THOSE HALCYON DAYS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 137, 11 June 1932, Page 3 (Supplement)

THOSE HALCYON DAYS.

People in England often speak of a period of peace and happiness as Being "halcyon days." What is the meaning of the phrase? There is an interesting story attached to it. Certain days in December were always spoken of by the ancients as "halcyon days," and they were the seven days before and the seven days after the shortest day, popularly supposed to be December 21, but actuully December 22. "Halcyon days" were supposed to be those of fine and calm weather, although they are certainly not always fine. "Halcyon" is a name often given to the kingfisher, and, indeed, it is the' Greek name or that bird. Here is the old classical story, that tells of the kingfisher's connection with these days. ■ Ceyx was the Xing of Trachys, and lived very happily with his wife, whose name was Halcyohe. One day, when returning from Delphi, Ccyx. was shipwrecked and drowned, and his body was washed ashore. So grieved was his wife that she threw herself into the sea and was also drowned. In gompassion for their unhappy fate the gods changed them into kingfishers, and henceforth the

name of halcyon was given to that bird.

According to the popular idea the kingfisher used to hatch her young round about the shortest day of the year, on a nest floating in the sea, and the weather was generally calm at that time. Of course, t-ha kingfisher is not a. sea-bird at all, but builds its nest in a hole in the river bank. The poet Dryden, following the legend, speaks of "halcyons brooding on a winter's eea."