XII. SUPERSTITIONS. 



IN Old-World countries the wolf was the origin of 

 many weird legends and tales. In the Northern 

 mythology it is stated that the giantess Sugerboda 

 bore wolves to Loke, den Onde, or the Wicked God : 



"Eastward, in the forest of iron, 

 Sat the Evil One, 

 And there begat 

 The young wolves." 



Likewise, the wolf of Pennsylvania gave rise to its 

 share of superstitions. Although only known to resi- 

 dents of the Commonwealth for two centuries, it left 

 an impress that will last for the next five hundred 

 years. Some of the old legends, however, have a 

 tendency to die out with the passing of the aged 

 people, the younger generations evincing little desire 

 to hand them down. There being few open fire places 

 left to cluster about on cold winter nights, family story- 

 telling is fast becoming a lost accomplishment. Fur- 

 thermore, unimaginative persons object to the hearing 

 or telling of stories the absolute truth of which cannot 

 be vouched for. Faith is unthinkable to such practical 

 individuals. Fortunately some few of the older stories 

 are still in existence, and several new ones have 

 cropped up during the past quarter of a century. Of 

 these last named the most celebrated is the one which 

 the writer of this article related in his volume of le- 

 gends, "Pennsylvania Mountain Stories," in Chapter 



96 



