“If Candlemas day is fair and clear, There’ll be two winters in the year.”
The same thing is said of the bear, in Germany, as of the hedgehog or woodchuck.
The Germans say that the badger peeps out of his hole on Candlemas Day, and if he finds snow on the ground, he walks abroad; but if the sun is shining, he draws back into his hole again. At any rate, the habits of this predatory little beast are considered next to infallible by most country-folk in New England.
A similar prediction carries this form: On Candlemas Day just so far as the sun shines in, just so far will the snow blow in.
“As far as the sun shines in on Candlemas Day So far will the snow blow in before May: As far as the snow blows in on Candlemas Day So far will the sun shine in before May.”
From these time-honored prophecies is deduced the familiar warning:--
“Just half your wood and half your hay Should be remaining on Candlemas Day.”
An old Californian predicted a dry season for the year 1899, because he had noticed that the rattlesnakes would not bite of late, a never failing sign of drought which few, we fancy, would feel inclined to put to the test.
An unusually cold winter is indicated by the greater thickness of apple skins, corn husks, and the like.
The direction from which the wind is blowing usually indicates what the weather will be for the day,--wet or dry, hot or cold,--but here is a rhymed prediction which puts all such prophecies to shame:--
“The West wind always brings wet weather The East wind wet and cold together, The South wind surely brings us rain, The North wind blows it back again. If the sun in red should set, The next day surely will be wet; If the sun should set in gray, The next will be a rainy day.”
This falls more strictly in line with many of the so-called signs which, like the old woman’s indigo, if good would either sink or swim, she really didn’t know which; or like the predictions of the old almanac makers, who so shrewdly foretold rain in April, and snow in December.
If you sneeze before breakfast, you will have company before dinner.
If you pick the common red field lily, it will make you freckled.
A spark in the candle denotes a letter in the post office for you.
To hand a cup with two spoons in it to any one, is a sign of a coming wedding in the family.