A Little Bird Told Me
The time worn phrase, "a little bird told me," evolved from
beliefs in times way back when...back to ancient times. People believed
that birds could talk and bring messages to them. The New
Testament describes such happening.
Birds carrying on in various ways around a dwelling or barn,
were feared by superstitious people...were interpreted as signs of death coming to
a member of the household.
When a bird flew around a doorway or pecked at a window, many
people thought the bird was trying to get into their soul and were
coaxing them to die.
Birds were also thought to be messengers of the spirits of
the dead, because they flew up into the sky where spirits were
believed to live. They were thought to beckon loved ones to the
kingdom where spirits longed for them...a grieving widow might be known
to tell her family, "A little bird told me my time is near and I
should prepare for my journey."
Sparrows were known to carry the souls of the dead...believed
to be unlucky to kill one.
An omen of bad luck...if a bird flew down the stove pipe and came into
the house, my grandma would fan her apron or run for the broom
to shew it back outside...for fear of the bad luck it would bring.
