(3)
"Rainbow, rainbow,
Brack an gang hame,
Yir father and mither's aneth the grave stehn."
Even more touching is the appeal made by the children in Berwickshire, according to Mr. Henderson (469. 24, 25):—
"Rainbow, rainbow, hand awa' hame,
A' yer bairns are dead but ane,
And it lies sick at yon gray stane,
And will be dead ere you win hame.
Gang owre the Drumaw And down by the side o' yonder sea;
Your bairn lies greeting [crying] like to dee,
And the big tear-drop is in his e'e."
Sometimes the child-priest or weather-maker has to employ an intermediary. On the island of Rugen and in some other parts of Germany the formula is (466 a. 132):—
"Leeve Katriene
Lat de stinnen schienen,
Lat'n ragen overgahn,
Lat de stunnen wedder kam'n."
["Dear (St.) Catharine,
Let the sun shine,
Let the rain pass off,
Let the sun come again.">[
In Eugen the glow-worm is associated with "weather-making." The children take the little creature up, put it on their hand and thus address it (466 a. 133):—
"Sunnskurnken fleeg weech,
Bring mi morgen good wader,
Lat 'en ragen overgahn,
Lat de sunnen wedder kam'n,
Bring mi morgen good wader."
If the insect flies away, the good weather will come; if not, there will be rain.
The Altmark formula, as given by Danneil (Worterb., p. 81) is:—
"Herrgottswörmk'n, flêg nao'n Himmel, segg dîn Vaoder un Mutter, dat't morgen un äöwermorg'n gôd Wäd'r wart." ["Little God's-worm, fly to heaven, tell your father and mother to make it fine weather to-morrow and the day after to-morrow.">[