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Note: If an American heard crickets on Christmas Day, then she would probably make a note to call the exterminator. However, the Irish have a tradition of augury going back to the ancient Druids.
When Dio Chrysostom [born AD 40, died AD 111] said that the Druids were 'well versed in the art of seers and prophets' he was simply stating general knowledge of his day. From the earliest Greek and Roman sources it was claimed that the Druids practiced auguries, could foretell the future and 'interpret nature'. The reputation of the Druids as seers, prophets, diviners and augurers is confirmed by a Celtic writer of the first century B.C. Trogus [The Celtic word 'Trog' evolved into the modern Irish word 'trua' meaning 'miserable'.] Pompeius ... who wrote ... in Latin ... with some obvious personal pride and authority, 'the Gauls excel all others in the skill of augury'.That crickets would be a good omen on Christmas Day is hinted at by the Irish word for cricket, 'píobaire an teallaigh,' which literally means 'the piper of the fireplace.' ('Teallaigh' is the genitive singular form of 'teallach.') Another word for cricket is 'píobaire gríosí' which literally means 'the piper of the hot ashes (embers)', i.e., meaning the same as the other word for cricket. ' ('Gríosaí' is the genitive singular form of 'gríosach.') It is, therefore, natural to believe that it is good luck to have a band of insect pipers around your hearth celebrating the birth of the Saviour.Peter Berresford Ellis, The Druids, Willam B. Eerdmans Publishing, 1994, pp. 220-221. |
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