Fergus County Democrat

SOME QUEER BELIEFS

ANIMAL SUPERSTITIONS IN VARIOUS PARTS OF THE WORLD.

The Pig Plays a Large Part In the Mythology of the Orient—The Place Animals Hold In the Creed of the Mohammedans—Animals and Death.

The pig plays a part in many beliefs. Mr. Hickson, who traveled much in the Celebes and adjacent islands, found a tribe who believed that the whole earth is borne by a pig belonging to the god Mak-a-wa-lang, who dwells in the underworld, and that the frequent earthquakes in that region are caused by the pig rubbing itself against the trees. Some of the inhabitants, however, assert that the world does not stand on the pig itself, but on a number of piles, and it is against these that the porker rubs itself, with such terrible results.

Another example of pig superstition is found in the mythology of the Hindus from which one learns that when earth was hidden away by the malice of a giant the god Vishnu took upon himself the form of a great boar. This animal had very tusks, with which it rooted the earth up from the depths of Patalas, putting it once more in its proper place.

This circumstance places the pig high in the estimation of a large portion of the people of Asia by associating it with his third Avatar, in commemoration of which the god is sometimes represented in Hindoo temples with the head of a pig.

Animals generally, however, have not insignificant positions in the realms of superstition. Thus, in Holland and Belgium, to kill a stork is considered one of the greatest misfortunes that could happen to a man, for ill luck is certain to follow him through life. In the Ural mountains the peasantry believe that if a wolf sees a man before the man sees the wolf the man will be struck dumb and remain so as long as the wolf lives,

The Eskimos consider that bad fortune will follow a hunter unless whenever he kills a polar bear he cuts off the animal's nose and throws it on the ice. The Lapps, too, believe that the bear is invested with supernatural powers and consequently never mention his name, speaking of him as "God's dog" or "the old man in the fur cloak." The screeching of an owl or the killing of one as well as the croaking of a raven or the crowing of a hen is also sometimes regarded as an indication of coming calamity.

But some of the most interesting superstitions are connected with death. In some country districts of England and Germany there is an idea that if the bees swarm upon a rotten tree there will be a death in the family owning or living on the property within a year. In Greenland when a child dies the natives bury a live dog with it to be used by the child as a guide to the other world, because, they say, a dog can find its way anywhere.

A prettier custom prevails among the Seneca Indians when a maiden dies. A young bird is imprisoned until it first begins to sing, and then they kiss it and set it at liberty over the girl's grave, believing that it will not fold its wings or close its eyes until it has flown to the spirit land and delivered its burden of affection to the departed one. In this way it is not uncommon for a score of birds to be released over the same grave. The Mojaves say that all the dead who are not cremated are turned into owls, and the screeching of one of these birds at night they imagine to be caused by the spirit of some dead Mojave

And in the Mohammedan creed animals have a place. Among the beliefs of the followers of the prophet is one that eleven animals were admitted to paradise. These were the dog Khatim of the seven sleepers of Ephesus, Balaam's ass, Solomon's ant, the particular one which reproved the sluggard; Jonah's whale, Ishmael's ram, the camel of Saleb, the cuckoo of Belkis, the ox of Moses. Al Borek, the animal which conveyed Mohammed to heaven; the ass on which Christ rode into Jerusalem and the one on which the queen of Sheba rode when she paid her famous visit to Solomon.

This is not, however, by any means the only superstitious belief concerning paradise. For instance, many of the south sea islanders believe that heaven can only be inherited by persons whose physical forms are perfect Where this idea prevails a man will die rather than submit to amputation.

It would seem that John Chinaman's pigtail owed its existence to the belief that it would form a convenient handle by which one day he would be lifted into paradise.

But one can find a superstition relating to heaven nearer home than China. A few years ago a man in St. Petersburg earned for himself a great reputation as a wizard among the ignorant and superstitious. When at last he was laid by the heels one witness testified that she firmly believed in what he said, especially that the two little keys which he gave her would accomplish what he asserted they would—that with their aid she would be able, after "life's fitful fever," to open the gates of paradise.—London Globe.