34. Westland Row, Dublin.
FOLK LORE.
Superstitions respecting Bees.
—It is a subject for painful reflection, that beings of so great skill and useful industry should be so liable to take affront, as is proved by the anecdotes related of bees by L. L. L. Who would not grieve, that bees—who have been said to partake of the Divine nature,
"Esse apibus partem divinæ mentis et haustus
Ætherios dixêre"—
should reduce themselves, by this susceptibility of offence at (in most cases imaginary) neglect, to a level with the weakness and folly of human creatures,—I say human creatures; for in the country I have known feuds caused by omitting to bid to the funeral of a deceased neighbour, or to send black gloves. It was to be hoped that these "offensiones muliebres" (we may add "viriles" also) were peculiar to the human race; but that, it is apparent, is not so. The custom of giving a piece of the funeral cake is new to me; though it looks like want of feeling to be greedy of cake in the hour of affliction, yet there is a sort of retributive fitness in presenting to these busy people
"Melle soporatam et medicatis frugibus offam."
It is a grateful acknowledgment of past favours conferred upon the deceased head of the family, and a retainer for future services to the survivors.
With regard to the custom of informing the bees of a death in the family, and the penalty of omitting to do so, I can add to the proof of it. I find among some memoranda I made more than five-and-twenty years ago, the following note: