Bif the Rev. A. C. Smith. 



45 



And this : — 



" Mackerel sky, mackerel sky, 

 Never long wet, and never long dry."* 



And this : — 



" Rain before seven, 

 Fine before eleven." f 



And this again : 



" A Rainbow in the morning 



Is the shepherd's warning ; 



A Rainbow at night 



Is the shepherd's delight." 



Or, as it is rendered in the vernacular of our downs : — 



" The rainbow in the marnin 

 Gives the shepherd warnin 

 To car er's gurt cwoat on er's back; 

 The rainbow at night 

 Is the shepherd's delight 

 For then no gurt cwoat will er lack ; " \ 



• Another cloud proverb, though unknown in Wiltshire, is:— 



" If woolly fleeces spread the heavenly way, 

 Be sure no rain disturbs tbe summer's day." 



+ Tbe following proverbs with reference to rain and wind are to be heard amongst our sea- 

 faring people on the coasts.- — 



" "When the rain comes before the winds 

 You may reef when it begins ; 

 But when the wind comes before the rain 

 You may hoist your topsails up again." 



" When the wind is in the North, 

 The skilful fisher goes not forth." 



J In considering this prognostic, it should be borne in mind that in the former case the rainbow 

 will appear in the west, and in the latter in the east. The same proverb is in use also across the 

 Channel :— 



" Arc en ciel du soir 



Fait beau temps prevoir ; 

 Arc en ciel du matinee 

 Du laboureur finit la journee," 

 But elsewhere in France it is differently read :— 



" Arc en ciel du levant 

 Beau temps ; 

 Arc en ciel du midi 

 Pluie." 



The rainbow however has always attracted especial notice as a weather guide, though its intelli- 

 gence is variously interpreted. It is also generally known throughout Europe by some term of 

 endearment or title of honour, testifying to the universal reverence in which it is held. Thus by 

 the old Nortemen it was called " Asbru " or " The Bridge of the Gods." In Lithuania, " Laima's 

 Girdle," the " weather rod," or " Heaven's bow." In Catalonia, " St. Martin's bow." In Lorraine, 

 *• St. Leonard's Belt," or "St. Bernard's Crown." In Bavaria, "Heaven's King," or "The Sun's 

 Ring." In Finland, " Heaven's Bow." In Croatia, " The God's Seat," (Swainson's Handbook of 

 Weather Lore.) 



