Bird Gods in Ancient Europe 



turned himself there into a cuckoo. This 

 goddess was thought to have turned herself 

 in like fashion into a cuckoo. When the 

 sound of the cuckoo call first strikes your ear 

 in spring, or even first in the morning, you 

 must have some gold or silver in your pocket, 

 if you hope to be rich for the rest of the year. 

 If you hear the call whilst hungry, you will 

 suffer for the year from a superabundance of 

 the " best sauce." 



The latter idea gave rise to a habit which 

 has hygienic value, namely, that of always 

 eating a mouthful before going out in the 

 morning ; it is prettily expressed by a word 

 in Kalevipoeg, Canto XI, line 3, where linnu- 

 pete is found. Before he sets out to wade 

 across Lake Peipus, lazy giant, Kalev's boy 

 takes a linnupete. Linnu, lind, means bird, 

 pete deceit; linnupete means the bird deceiver; 

 something that defeats the magic of birds. 

 Wiedemann explains this word as : " Breakfast, 

 which is taken, through superstition, in spring 

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