Informing Bees Of A Death In A Family
: BIRDS AND BEASTS.Formerly it was the custom to tell the bees of a death in the family.
The head of the house whispered the news to the bees in the hive. If
this were neglected, it was thought that another death would soon follow
the previous one. Instead of speaking to the bees, it was the custom, in
some parts of Wales, to turn the bee-hive round before starting the
funeral. This was always done by the representative of the family, and
Mrs. Jones, Rhydycroesau Rectory, informed me that an old man, David
Roberts of Llanyblodwel, once came to her in deep grief, after the
funeral of his grandchild, because he had forgotten to turn the bee-hive
before the funeral started for the church. He said that he was in such
distress at the loss of the child, that he had neglected to tell the bees
of the death, and, said he, some other member of the family is now sure
to go. He informed Mrs. Jones that he had turned the hive at the death
of his old woman, and that consequently no death had followed hers in his
family.
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