The green lizard of popular superstition is partly solar and partly lunar; the firefly and the quail, as summer animals, are sacred to the sun; as watchers by night, to the moon.
Telesius of the Cosentino wrote an elegant Latin poem upon the firefly or cicindela, in the seventeenth century.
Children are accustomed to catch the firefly and put it under a glass, hoping in the morning they will find a coin instead of the firefly.
And inasmuch as thefirefly shines by night, it is more probable that it represented the moon than the sun in popular mythical beliefs.
It is said in Tuscany that the firefly gives light to the wheat when the corn begins to grow in the ear; when it has grown, the firefly disappears.
The firefly disappears as soon as the ears are ripe, i.
The firefly flogged; it gives light to the wheat; the shepherd's candle.
Up to the vaulted firmament His path the firefly courser bent, And at every gallop on the wind, He flung a glittering spark behind; He flies like a feather in the blast Till the first light cloud in heaven is past.
Each flickering star behind him lies, And he has reached the northern plain, And backed his firefly steed again, Ready to follow in its flight The streaming of the rocket-light.
Miss Dorcas clucked and jerked the lines, and Firefly ambled homeward, now jog-trotting along the road, now pausing to nibble grass on the wayside.
Firefly followed the winding of the river-road mile after mile, along meadows, fields, and wooded hills, fair in the hazy sunlight.
Firefly turned at last from the highway to a plantation road and stopped at a log cabin.
She was like a firefly on a dark night flashing here and there brilliantly, lucidly; yet giving no clue to her own self except this--that she did not match with the exact sciences.
Not a sign; the white oleanders were shining in the dark foliage; a firefly or two--nothing more.
She got as far as the first oak tree on the slope and had actually snatched a limb, intending to swing herself and Firefly into it, when Limberleg, screaming with fury, reached the spot.
Before they could stop her, she had seized Firefly and dragged her away.
They had never seen clams before, and Firefly got her finger pinched.
Firefly took it in her hand, but her hands were not quite so tough as Grannie's and it burned her like everything!
Firefly could never stay quiet for very long and now she broke into the story.
Firetop took his spear in his hand and poked Firefly gently in the ribs with it.
Limberleg andFirefly stayed behind to hunt in the bushes for the grouse's nest.
Instantly Firetop braced himself and flung his spear, and before Limberleg or Firefly could catch up with him, he was far beyond them down the slope, struggling with the wounded bird.
When he heard that, Firetop pokedFirefly in the ribs.
At least the others were asleep, but for some reason Firetop and Firefly stayed awake.
She thought that Freddie Firefly wasted too much of his time dancing in the meadow at night.
After that Freddie Firefly had to listen to a good many titters from his friends.
So she sent Miss Moth over to the meadow, to find Freddie Firefly and ask him if he wouldn't come to the orchard because Mrs. Ladybug wanted to talk with him.
Once Freddie Firefly announced with great pride that at last he knew where Mrs. Ladybug was rearing her family.
I was just going over to the meadow, for Freddie Firefly will be there soon.
And Freddie Firefly exclaimed that it would be very annoying to him if Mrs. Ladybug gave the alarm of fire whenever she saw his flickering gleams on pleasant evenings in the meadow.
But hold,--observe yon little mount of pines, Where the breeze murmurs and the firefly shines.
The Philadelphia Record says: "No more absorbing romance of the war has been written than 'The Firefly of France.
There he played with the little Firefly boys, romping about, running back and forth, pretending to be thinking of nothing but their amusement, for the Fireflies guarded their fire carefully and would let no one touch it.
Suddenly he dashed through the great fire which always burned in the centre of the village, and was off before the Firefly people knew what he had done.
Firefly neighed and danced in his delight at seeing me, and even his more stolid mate was disposed to make a demonstration of joy; for both animals had been in the habit of spending their nights in a comfortable stable.
Firefly will go as straight to his stable as he can," I replied, loosing him, and securing the halter around his neck.
Firefly was well trained, and understood his business perfectly.
We shall be obliged to watch our horses after this; for I would rather shoot old Firefly than have him abused by those redskins.
Old Fireflyand Cracker were ahead of us, but we could hear the tramp of their feet, and were satisfied that they were on the right track.
On the way, I heard old Firefly neigh; and then I remembered that I had left him there when I started to follow the Indians.
We proceeded with great care, though we made noise enough to apprise Firefly of the approach of friends.
I hoped old Firefly would speak again, and I ventured upon a low whistle, to inform him of my presence, but he did not respond.
Firefly and Cracker were harnessed, and I had only to take my seat on the load.
We placed all the baggage on the wagon with the piano-case, and for the last time I drove old Firefly and Cracker down to the landing.
We needn't spend much time thinking about it," said I, after I had patted Firefly on the neck to assure him I was still his friend.
I will not be absent long," I replied, as I urged Firefly forward.
The Fireflywas run at her best speed during the rest of the day, but her course for a large portion of the time was through a dense Nova Scotia fog, and nothing was seen or heard.
One by one, the gunboats were ordered north, and in June the Fireflydropped her anchor off the navy yard at Charlestown.
The Firefly found abundant occupation, though there was no opportunity for brilliant and startling achievements; but she bore her full share in the hard work and disagreeable drudgery of the occasion.
Though the darkness had settled down upon the chase, the Firefly continued the pursuit with unabated vigor.
The Fireflysteamed up the river with her illustrious passenger, and at the invitation of the admiral, Somers accompanied him to Richmond.
The Firefly reciprocated the attention of the Ben Ledi, and moved slowly towards her, for Somers was careful not to excite suspicion by being precipitate.
When the two vessels had come about so as to make a fair wind, the Firefly had been the first to spread her canvas, and the superior discipline of her crew was thus made apparent.
The Firefly had run down so that the Ben Ledi was on her port beam, about eight miles distant.
The city was a nest of "secesh sympathizers," and the captain of the Firefly was not received with much enthusiasm outside of the American consulate.
The Firefly was ordered to the James River, in the vicinity of which the last groan of the expiring monster of Rebellion was soon to be heard; and on the 20th of March she was on her winding way up the stream.
The furnaces of the Firefly were now worked to their utmost capacity, and every expedient to make steam was resorted to by the excited engineers and firemen.
The past, the present, and the future, were discussed, and Somers went on board the Firefly the happiest of mortals.
Rear Admiral Porter now ordered the Firefly to be placed at the disposal of the Old Salamander, and Somers was happy in the duty assigned to him.
Everything that would add a fraction of a knot to the speed of the Firefly was done.
Somers kept cool in spite of his chagrin; and believing the Ben Ledi would run for Wilmington, where she would probably be fitted out as a cruiser, he headed the Firefly in that direction, and gave chase.
The electric firefly which has been used in the play of the "Kaffir Diamond" depends upon a somewhat similar device.
Then I'm going as skipper of The Firefly steamer, Port o' London, to Algiers.
And if I see fit I shall detain him until the inquest is over," said Date, which was mere bluff, as the inspector had no warrant to stop The Firefly or arrest her skipper.
I also said that the signed paper would be handed in at the Gartley jetty when The Firefly came down stream to-morrow night.
They circled the end of Firefly Lake, and then walked a short distance in the direction of Lake Cameron.
The boys were made to give up their comfortable camp, and then they went to Firefly Lake, a mile away.
They were still miles from their camp on Firefly Lake and all wondered if they would get back in safety.
These they began to follow and soon saw that they led down towards the neck that connected Firefly Lake with Lake Cameron.
The tramp was given something of another outfit and a third of the money promised to him, and he agreed to accept the rest of the money when he had done the "job" atFirefly Lake.
Driven away from the vicinity of Lake Cameron, they had to make another wide detour, and it was one o'clock before they came in sight of Firefly Lake, nestling so cozily among the hills.
The tramp had taken it for granted that Snap and Shep had started for the camp on Firefly Lake and would make no further effort to bring him to justice.
Once over the hills back of Firefly Lake, they took to a route that was new to them, leading through a heavy belt of spruce timber and then over a sloping stretch running down to the lowlands.
Then Snap was to go home and tell his father of what had occurred, and Shep was to take the news to the camp on Firefly Lake.
They had thought to take almost a direct course to Firefly Lake, but after covering a mile found this impossible.
Firefly Lake was a beautiful sheet of water, or ice, located a mile from Lake Cameron, and about eleven miles from Fairview.
It was pleasant enough when the sun showed itself, and by eight o'clock the two young hunters were on their journey to Firefly Lake.
There were two or three other fireflies talking to the King, but they all stopped and moved aside when they saw the old firefly coming up with his lantern gone out, and carrying me.
Everybody exclaimed at this and crowded about the old firefly to tell him how sorry they were.
If you have ever had a firefly on your hand you know how sticky their legs feel.
At last the day of the party arrived and every single firefly had gone except my old keeper and me.
Pretty soon, down at the edge of a field of tall grasses, I saw an old firefly poking about as if he were looking for something.
Then, one day, a young firefly came bustling up to the prison in great excitement.
I was terribly surprised and a bit frightened, for that horrid old firefly thought that I had done it on purpose.
Well, the old firefly held me by all his legs, squeezing me tight and mussing my party feathers.
Adown the dark the firefly marks Its flight in gold and emerald sparks; And, loosened from his chain, The shaggy mastiff bounds and barks, And barks again.
Back to the cities, the firefly cities, the glowworm cities where we can hide, The beautiful cities of Faeryland.
The pond, above which evening bent To gaze upon her gypsy face; Wherein the twinkling night would trace A vague, inverted firmament; In which the green frogs tuned their bass, And firefly sparkles came and went.
Going to leave here--this lake; this swamp; this firefly lamp?
He had not paddled his scow more than half an hour over the dark but moon-streaked waters of the lake, when he met with the maiden who, all night long, by her firefly lamp, doth paddle her light canoe.
Look down in the garden how The fireflylights are flitting now!
While he stood looking around him in bewilderment, a Firefly alighted on his arm.
They stopped first in the Witch's orchard, and the Firefly held its lantern up while the Prince filled his pockets with the fruit.
The Firefly led him on until they came to a town where was a fine inn.
In his hand, however, he held not a club, but a lantern, in which a firefly did service as candle.
And the shadow smiled and gazed At the child; then softly raised Its arms and seemed to grow To a tree in the attic low: And from its glimmering hands Shook emerald seeds of dreams, From which grew fairy bands, Like fireflymotes and gleams.
After the ceremony the brother of the bride turns himself into a firefly and follows her new sister-in-law.
So he used his power and he became a firefly and he flew.
The firefly said, "Do not strike at me, for I fear you will hit my headaxe and be cut.
The girl vanishes, but Aponitolau turns himself into a firefly and finds her.
