CHAPTER IX

Miscellaneous Items

" Follow me: I'll tell you strange things."- SHAKESPEARE.

Maternal Uncles.

T is believed that if a maternal uncle should attemptto cross a river in the same ferry with his nephewthe boat will most certainly go down. During a stormif they happen to be in the same house, the place willbe destroyed by a thunderbolt. A nephew will nottouch his uncle's head nor his shoes, nor will he eatfood which has been left over by him. The uncle willnot strike or beat his sister's son, and if he shouldstumble against him by accident, he will ask hispardon. I knew a man afflicted with palsy, and thisaffliction was attributed to his having beaten hisnephew.

Aversion to Killing a Cat.

It is said that he who kills a cat will be responsiblefor all the sins committed by that animal, and sincethese are numerous, because of the many lives of birdsand rats destroyed by the offending cat, the peoplehave a strong aversion to killing that animal.

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