By the Rev. A. C. Smith. 49 
“¢ April weather, 
Rain and sunshine both together.” 









And another, lauding the prolongation of the fierce winds of 
March :— 
‘¢ When April blows his horn, 
Tis good for both hay and corn.” 
While even for May we have :— 
‘¢ Mist in May, and heat in June, 
‘ Makes the harvest come right soon.” 
‘9a agai 
“* Who doffs his coat on a winter’s day, 
Will gladly put it on in May.” 
And again more generally :— 
*¢ Cast not a clout 
Till May be out; ” 
- that is, do not leave off your overcoat, till May is gone by. 
And again :— 
‘¢ Blossoms in May * 
Are not good, some say.” 
And :— 
‘© A May flood 
Never did good.” 
* Indeed “ the merry month of May,” so highly lauded, 
“ First of May 
: Robin Hood’s day,” 
ems to have been generally looked upon witb suspicion. In Germany they have the proverb :— 
‘* Wenn der Mai den Maien [the White-Thorn] bringet, 
Ist es besser als wenn er ibn findet,”’ 

n in sunny Spain there is the same caution against throwing aside the cloak in this treacherous 
“* Hasta pasado Mayo 
No te quites el sayo.’’ 
‘Moreover, just as we usually have a return of warm genial weather for a few dues at the latter end 
of October, which we designate “ St, Luke’s’’ or the ‘“ Indian summer,” so we often have a sudden 
; wm of cold in the middle of May, This is notorious enough abroad to find expression in the 
ing proverbs :— 
Saint Mamert (May 11th), Saint Pancrace (May 12th), et Saint Gervais (May 13th), 
Sans froid ces Saints de glace ne vont jamais.” 
Bo too the Germans have three “‘ Ice saints,” and say :— 
“*Pancraz, Servaz, und Bonifaz (May 14th), sind drei Eismanner.” 
