Curiosities of Indo-European Tradition and Folk-lore |
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Page vi
... nature , and of the powers that rule it , which were entertained by a primæval race of nomades , the ancestors of all the chief European races . In this way not only have they succeeded in demonstrating what was but dimly surmised ...
... nature , and of the powers that rule it , which were entertained by a primæval race of nomades , the ancestors of all the chief European races . In this way not only have they succeeded in demonstrating what was but dimly surmised ...
Page vii
... natural pheno- mena and their supposed causes . So too all our legends of magic treasures concealed in lakes , swamps , or mountains , and coming to the light at stated periods , are found to have had a similar origin ; and the ...
... natural pheno- mena and their supposed causes . So too all our legends of magic treasures concealed in lakes , swamps , or mountains , and coming to the light at stated periods , are found to have had a similar origin ; and the ...
Page viii
... nature of my work has seldom allowed me to translate two or three consecutive sentences from Dr. Kuhn's elaborate treatise , yet I wish it to be fully understood that but for the latter the former could not have been written . I am the ...
... nature of my work has seldom allowed me to translate two or three consecutive sentences from Dr. Kuhn's elaborate treatise , yet I wish it to be fully understood that but for the latter the former could not have been written . I am the ...
Page ix
... natural consequence of the former , and it is to be hoped that our local archæologists will no longer be content to labour under either of them when once they have found what far - reaching knowledge may be extracted out of old wives ...
... natural consequence of the former , and it is to be hoped that our local archæologists will no longer be content to labour under either of them when once they have found what far - reaching knowledge may be extracted out of old wives ...
Page 3
... nature . But the mystery clears up more and more as we examine the subject on all sides by the light of kindred phenomena ; and in this way we are led on to many surprising and pregnant discoveries of the common elements out of which ...
... nature . But the mystery clears up more and more as we examine the subject on all sides by the light of kindred phenomena ; and in this way we are led on to many surprising and pregnant discoveries of the common elements out of which ...
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Common terms and phrases
according ancient animal appears Aryans became become believed bird body branches bring brought called carried cattle clouds comes common cuckoo custom dead death divine drink earth England fact father fire gave German Gervase of Tilbury give given goddess gods Greek Grimm hand head heaven heavenly Hindus horses host human hunt instance kind king known Kuhn laid latter legend lightning living look Mannhardt means milk mountain mythical nature never night Notes Odin once origin passed person plant popular race reason remains Romans round sacred says Schwartz seen shape soma souls spirits stone storm story tell thing tradition tree turned Vedas village werewolf wheel whole wife wild winds witches wolf wood wren
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.