One of the superstitions prevailing in Devonshire is, that any
individual neglecting to kill the first butterfly he may see for the
season will have ill-luck throughout the year. The following recent
example is given by a young lady:--“The other Sunday, as we were walking
to church, we met a man running at full speed, with his hat in one hand,
and a stick in the other. As he passed us, he exclaimed, ‘I sha’n’t
hat’en now, I b’lieve.’ He did not give us time to inquire what he was
so eagerly pursuing; but we presently overtook an old man, whom we knew
to be his father, and who being very infirm, at upwards of seventy,
generally hobbled about by the aid of two sticks. Addressing me, he
observed, ‘My _zin_ a took away wan a’ my sticks, miss, wan’t be ebble
to kill’n now, though, I b’lieve.’ ‘Kill what?’ said I. ‘Why, ’tis a
butterfly, miss, the _furst_ hee’th a zeed for the year; and they zay
that a body will have cruel bad luck if a ditn’en kill a _furst_ a
zeeth.’”[198]
[198] Dorset Chronicle, May, 1825.
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