Laumes Nulemia Naujagimio Ateiti/The Fairies Fortell A Newborns Future
This folktale is taken from a collection of folktales compiled by Jonas
Balys. Fairies, who are closely associated with the Lithuanian Goddess
of Fortune, Laima, can fortell the future of newborns - as presented below.
A fairie would come to a window and would yell, "Hundreds
born, hundreds died, what of his fate?" Another would answer back, "Birth
at night, death at night." And again they would yell and moan at the window.
From within another would answer, "This nightly birth is a big lay about,
to consume his whole life long." Again, yelling at the window, "Hundreds
born, hundreds dead, what of his fate?" Another answers, "Morning time
born will be a strong worker." And again, after a time, the same questioning.
The answer was "Noontime born is a very happy child, full of life and true
wealth."
