Folk Lore, Or, Superstitious Beliefs in the West of Scotland Within this Century: With an Appendix Shewing the Probable Relation of the Modern Festivals of Christmas, May Day, St. John's Day, and Halloween, to Ancient Sun and Fire Worship |
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Page 11
... hold utensil of that metal , entreating the spirits to quit his roof . He then repeats nine times these words , Avaunt ye ancestral manes . ' After this he looks be- hind , and is free for one year . " " Some nations in addition to a ...
... hold utensil of that metal , entreating the spirits to quit his roof . He then repeats nine times these words , Avaunt ye ancestral manes . ' After this he looks be- hind , and is free for one year . " " Some nations in addition to a ...
Page 38
... hold of her and got her head under his arm , and cut her across the " forehead . By the way , the proper thing to be cut with " is a nail out of a horse - shoe . He was prosecuted and 66 " got imprisonment for it . " This style of ...
... hold of her and got her head under his arm , and cut her across the " forehead . By the way , the proper thing to be cut with " is a nail out of a horse - shoe . He was prosecuted and 66 " got imprisonment for it . " This style of ...
Page 44
... hold of the inhabitants of Glasgow , the second city of the Empire . During the year 1874 the marriages in May were only 204 , against 703 in June ; but as the removal term occurs at the end of May , that must materially affect the rela ...
... hold of the inhabitants of Glasgow , the second city of the Empire . During the year 1874 the marriages in May were only 204 , against 703 in June ; but as the removal term occurs at the end of May , that must materially affect the rela ...
Page 83
... holds a chisel on a grinding stone ; the other was holding a small branch of fir on that which was turning . Directly below it was a quantity of tow spread on the ground . I observed that this work was taken alternately by men and women ...
... holds a chisel on a grinding stone ; the other was holding a small branch of fir on that which was turning . Directly below it was a quantity of tow spread on the ground . I observed that this work was taken alternately by men and women ...
Page 93
... hold on the people till this century , and is not yet entirely gone . There was another theory , which we may call the mag- netic theory . The philosophy of this theory contended that " The body when diseased resembled a gun ; when ...
... hold on the people till this century , and is not yet entirely gone . There was another theory , which we may call the mag- netic theory . The philosophy of this theory contended that " The body when diseased resembled a gun ; when ...
Other editions - View all
Folk Lore Superstitious Beliefs in the West of Scotland Within This Century Napier James No preview available - 2016 |
Folk Lore Superstitious Beliefs in the West of Scotland Within This Century James Napier No preview available - 2011 |
Folk Lore - Superstitious Beliefs in the West of Scotland Within This Century James Napier No preview available - 2009 |
Common terms and phrases
ancient animals Baal baby baptism belief Beltane Beltane day Bible boys bride burning cake called Candlemass carried cattle cause century ceremony charm child Child Rowland Christian Church common considered corpse cure custom dead death devil disease divining door Druids evil eye evil influence fairies favour feast festival fire fire worship first-foot funeral gift Glasgow Hallowe'en hand heathen held Hogmanay honour instances John's eve kindled legend living Lord luck lucky marriage married means midsummer milk mistletoe moon morning mother nations neighbourhood neighbours never night observed old woman omen origin Pagan party person Perthshire plant possessed practice present protection regarded religious Roman rose round sacrifices salt says Scotland seen solstice spitting spittle stone stone circle Stonehenge supernatural superstition survival taken tion told took tree tree worship unlucky village wart wife wish witch witchcraft women worship wraith young Yule
Popular passages
Page 169 - Perthshire in the year 1769, tells us that " on the first of May, the herdsmen of every village hold their Bel-tien, a rural sacrifice. They cut a square trench on the ground, leaving the turf in the middle ; on that they make a fire of wood, on which they dress a large caudle of eggs, butter, oatmeal and milk ; and bring besides the ingredients of the caudle, plenty of beer and whisky ; for each of the company must contribute something.
Page 100 - Flaccus says:--"A grandmother or a superstitious aunt has taken baby from his cradle, and is charming his forehead and his slavering lips against mischief by the joint action of her middle finger and her purifying spittle." Here we find that it is not the spittle alone, but the joint action of the spittle and the middle finger which works the influence. The middle finger was commonly, in the early years of this century, believed to possess a favourable influence on sores; or, rather, it might be...
Page 169 - The rites begin with spilling some of the caudle on the ground by way of libation. On that, every one takes a cake of oatmeal, upon which are raised nine square knobs, each dedicated to some particular being, the supposed preserver of their flocks and herds, or to some particular animal, the real destroyer of them. Each person then turns his face to the fire, breaks off a knob, and, flinging it over his shoulder, says, " This I give to thee, preserve thou my horses : this to thee, preserve thou my...
Page 98 - Thou art my confidence;" 25 if I rejoiced because my wealth was great, and because mine hand had gotten much; 28 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: 28 this also were an iniquity to be punished by the judge; chapter 31: 28 57 for I should have denied the God that is above.
Page 51 - In some parts of Scotland, in the beginning of the last century, when the wedding party arrived at the bridegroom's house, " the young wife was lifted over the threshold, or first step of the door, lest any witchcraft or ill e'e should be cast upon and influence her.
Page 131 - Britons, he stood under an oak tree. The ancient Hebrews evidently held the oak as a sacred tree. There is a tradition that Abraham received his heavenly visitors under an oak. Rebekah's nurse was buried under an oak, called afterwards the oak of weeping. Jacob buried the idols of Shechem under an oak. It was under the oak of Ophra, Gideon saw the angel sitting, who gave him instructions as to what he was to do to free Israel. When Joshua and Israel made a covenant to serve God, a great stone was...
Page 128 - I have found the following well attested : Onions placed in the room where there is smallpox will blister and decompose with great rapidity, not only so, but will prevent the spread of the disease. I think as a disinfectant they have no equal, when properly used ; but keep them out of the stomach.
Page 135 - Highlander goes to bathe, or to drink waters out of a consecrated fountain, he must always approach by going round the place, from east to west on the south side, in imitation of the apparent diurnal motion of the sun. When the dead are laid in the earth, the grave is approached by going round in the same manner. The bride is conducted to her future spouse, in the presence of the minister, and the glass goes round a company, in the course of the sun. This is called, in Gaelic, going round the right,...
Page 168 - ... blindfold draws out a portion. He who holds the bonnet is entitled to the last bit. Whoever draws the black bit is the devoted person, who is to be sacrificed to Baal, whose favour they mean to implore in rendering the year productive of the sustenance of man and beast.
Page 168 - They kindle a fire, and dress a repast of eggs and milk of the consistence of a custard. They knead a cake of oatmeal, which is toasted at the embers against a stone. After the custard is eaten up, they divide the cake...