Faiths and Folklore: A Dictionary of National Beliefs, Superstitions and Popular Customs, Past and Current, with Their Classical and Foreign Analogues, Described and Illustrated, Volume 1

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Reeves and Turner, 1905 - Fasts and feasts - 672 pages

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Page 300 - If I beheld the sun when it shined, Or the moon walking in brightness ; And my heart hath been secretly enticed, Or my mouth hath kissed my hand : This also were an iniquity to be punished by the judge : For I should have denied the God that is above.
Page 79 - When in one night, ere glimpse of morn, His shadowy flail hath threshed the corn That ten day-labourers could not end ; Then lies him down the lubber fiend, And, stretched out all the chimney's length, Basks at the fire his hairy strength, And crop-full out of doors he flings, Ere the first cock his matin rings.
Page 208 - Of healths five fathom deep ; and then anon Drums in his ear, at which he starts and wakes, And being thus frighted swears a prayer or two, And sleeps again. This is that very Mab That plats the manes of horses in the night, And bakes the elf-locks in foul sluttish hairs, Which once untangled much misfortune bodes...
Page 135 - gainst that season comes Wherein our Saviour's birth is celebrated, The bird of dawning singeth all night long...
Page 27 - Resolv'd to smooth his shaggy face, He sought the barber of the place. A flippant monkey, spruce and smart, Hard by, profess'd the dapper art ; His pole with pewter basons hung, Black rotten teeth in order strung, Rang'd cups, that in the window stood, Lin'd with red rags, to look like blood, Did well his threefold trade explain, Who shav'd, drew teeth, and breath'da vein.
Page 221 - There, must thou wake perforce thy Doric quill ; 'Tis Fancy's land to which thou sett'st thy feet; Where still, 'tis said, the fairy people meet, Beneath each birken shade, on mead or hill. There, each trim lass, that skims the milky store, To the swart tribes their creamy bowls allots ; By night they sip it round the cottage door, While airy minstrels warble jocund notes.
Page 239 - Sir Thomas Overbury, describing the " faire and happy milkmaid," observes, "thus lives she, and all her care is, that she may die in the spring time, to have store of flowers stucke upon her winding-sheet.
Page 87 - Come with heavy moaning, And on his grave Let him have Sacrifice of sighs and groaning; Let him have fair flowers enow, White and purple, green and yellow, For him that was of men most true ! Thou sable cloth, sad cover of my joys, I lift thee up, and thus I meet with death.
Page 83 - I wish you a merry Christmas, And a happy New Year ; A pocket full of money , And a cellar full of beer; And a good fat pig, To serve you all the year.
Page 205 - At Easter let your clothes be new, Or else be sure you will it rue.

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