magnorum bufonum et maxim� qui � subterraneo
specu aut sepulchris prodierint, utque ob id occulto morbo perire, haud
absurdum est."--_De Rerum Varietate_, lib. xvi. c. 90.

_Crickets_, contrary to the idea prevailing in the western counties, are
supposed to presage good luck, and are therefore most carefully preserved.
Their presence is believed to be a sure omen of prosperity; while, on the
other hand, their sudden departure from a hearth which has long echoed with
their cry, betokens approaching misfortune, and is regarded as the direst
calamity that can happen to the family.

_Magpies._--To see one magpie alone bodes bad luck; two, good luck; three,
a "berrin;" four, a wedding. This is our version of the saying: Grose gives
it differently.

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