The Donkeys Are Getting Married

[Peter A. McGraw]

I'm not sure, either, what the post had to do with ADS, but it reminded me
of a discussion that occurred on the list several years ago.  The topic was
"sunshowers," and someone was inquiring about folk beliefs connected with
them.  (A "sunshower," a term I hadn't heard until that query, is a
rainshower that occurs simultaneously with sunshine.)  There are all sorts
of events connected with animals that a sunshower is said to indicate.  I
contributed a recollection from my childhood that "That means it's a
monkey's birthday."  But as I recall, the majority of the betokened events
were weddings of various animals (sorry, I've forgotten which animals).

Whether these sayings have anything to do with India--or rain-making
rituals anywhere--I don't know.

Peter Mc.

--On Thursday, August 23, 2001 7:31 PM -0400 "Dennis R. Preston"
<preston at PILOT.MSU.EDU> wrote:

> I'm not sure why a post informing us that donkeys are marrying is any
> more (or less) appropriate than one noting that George W. Bush is
> president. The first make more sense to me (especially if it rains),
> but, to avoid insulting coservatives, what's either got to do with
> ADS?
>
> dInIs
>
>> Villagers hope donkey weddings will end drought - Ananova Alerting
>>
>> Farmers in a drought-stricken Indian district have conducted marriage
>> ceremonies for donkeys to appease the rain god.
>>
>> Donkeys are considered to be down-trodden. People believe doing them a
>> good
>> deed will bring good luck.
>>
>> Villagers from Kurlapalli in Andhra Pradesh state carried out the
>> "weddings"
>> in a bid to end a prolonged drought and successive crop failures.
>>
>> In neighbouring Atmakur, people offered 101 pots of water to local
>> deities
>> after carrying them nearly one kilometre.
>>
>> Unmarried men and women also conducted special religious rituals and
>> offered
>> special prayers, reports Mid-Day newspaper.
>>
>> See this story on the web at
>> http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_366219.html
>> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>
> --
> Dennis R. Preston
> Department of Linguistics and Languages
> Michigan State University
> East Lansing MI 48824-1027 USA
> preston at pilot.msu.edu
> Office: (517)353-0740
> Fax: (517)432-2736



****************************************************************************
                               Peter A. McGraw
                   Linfield College   *   McMinnville, OR
                            pmcgraw at linfield.edu