Part 73

(d) If the first of July it be rainy weather, It will rain more or less for four weeks together.

(e) Dog days bright and clear Indicate a happy year. But when accompanied by rain, For better times our hopes are vain. (The dog days are from July 3rd to Aug. 11th.)

(f) St. Swithin's Day, if ye do rain, For forty days it will remain. St. Swithin's Day an ye be fair, For forty days 'twill rain nae mair. (St. Swithin's Day is July 15th.)

(h) Whoever eats oysters on St. James's Day will never want money. (July 25th.)

AUGUST

Augustus Caesar, not to be behind Julius, named this month in honor of himself. He was born in September, and it may seem strange that he did not bestow his name on that month; but he preferred August as a number of lucky incidents befell him then, and he gained several important victories.

Rhyming prophecies regarding this month are as follows:--

(a) If Bartlemy's Day (Aug. 24th) be fair and clear, Hope for a prosperous autumn that year.

(b) Dry August and warm, Doth harvest no harm.

(c) Yet there is a saying that "A wet August never brings dearth."

(d) On St. Mary's Day (Aug. 15th) sunshine Brings much good wine.

(e) So many August fogs, So many winter mists.

(f) Mud in May means bread in August.

(g) After Lammas (Aug. 1st) the corn ripens as much by night as by day.

(h) As the Dog days commence, so they end. (The Dog days are from July 3rd to Aug. 11th.)

(i) All the tears that St. Swithin can cry, St. Bartlemy's dusty mantle wipes dry.

(St. Swithin's Day is July 15th, and St. Bartlemy's Day Aug. 24th.)

SEPTEMBER

September takes its name from the Latin word, septem, meaning seven. It was the seventh month of the year as long as March was constituted the first month. The Saxons named it Gerst Monat, or barley month, because they reaped the barley then.

Sayings regarding the month:--

(a) If it be fair on the First, it will be fair all the month.

(b) A wet June makes a dry September.

(c) September blow soft, Until the fruit is in the loft.

(d) If Matthew's Day (Sept. 21st) is bright and clear There will be good wine in the coming year.

(e) If the hart and the hind meet dry and part dry on Rood Day Fair (Sept. 14th), for six weeks there will be no more rain.

(f) If on September 19th there is a storm from the south, a mild winter is certain.

(g) If it does not rain on St. Michael's (Sept. 29th) and Gallus (Oct. 16th), a dry spring is certain for the coming year.

(h) If St. Michael's (Sept. 29th) brings many acorns, Christmas will cover the fields with snow.