Jan-uary 2, 1838] 



♦ KNOWLEDGE ♦ 



51 



even tbrougliout the whole atmospliere ; and the stream of life 

 on the earth had corresponded in character to this uniformity 

 of thermal condition. But as during millions of ages the 

 internal heat gradually diminished, the earth began to 

 lecognise, as it were, more dearly age after age the influ- 

 ence of the central sun, one day to become supreme in 

 determining the conditions of life. Throughout the later 

 Palaeozoic, the earlier and later Me.sozoic, and even the 

 earlier Cainozoic periods, the sun's influence was small in 

 determining diflerences of condition between diflerent parts 

 of the earth. But from the middle of the Tertiary era on- 

 ward to the beginning of the era which we recognise as 

 i-ecent — though in reality it has already lasted some 

 l!00,000 or 300,000 years— the influence of the sun has in 

 this sense been paramount, that it has divided the earth into 

 climates, corresponding generally though not exactly with 

 zones limited by various latitudes ; that is, with zones within 

 which the sun's direct influence as mensured by his mid- 

 d.iy height in diflerent parts of tie year has such and such 

 definite range. 



What we call the Quaternary period may be regarded as 

 beginning with the time when the sun's influence thus be- 

 came-predominant ; when the earth's suiface became divided 

 in respect to the forms of vegetable and animal li:e, as well 

 as in the astronomical sense, into the tropical and sub-tropical 

 zones, the temperate zones, and the arctic and antarctic 

 regions. The range of the various climates which we may 

 call ti'opical, temperate, and arctic, alteied measurably, even 

 markedly, from time to time. Sometimes the glacial regions 

 invaded regions which had been temperate in climate, nay, 

 had even presented semi-tropical forms of life ; at others 

 the ice ma.s.ses retreated even w ithin their present limits. 



MOON LORE AND ECLIPSE 

 SUPERSTITIONS. 



By " Stella Occidens." 



the beginning,, according to the Elder Edda, 

 there were two worlds — Xiflheim, or the 

 nebulous world, and Muspelheim, or the 

 fire-world. Muspelheim was so hot that it 

 jurncd and blazed. The heavenly bodies were 

 made from its sparks, and these were ])laced 

 in the heavens by the gods, to give light to 

 the world. 



The sun knew not bis proper siiberc, 



The stars knew not tbeir proper place. 



The moon knew not where her position was ;' 



There was nowhere grass until Bor's sons 



The expanse did raise, by whom the great Midgard was made. 



From the south the sun shone on the walls ; 



Then did the earth green herbs produce. 



The moon went aheSd, the sun followed, 



His right hand held the steeds of heaven. 



Mundilfare was the father of the sun and moon, and thej' 

 were placed in the heavens. The sun travels at a great 

 rate, as if some one were pursuing her for her destruction. 

 It was supposed that a wolf, called Skol, pursued the sun, 

 and would one day overtake and devour her. In like 

 manner a wolf called Hate — Hrodvitneson — runs before 

 the sun, and pursues the moon, that will one day be caught 

 by him. These two wolves are the sons of a giantess, who 

 dwells in a wood called Jarnved, situated east of Midgard 

 (the earth, and the abode of a race of witches). The most 

 formidable of all these witches is one called Maanagarm 

 (moon-swallower). He is filled with the life-blood of men 

 wlio draw near to their end, and he will swallow up the 



moon, and stain the heavens and the earth with their 

 blood : — 



The moons devourer, in form most fiend- like, 

 And tilled with the life-blood of the dead acd the dyiag. 

 Reddens with ruddy gore the seats of the high gods. 

 Then shall the sunshine of summer be darkened. 

 And fickle the weather ! Conceive ye this or not ? » 



A Mongolian myth asserts that the gods determined to 

 punish Arakho for his misdeeds; but he hid so well that no 

 one could find his hiding-place. They therefore asked the 

 sun, who gave an unsatisfactory answer; but when they 

 asked the moon, she told where he was. So Arakho was 

 dragged forth and chastised. In revenge he pursues the 

 sun and moon, and, whenever he comes near enough, an 

 eclipse occurs. To help the sun and moon in their sad 

 plight a tremendous noise is made, till Arakho is scared 

 away. 



The Aleutians and the Icelanders apparently have the 

 idea that the moon should be treated with great respect, 

 otherwise she would punish them by throwiug down stones. 

 A story is told about an Icelander who stole a piece of cheese. 

 Whilst he was eating it, he happened to notice the moon 

 shining brightly overhead. He stuck a piece on the end of 

 his knife and otTered it to the moon. Another time a sheep- 

 stealer, who was feasting on a leg of mutton he had stolen, 

 observed the moon shining bright and clear. Ho also in- 

 vited the moon to take part in the feast in the following 

 words : — 



O moon, wilt thou 



Od thy mouth now 

 This dainty bit of mutton eat ? 



A voice from the heavens replied : — 



Wouldst thou, thief, like 

 Thy cheek to strike 

 This fair key, scorching red with beat ? 



A red-hot key fell from the sk}^ burning on the thief's 

 cheek a mark which remained for ever afterwards. This 

 was supposed to have originated the custom of branding 

 thieves, though why a key should have been chosen in this 

 case it is difficult to imagiue.t In Scotland, Devonshire, 

 and Cornwall, pointing at the moon is an insult to \>e care- 

 fully avoided, or the most dire results may follow. 



At Whitby when the moon is surrounded by a halo of 

 watery clouds, the seamen say that there will be a change 

 of weather, for the moon-dogs are about. An amusing 

 story is told about a fisherman in Torquay. A gale having 

 taken place during the night, he said he had foreseen it, as 

 he had noticed a star ahead of the moon towing her, and 

 another astern chasing her — " I know'd 'twas coming safe 

 enough." 



In the Yedic hymns Rakha, the full moon, is supposed to 

 make beautiful garments for night and morning, with a 

 needle which can never be broken. She weaves together 

 the roseate hues of morning, and the soft mellow tints of 

 evening. The Danes have elves called " Moon Folk." The 

 man of this race is like an old man with a low- crowned hat 

 upon his head ; the woman is very beautiful in front but 

 behind she is hollow, like a dough-trough, and she has a 

 sort of harp on which she plays and lures young men with 

 it, and then kills them. The man is also an evil being, for 

 if any one comes near him he opens his mouth and breathes 

 upon the rash moital, and his breath causes sickness. It 

 is easy to see what this tradition means ; it is the damp 

 marsh wind laden with foul and dangerous odours ; and 

 the woman's harp is the wind playing across the marsh- 



* "Xorse Mythology," Anderson, pp. 17C-1T9. 

 ■f Harley, " Moon Lore," p. 150. 



