Note 2 — II.—BIRTH, MARRIAGE AND DEATH.
Reading edition
If the Chinese lay great stress on the hour of birth, we no less attribute to the day a talismanic influence over the future of the newborn child; as witness the goodwives’ rhyme:—
Monday’s child is fair of face,
Tuesday’s child is full of grace,
Wednesday’s child is full of woe,
Thursday’s child has far to go,
Friday’s child is loving and giving,
Saturday’s child works hard for its living,
But the child that is born on the Sabbath day
Is blythe and bonnie, and good and gay.
Or, as another version has it:—
Born on a Sunday a gentleman,
Born on a Monday fair of face,
Born on a Tuesday full of grace,
Born on a Wednesday sour and glum,
Born on a Thursday welcome home,
Born on a Friday free in giving,
Born on a Saturday work hard for your living.