Curiosities of Indo-European Tradition and Folk-lore |
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Page 25
... believed , like the burning heat of the dog - days , to be the work of a demon , who weakened the light of the sun in the dwindling days before the winter solstice , locked up the waters of the sky , and bound those of the earth in icy ...
... believed , like the burning heat of the dog - days , to be the work of a demon , who weakened the light of the sun in the dwindling days before the winter solstice , locked up the waters of the sky , and bound those of the earth in icy ...
Page 37
... believed to have kindled the heavenly fire which they brought down to earth . The process was the same as that by which Indra kindles the lightning , and which is daily imitated in the Hindu temples in the produc- appear 38 CHURNING AND ...
... believed to have kindled the heavenly fire which they brought down to earth . The process was the same as that by which Indra kindles the lightning , and which is daily imitated in the Hindu temples in the produc- appear 38 CHURNING AND ...
Page 50
... believed to have much virtue ; it made fruit- trees productive , and nets that had been hung in it were sure to catch much fish . The earliest account of the needfire in England is that quoted by Kemble * from the Chronicle of La ...
... believed to have much virtue ; it made fruit- trees productive , and nets that had been hung in it were sure to catch much fish . The earliest account of the needfire in England is that quoted by Kemble * from the Chronicle of La ...
Page 52
... believed him accursed . ” In the Scottish highlands , especially in Caithness , recourse is still had to the needfire , chiefly for the purpose of counteracting disorders in cattle caused by witchcraft . " To defeat the sorceries ...
... believed him accursed . ” In the Scottish highlands , especially in Caithness , recourse is still had to the needfire , chiefly for the purpose of counteracting disorders in cattle caused by witchcraft . " To defeat the sorceries ...
Page 56
... believed that its light was actually extinguished and needed to be rekindled . Then the pramantha was worked by some god in the cold wheel until it glowed again ; but before this was finally accomplished , the pra- mantha often shot out ...
... believed that its light was actually extinguished and needed to be rekindled . Then the pramantha was worked by some god in the cold wheel until it glowed again ; but before this was finally accomplished , the pra- mantha often shot out ...
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Common terms and phrases
Agni ancient appears ARYAN RACE Aryans asvattha Asvins believed besoms Bhrigu bird burning called cattle chark churning clouds colour cuckoo custom dead death demon divine dragon drink earth Easter elves England fern fire Freyja Frodi's furious host German Gervase of Tilbury giant goddess gods golden Greek Grimm haoma hazel heaven heavenly Hindus Holda horses human Indo-European Indra John's kindled king Kuhn latter legend lightning Mannhardt Maruts means milk mountain mythical mythology myths nature needfire night Norse Odin Olaf origin palasa Perchta Pitris plant popular pramantha Prometheus race Ribhus Rig Veda Romans round rowan sacred Sanscrit says Schwartz sieve soma souls springwort stick storm story Thor Thor's thunderbolt tradition tree Varuna Vedic village Vritra werewolf Westf wheel whilst wife wild hunt winds wish-rod witches Woden wolf wood word wren Yama Yggdrasil Zeus
Popular passages
Page 152 - ... and threatened with the loss of the use of the limb.* Against this accident, to which they were continually liable, our provident forefathers always kept a shrew-ash at hand, which, when once medicated, would maintain its virtue for ever. A shrew-ash was made thus : — Into the body of the tree a deep hole was bored with an auger, and a poor devoted shrew-mouse was thrust in alive, and plugged in, no doubt, with several quaint incantations long since forgotten.
Page 153 - In a farm-yard near the middle of this village stands, at this day, a row of pollardashes, which, by the seams and long cicatrices down their sides, manifestly show that, in former times, they have been cleft asunder. These trees, when young and flexible, were severed and held open by wedges, while ruptured children, stripped naked, were pushed through the apertures, under a persuasion that, by such a process, the poor babes would be cured of their infirmity.
Page 183 - Two Hazel Nuts I threw into the Flame, And to each Nut I gave a Sweet-heart's Name. This with the loudest Bounce me sore amaz'd, That in a Flame of brightest Colour blaz'd. As blaz'd the Nut, so may thy Passion grow, For 'twas thy Nut that did so brightly glow.
Page 97 - This lady-fly I take from off the grass, Whose spotted back might scarlet red surpass, " Fly, lady-bird, north, south, or east, or west, Fly where the man is found that I love best.
Page 283 - The mountains height, and all the ridges round, Yet not one trace of living wight discerns, Nor knows, o'erawed, and trembling as he stands, To what, or whom, he owes his idle fear, To ghost, to witch, to fairy, or to fiend ; But wonders, and no end of wondering finds.
Page 157 - For the purpose of regeneration, it is directed to make an image of pure gold of the female power of nature ; in the shape either of a woman or of a cow. In this statue the person to be regenerated is enclosed and dragged through the usual channel. As a statue of pure gold and of proper dimensions would be too expensive, it is sufficient to make an image of the sacred Yoni, through which the person to be regenerated .is to pass.
Page 283 - To wake the bounding stag, or guilty wolf, There oft is heard, at midnight, or at noon, Beginning faint, but rising still more loud, And nearer, voice of hunters, and of hounds, And horns, hoarse-winded, blowing far and keen :— Forthwith the hubbub multiplies ; the gale Labours with wilder...
Page 68 - They kindle a fire, and dress a repast of eggs and milk in the consistence of a custard. They knead a cake of oatmeal, which is toasted at the embers against a stone.
Page 115 - ... corpse. The late Mr Ritson found an illustration of this dirge in a MS. of the Cotton Library, containing an account of Cleveland, in Yorkshire, in the reign of Queen Elizabeth. It was kindly communicated to the Editor by Mr Frank, Mr...
Page 51 - They extinguished every fire in every house within sight of the hill ; the wheel was then turned from east to west over the nine spindles, long enough to produce fire by friction. If the fire were not produced before noon, the incantation lost its effect.