192 SUPEHSTiTiONS WITH MMARD TO BeES. 



remembering something that had happened at the 

 same time, began to think, without any reason what- 

 ever, that the two things were connected together. 

 And when perhaps, by a curious coincidence, the 

 same two things happened again at the same time, 

 the idea began to take root, and so grew, as supersti- 

 tions will grow, until at last people became quite 

 persuaded that if such or such a thing happened it 

 would certainly bring misfortune to the bees. 



With some foolish or ignorant people it is con- 

 sidered very unlucky to walk under a ladder. Of 

 course it may be dangerous, but ' uhlucky ' has no 

 meaning. With others there is a superstitious belief 

 that if thirteen persons sit down to dinner together 

 one will die before the year is out. Many foolishly 

 think it is unlucky to spill salt at table ; others that 

 it is unlucky and portends a death if a dog howls at 

 night near a house. Sailors think it unlucky to set 

 sail on a Friday. 



And then with bees. There is a common supersti- 

 tion that it is most unlucky to sell them except for 

 gold. Hence in many parts the usual price of a 

 swarm is half-a-sovereign, to be paid in gold. Again, 

 some people think it unlucky to begin bee-keeping by 

 buying the bees of their first stock. If they are 

 bought they will do no good ; the stock must be a 

 present, or a swarm must come of its own accord. I 

 remember that when I. began bee-keeping many years 

 ago I was told that I should be lucky because my 

 first stock was a present from a friend. 



Another curious idea prevalent in some parts of 

 the country, as told by Harris, is that if bees, when 



