RANDOM NOTES

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 57, 30 November 1934, Page 10

RANDOM NOTES

Sidelights on Current Events

(By]

Kickshaws.)

A man in England claims to have crawled on all fours for seven miles. A tired out hiker, presumably. * * * A play dealing with cricket, it seems, is being considered by a well-known dramatist. Let us hope that it will not have a short run. *» ■ » It is stated that France has decided to introduce a new deal. Host of the new deal, we understand, will be used ■ for cabinet-making purposes. * * * To-day’s lushing yarn comes from England. “An angler, while fishing for kelpie, eventually succeeded in hooking a 12in. kelpie,” says “Spare the Rod.” “As he was hauling it m a 2ft. cod snapped at the kelpie and swallowed it, including, of course, the hook in the kelpie. The angler slowly fought the double catch toward the pier when a 4ft.-long cod swallowed the first cod and the kelpie. Hastily taking a turn round a bollard, the. angler fought might and main to land his multiple catch. Before he succeeded fin doing so, a shark swallowed the three fish on the hook. Removing his line from the bollard, the angler put it round a winch which a workman was testing nearby. After three -hours’ struggle the catch was hauled close alongside, when, to their surprise, there was a swirl iu the water, and a whale swallowed shark and all. Removing-the line from the steam winch, they hitched it.on to a steam crane. The fight went on for another three hours. '•Vhen thev happened to look baci. they discovered that they were out of sight of land. Tier and all had been dragged out to sea.” „ fThwe yarns will end on Saturday.! ... ‘ * * * Amid the pomp and ceremony of yesterday’s wedding there, peeped out now ami again customs that take us back into the past many hundreds of years Mvrtle, of course, which was worn by the bride, is sacred to the Goddess of Love—Venus. The wearing of this goes back almost to pagan times, and it is supposed to ensure wedded bliss for the whole of the married life. As regards the -wedding ring, it is no haphazard coincidence that the bridegroom places it on the third finger of his bride. In order to find the origin of this custom one must go back to the days of ancient Egyptians, when anatomy was not such a cut-and-dried knowledge that it is today. These ancient Egyptians were under the impression that a small artery directly connected this finger with the heart, the symbol of love. After having tried out the thumb, the fourth linger and the right hand, the custom has again reverted to the third linger of the left hand. the ring itself is a symbol of eternity. But the significance of the wedding ring has changed from century to century. Originally it was ■ part of the price paid to the father of J the bride—it wasjhen made of iron.

It is a curious fact that the bridal veil, which is such an important accessory to a wedding to-day, royal or otherwise, was not fashionable until the days of Shakespeare. Before that time brides wore their hair loose amt flowing round their shoulders, as a sign that they were still free. Directly after marriage they were compelled oj custom to plait it up. In some P art: s of the world the bridal veil goes back to almost caveman days., To this day in China. Persia and many other lands the veil completely hides the face or the bride in its folds. The throwing of rice, or its modern counterpart, confetti’ originally came from the East, where rice is a symbol of food. Throwing rice is a symbol of plenty. The throwing of the old shoe, however, has no .such pleasant origin. The shoe in the old days was a recognised instrument of castigation. When the bride’s father formally cast a slim? behind the departing pair he handed over to the husband the right to "spank. Indeed, in the early days the husband retrieved the shoe and formally dealt his wife a blow on the head as a sign that he recognised this transfer or authority.

There are more superstitions about weddings than about any other phase of life. “Green's forsaken and yellow s forsworn,” runs the old couplet. These two colours have always been considered the colours of jealousy. Moreover, green symbolises fickleness. Inis couplet is but a prelude to a whole host’ of other superstitions. It is ulilucky for a bride to see a raven on the way to church or to meet a funeral. She must not look at herself iu the glass after she is completely dressed for the ceremony. On the other hand, it is very lucky for a cat to sneeze at this moment, or for a spider to spin a web on her wedding gown. “Blest is the bride that the sun shines on.’ whisper those who line .the route or wait at the church. There is more goodwill toward a successful marriage than toward any other event affecting two individuals. Moreover, it is considered essential at a wedding ceremony that the bridegroom’s calling shall be represented. In the old days the fisherman and his bride walked over the nets, the carpenter's path was strewn with chips, and the blacksmith’s with horseshoes. Let us hope the path will be strewn with roses for England’s new princess. *

Palmerston North may not be a pretty name, but it seein.s a little ridiculous to change it. because there is a Palmerston South, One might add that there are no less than four places in Britain called New York If Palmerston North hud been called Maggots’ End, Bigods, Snoreham-in-Ruins, Porridge Pot, Hungry hail, or Nether Wallop, one could well understand a desire for a change. Yet those places mentioned are all to be found in England, and so far their names have remained unchanged. Before making an 'innecessary change in the name of ft town, it might be well, first, to make a few necessary changes. Strictly rpeaking. Petone is a hybrid, that is neither English nor Maori. How it, was so called is a mystery. Pito-one was the real name, meaning "S.indsend.” Perhaps the latter is something of a mouthful, but Petone now goes down the years as the mutilated remains of its real self. It is the same with Tolaga Bay. There is no such j lace. Captain Cook is the culprit. It is said that, pointing to the northwest, lie asked a Maori the name of the. land. Thinking he was referring to the wind, the Maori said. "Teraki. Cook misheard the word and called it Tolaga. * ♦ • Happy that man, and happy he alone. He-who can call to-day his own; He who. secure within, can say. To-morrow do thy worst, for I have lived' to-day. > —Dryden.