Mother Goose Almanack. Mother Goose rhymes and tales have appeared in manuscripts since the time of Henry VIII of England, and some have links to earlier oral traditions.

An anonymous author who compiled Mother Goose’s Melody in 1765 wrote, “The custom of singing these songs and lullabies to children is of great antiquity: It is even as old as the time of the ancient Druids.”

Signs that foretell the seasons are commonplace in these verses, too, for by observing the weather at certain phases of the moon and on certain Saint’s Days, country people had a handle on what the coming weeks and months would be like.

In January, “If St. Paul’s Day (January 25) be fair and clear / It does betide a happy year.” But if “Candlemas Day (February 2) be fair and bright / Winter will have another flight” (as the groundhog recently foretold in Punxsutawney, PA).

In March or April, “He who is born on Easter morn / will never know want or care or harm.”

We learn, too, that “A swarm of bees in May / is worth a load of hay,” but in July “not worth a fly.” And that “Thistles cut in May, they grow in a day” but “cut them in July, then they will die.”

The face of winter is determined on Michealmas Day (September 29). If the day foretells a bountiful acorn crop, “Christmas will cover the fields with snow.” Also, if the day “be fair,” winter’s skies will be sunny and “bring cheer.”

A new format. After two years of preparing weekly columns for “River Talk,” I’ll be sharing the space with Sandy Long, a friend whose columns and articles have long graced The River Reporter. Sandy will write next week’s column, and then we’ll take turns.