When the bull leads the herd

23 April

Lore and belief

England

Hone quotes an old book on husbandry for signs of rain in cattle. If the bull led a herd of cows out to pasture in the morning and held them back so none went before him, rain or storm was coming; if he let them wander on as they liked, the weather would hold. Cows eating more than usual or licking their hoofs all over meant rain at once, and cows running about, kicking and stretching out their tails meant tempests.

if the bull lead the van, and keep back his company that they go not before him, it is a prognostic of rainy or tempestuous weather

From Hone's Every-Day Book, vol. 1, col. 506. Read the original

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Folklore from the old calendars

St George cries go, St Mark cries ho Lore and belief WiltshireAubrey noted a Wiltshire proverb pairing two April saints' days two days apart, St George's on the 23rd and St Mark's on the 25th.
The St George pageant at Dublin No longer kept LeinsterThe chain book of the city of Dublin laid down who was to provide what for the St George's Day pageant.
Riding the George at Leicester No longer kept LeicestershireAt Leicester the riding of the George was one of the chief ceremonies of the town year.
Blue coats for St George No longer kept EnglandHone recorded that until the beginning of the nineteenth century people of fashion wore coats of blue cloth on St George's Day.
The swan against the wind Lore and belief SurreyA man living on the Thames at Kingston told Hone that when a swan flew any distance against the wind, however fine the weather looked, a wind of almost hurricane strength was certain within twenty-four hours, and usually within twelve.
The mail-coach procession No longer kept LondonKing George IV, born on 12 August, moved the keeping of his birthday to St George's Day, and on the king's birthday the London mail coaches went in yearly procession.
The St George’s Day bells at Chester No longer kept CheshireIn 1609 or 1610 the sheriff of Chester, Robert Amory, had three silver bells made to be run for by horses on the Roodee every St George's Day, the winner keeping the best bell for a year.

When the bull leads the herd

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