Part 52 (2/2)

Nos. 796-800.--In New Hamps.h.i.+re it was formerly usual for young people to purchase gold beads, one at a time, with their earnings. When a sufficient number of beads was obtained the necklace was made, and after it had once been put on was never taken off by night or day. It is difficult to induce the elderly people who still retain these necklaces to part with them, there being a superst.i.tious feeling in regard to the consequences.

Nos. 831, 832.--These cures and a few other superst.i.tions have been taken from a very interesting paper, ”Notes on the Folk-Lore of Newfoundland,”

in the _Journal of American Folk-Lore_, vol. viii. No. x.x.xI. Almost all of the other folk-lore from Newfoundland and Labrador has been given me by Rev. A.C. Waghorne. It is interesting to notice how among these seafaring people weather-lore predominates over all other kinds.

Nos. 845-848.--These devices for suppressing hiccoughs are scarcely superst.i.tions in reality, as they doubtless often do relieve the nervous, spasmodic action of the respiratory muscles, by fixing the attention upon the cure. But in the popular mind some charm, I take it, is attributed to the counting, repeating, or what not.

CHAPTER XIII.--Several remedies for warts are here introduced which belong with the collection of animal and plant lore for which the writer has much material acc.u.mulated. In general such topics, including a very large number of saliva charms and cures, have been omitted from the present list.

Nos. 872, 880-882.--It is interesting to notice this ill.u.s.tration of the doctrine of signatures. Excrescences of such varied character, whether animal or vegetable, are supposed by contact to cause warts, doubtless simply because of the accidental resemblance.

Nos. 889-896.--It seems that any juices of peculiar or marked color are popularly credited with curative power. The plants whose juices are thought to cure warts are, it will be noticed, of wide botanical range.

In all probability there is no similarity in the effects to be obtained from the application of their sap.

No. 979.--The somewhat unusual phenomenon of rain falling while the sun is s.h.i.+ning seems to have so attracted the attention of the human mind as to have given rise to various sayings.

A native of Western Africa told me that among his tribe, the Vey people, it was always said when the sun shone as rain fell that it was a sign that a leopardess had just given birth to young.

In j.a.pan the occurrence is said to indicate that a wedding procession of foxes is pa.s.sing near by, and the children have a pretty habit of running to the supporting pillars of the house, to place the ear against the timbers and listen for the footfalls of the foxes. The little people also interlace their fingers in a certain way, then peeping through the c.h.i.n.ks between the fingers they declare they can see the wedding-train.

Nos. 1020-1028.--The mackerel sky is a name given to an a.s.semblage of cirrus clouds which are thought to imitate the barred markings on the side of a mackerel. Mares' tails are wisp-like, curved cirri.

CHAPTER XV.--To ill.u.s.trate the remarkable prevalence of a regard for the phases of the moon in the management of every-day affairs among the Pennsylvania Germans, the following list of their beliefs is appended.

All are from Buffalo Valley, Central Pennsylvania.[157-1]

THE MOON.

All cereals, when planted in the waxing of the moon, will germinate more rapidly than if planted in the waning of the moon.

The same is true of the ripening of grain.

Beans planted when the horns of the moon are up will readily pole, but if planted when the horns are down will not.

Plant early potatoes when the horns of the moon are up, else they will go too deep into the ground.

Plant late potatoes in the dark of the moon.

For abundance in anything, you must plant it when the moon is in the sign of the Twins.

Plant onions when the horns of the moon are down.

Pick apples in the dark of the moon, to keep them from rotting.

Make wine in the dark of the moon.

Make vinegar in the light of the moon.

Marry in the light of the moon.

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