Chapter Rab and his Friends to Raine of R by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Rag and Famish (The), the Army and Navy Club; so christened by Punch. The rag refers to the flag, and the famish to the bad cuisine.

Ragged Regiment (The), the wan figures in Westminster Abbey, in a gallery over Islip’s Chapel.

Ragnarök, the last days of the world, or the twilight of the gods.—Scandinavian Mythology.

Railway King (The), George Hudson of Yorkshire, chairman of the North Midland Company. In one day he cleared by speculation £100,000. It was the Rev. Sydney Smith who gave Hudson the title of “Railway King” (1800–1871).

Rain. In India the rain-god is imagined to pour down showers from a sieve. The Mandan Indian used to call down rain by a rattle.

The Peruvians suppose there is a celestial princess who holds a rain-vase, and that thunder is the noise made by her brother striking the vase.

The Polynesians suppose that rain comes from the angry stars stoning the sun.

The Burmese say they can pull down the rain by tugging a rope.

In New Caledonia there is a regular college of rain-priests; and in Moffat’s time, the rain-makers of South Africa were held in higher honour than the kings.

In Alaska the storm-spirit is propitiated by offerings of tobacco.

Weather-witches were at one time supposed to reside in Norway and other countries. And at one time the Finlanders drove a profitable trade by selling winds. (See Mont St. Michel, p. 720.)

Raine (Old Roger), the tapster, near the abode of sir Geoffrey Peveril.

Dame Raine, old Roger’s widow; afterwards Dame Chamberlain.—Sir W. Scott: Peveril of the Peak (time, Charles II.).