Fortune And Luck. Fortune And Luck : FORTUNE AND LUCK If Fortune favor you, be not elated; If she frown, do not despond. --AUSONIUS. When Fortune means to men most good, She looks upon them with a threatening eye. --King John, III. 4, 119. When smiling Fortune spreads her golden ray, All crowd around to flatter and obey; But when she...
The Luck Of Odd Numbers. V. Odd Numbers : V. ODD NUMBERS IN FOLK-MEDICINE In a volume containing a great variety of ancient charms and magical cures, collected by Marcellus Empiricus, a Latin writer of the fourth century A. D., in which volume various remedial measures are described with great minuteness, the even numbers seldom appear...
The Folk Lore Of Common Salt. Ix. Miscellaneous : IX. MISCELLANEOUS REMARKS ON SALT Among the peasants of the Spanish province of Andalusia the word "salt" is synonymous with gracefulness and charm of manner, and no more endearing or flattering language can be used in addressing a woman, whether wife or sweetheart, than to call her "the salt-box...
Days Of Good And Evil Omen. Iii. Medieval : III. MEDIEVAL BELIEF IN DAY-FATALITY The early Saxons in England were extremely credulous in regard to the luck or misfortune of particular days of the month, and derived a legion of prognostics, both good and evil, from the age of the moon. Thus, they considered the twelfth day of the lunar month...
The Magic Of The Horse Shoe. Xx. Recapitulati : XX. RECAPITULATION OF THEORIES OF THE ORIGIN OF THE HORSE-SHOE SUPERSTITION In the preceding pages an attempt has been made to furnish plausible reasons for the horse-shoe's universal popularity both as an amulet and as a token of good luck. It is evident, however, that this superstition cannot be...
The Magic Of The Horse Shoe. Iv. The Symbol : IV. THE SYMBOL OF THE OPEN HAND It is worthy of note that the symbol of an open hand with extended fingers was a favorite talisman in former ages, and was to be seen, for example, at the entrances of dwellings in ancient Carthage. It is also found on Lybian and Phoenician tombs, as well...
Preface : PREFACE THE Study of the origin and history of popular customs and beliefs affords an insight, otherwise unattainable, into the operations of the human mind in early times. Superstitions, however trivial in themselves, relics of paganism though they be, and oftentimes comparable to baneful weeds...
The Magic Of The Horse Shoe. 1. History : 1. HISTORY OF THE HORSE-SHOE THE evolution of the modern horse-shoe from the primitive foot-gear for draught animals used in ancient times furnishes an interesting subject for investigation. Xenophon and other historians recommended various processes for hardening and strengthening the hoofs...
The Magic Of The Horse Shoe. Xvii. The Horse : XVII. THE HORSE-SHOE AS A SYMBOL ON TAVERN SIGN-BOARDS The horse-shoe, associated usually with some other symbol, is not infrequently seen displayed on the signs of British taverns. There is a well-known hostelry bearing this sign and name on Tottenham Court Road in London. To quote from "...
Superstitious Dealings With Animals. Iv : IV. CHARMS AGAINST ANIMALS As illustrative of the superstitious use of charms and exorcisms against animals and reptiles in different epochs and countries, we have examples from many and varied sources. The Egyptians used, as charms against venomous serpents, various magic formulae inscribed up...
The Folk Lore Of Common Salt. I. Orig : I. ORIGIN AND HISTORY THE origin of the use of common salt as a condiment is hidden in the mazes of antiquity. Although we have no evidence that this important article of diet was known to the antediluvians, there is still abundant proof that it was highly esteemed as a seasoner of food long before...
The Folk Lore Of Common Salt. Iv. Salt Employed : IV. SALT EMPLOYED TO CONFIRM AN OATH In the records of the Presbytery of Edinburgh, under date of September 20, 1586, is to be found the following description of an oath which Scotch merchants were required to take when on their way to the Baltic:-- Certan merchantis passing to Danskerne (Denmark)...
Superstitious Dealings With Animals. Vii : VII. SUPERSTITIOUS DEALINGS WITH WILD ANIMALS In encountering a wild animal, the ancients deemed it a matter of great importance that a man should see the beast before the latter was aware of a human presence. If a wolf, for example, first perceived the man, the brute was master of the situati...
The Magic Of The Horse Shoe. Ix. The Serpentine : IX. THE SERPENTINE SHAPE OF THE HORSE-SHOE The theory has been advanced that in ancient idolatrous times the horse-shoe in its primitive form was a symbol in serpent-worship, and that its superstitious use as a charm may have thus originated. This seems plausible enough, inasmuch as there is...
The Magic Of The Horse Shoe. Xiii. The Horse : XIII. THE HORSE-SHOE AS A FAVORITE ANTI-WITCH CHARM The universality of the use of the horse-shoe as a safeguard against evil spirits is indeed noteworthy. It is the anti-witch charm par excellence, as well as the approved symbol of good luck, and, used for these purposes, it is to be seen...
Untitled : THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE-SHOE With Other Folk-Lore Notes BY ROBERT MEANS LAWRENCE [1898] Title Page Preface Contents THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE-SHOE The Magic Of The Horse-shoe 1. History Of The Horse-shoe II. The Horse-shoe As A Safeguard III. Horns And Other Two-pronged Objects IV. The Symbol...
The Omens Of Sneezing. Ii. Mediaeval Beliefs : II. MEDIAEVAL BELIEFS ABOUT SNEEZING From certain ancient Welsh poems, it appears that sneezing was considered unlucky in Wales in the twelfth century; but in Europe generally, in mediaeval times, the sneeze of a cat on the eve of a wedding was reckoned auspicious. In the writings of the French...
Superstitious Dealings With Animals. Iii : III. EXORCISM AND CONJURATION OF VERMIN The Grecian husbandmen were accustomed to drive away mice by writing them a message on a piece of paper and sticking it on a stone in the infested field. A specimen of such a message, beginning with an adjuration and concluding with a threat, is to be found...
Fortune And Luck. Iv. Temples Of Fortune : IV. TEMPLES OF FORTUNE Temples in honor of the Goddess Tyche were built at Elis, Corinth, and in other Grecian cities; and in the second century A. D. the eminent philanthropist, Herodes Atticus, erected for her a temple in Athens, the ruins of which are believed still to exist. The western suburb...
Fortune And Luck. 1. Tyche, The Grecian Goddess : 1. TYCHE, THE GRECIAN GODDESS OF GOOD LUCK AMONG the more popular divinities of the early Grecians was Tyche, the goddess of good luck, whose worship, according to Plutarch, complemented that of Destiny. She ruled over accidental events, and was the dispenser alike of blessings and misfortunes; but...
The Luck Of Odd Numbers. I. Early Significance : I. EARLY SIGNIFICANCE OF NUMBERS IN the "Cabala," or ancient mystic philosophy of the Jews, much importance is attributed to the combination of certain numbers, letters, and words. According to one tradition, the earliest Cabala was given by the angel Raziel to Adam, and orally transmitted through...
The Magic Of The Horse Shoe. Xii. Horses' : XII. HORSES' HEADS AS TALISMANS In early times it was customary to use horses' heads as talismans, by means of which also the ancient heathen nations practiced various magical arts. Grimm says in his "Teutonic Mythology" that the Scandinavians had a custom of fastening a horse's head to a pole...
The Folk Lore Of Common Salt. Viii. Salt : VIII. SALT AS A MAGICAL SUBSTANCE The natives of Morocco regard salt as a talisman against evil, and a common amulet among the Neapolitan poor is a bit of rock-salt suspended from the neck. The peasants of the Hartz Mountain region in Germany believe that three grains of salt in a milk-pot will...
The Luck Of Odd Numbers. Ii. The Number Three : II. THE NUMBER THREE Three, as emblematic of the Trinity, has always been considered a sacred number, and long before the Christian era God was worshiped as a triple Deity. This is true not only of the Assyrians, Phoenicians, Greeks, and Romans, but also of the ancient Scandinavians, the Druids...
Superstitious Dealings With Animals. I. Rats : I. RATS AND MICE AS AVENGERS WHEN in ancient times fields were overrun and crops destroyed by swarms of pestiferous animals or insects, these creatures were regarded either as agents of the Devil, or as being themselves veritable demons. We learn, moreover, that rats and mice were formerly especial...
The Magic Of The Horse Shoe. Xv. The Lucky : XV. THE LUCKY HORSE-SHOE IN GENERAL He laughs like a boor who has found a horse-shoe. --Dutch proverb. Throughout Germany the belief obtains that a horseshoe found on the road, and nailed on the threshold of a house with the points directed outward, is a mighty protection not only against hags...
The Folk Lore Of Common Salt. Ii. Salt Uncongenial : II. SALT UNCONGENIAL TO WITCHES AND DEVILS Grimm remarks that salt is not found in witches' kitchens, nor at devils' feasts, because the Roman Catholic Church has taken upon herself the hallowing and dedication of this substance. Moreover, inasmuch as Christians recognize salt as a wholesome...
Days Of Good And Evil Omen. Ii. Roman Superstiti : II. ROMAN SUPERSTITION CONCERNING DAYS The Romans had their dies fasti, corresponding to the modern court days in England. On such days, of which there were thirty-eight in the year, it was lawful for the praetor to administer justice and to pronounce the three words, Do, dico, addico, "I give laws...
The Folk Lore Of Common Salt. Vii. Salt : VII. SALT AS A PROTECTION TO YOUNG INFANTS The mediaeval Roman Catholic custom of using salt to protect infants from evil prior to their baptism is frequently alluded to in early romantic literature. In an ancient ballad entitled "The King's Daughter," the birth of a child occurs under...
The Magic Of The Horse Shoe. Xxi. Conclusion : XXI. CONCLUSION Whatever may be the origin of the superstitious employment of the horse-shoe, its adoption as a token of good luck appears to be comparatively modern, its earliest use having been for the exclusion of witches, evil spirits, and all such uncanny beings. Before leaving the subject...
Superstitious Dealings With Animals. V. Images : V. IMAGES OF ANIMALS AND BIRDS USED AS CHARMS The belief that cities or towns may be protected from the incursions of noxious animals, birds, or insects, by an image or figure representing one of these creatures, is of great antiquity. This seems to be on the principle of the homoeopathic doctrine...
The Omens Of Sneezing. The Omens Of Sneezing : THE OMENS OF SNEEZING He is a friend at sneezing time; the most that can be got from him is a "God bless you!" --Italian proverb.
The Folk Lore Of Common Salt. X. The Salt Cellar : X. THE SALT-CELLAR The rhetorician Arnobius, in his work "Disputationes contra Gentes," wrote that the pagans were wont to sanctify or hallow their tables by setting salt-cellars thereon. For owing to the fact that salt was employed at every sacrifice as an offering to the gods, and owing moreover...
Days Of Good And Evil Omen. 1. Egyptian Days : 1. EGYPTIAN DAYS THE belief in lucky and unlucky days appears to have been first taught by the magicians of ancient Chaldea, and we learn from history that similar notions affected every detail of primitive Babylonian life, thousands of years before Christ. Reference to an "unlucky month" is to be...
Fortune And Luck. Iii. The Character Of Fortune : III. THE CHARACTER OF FORTUNE Of all the pagan deities, Fortune was the most absolute and the most universally worshiped; for she kept all men at her feet, the prosperous through fear and the unfortunate through hope. She was also an eccentric goddess, not only favoring the brave, according...
The Omens Of Sneezing. Iv. The Doctrine : IV. THE DOCTRINE OF DEMONIACAL POSSESSION The natural instinct of the untutored savage is to regard the act of sneezing as the manifestation of an attack by a demon. Certain African tribes, for instance, are said to believe that whoever sneezes is possessed of an evil spirit, to whose malicious...
The Magic Of The Horse Shoe. Xix. Horse Shoe : XIX. HORSE-SHOE LEGENDARY LORE 1. Within recent years two horse-shoes were to be seen on the door of the parish church of Haccombe in Derbyshire. A romantic legend associated with these horse-shoes is the theme of a ballad supposed to have been written by a master of Exeter Grammar School...
The Magic Of The Horse Shoe. Vi. Ir : VI. IRON AS A PROTECTIVE CHARM Some writers have maintained that the luck associated with the horse-shoe is due chiefly to the metal, irrespective of its shape, as iron and steel are traditional charms against malevolent spirits and goblins. In their view, a horse-shoe is simply a piece of ir...
The Magic Of The Horse Shoe. Ii. The Horse : II. THE HORSE-SHOE AS A SAFEGUARD Your wife's a witch, man; you should nail a horse-shoe on your chamber-door.--SIR WALTER SCOTT, Redgauntlet. As a practical device for the protection of horses' feet, the utility of the iron horse-shoe has long been generally recognized; and for centuries...
The Luck Of Odd Numbers. Iv. Odd Numbers : IV. ODD NUMBERS IN WITCHCRAFT Odd numbers are intimately associated with the black art, for witches' incantations are commonly repeated three or nine times. Who ever heard of a witch performing any of her mystic rites exactly four or six times? Apropos of this may be quoted the following story...
The Magic Of The Horse Shoe. Xviii. Horse : XVIII. HORSE-SHOES ON CHURCH-DOORS The origin of the horse-shoe as a charm has been ascribed to its resemblance to the metallic aureole or meniscus formerly placed over the heads of images of patron saints in churches, and which is also represented in ancient pictures of the Virgin. This aureole...
Days Of Good And Evil Omen. Iv. Prevalence : IV. PREVALENCE OF SIMILAR BELIEFS IN MODERN TIMES Among the Chinese of to-day, as with the inbabitants of ancient Babylon, the days which are deemed favorable or otherwise for business transactions, farming operations, or for traveling are still determined by astrologers, and are indicated...
Superstitious Dealings With Animals. Vi : VI. WORDS USED AS CHARMS The English word "charm" is derived from the Latin carmen, a verse; and the magical potency of a sentence used as a charm was believed to rest in the words themselves, and not in the person who uttered them. In the opinion of the cabalistic magicians of the Middle Ages...
The Omens Of Sneezing. Vi. Legends Relating : VI. LEGENDS RELATING TO SNEEZING In the traditional lore of ancient Picardy is the following legend:-- In the vicinity of Englebelmer nocturnal wayfarers were often surprised at hearing repeated sneezes by the roadside, and the young people of the neighboring villages made frequent attempts...
Title Page : THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE-SHOE WITH OTHER FOLK-LORE NOTES BY ROBERT MEANS LAWRENCE, M.D. BOSTON AND NEW YORK HOUGHTON, MIFFLIN AND COMPANY THE RIVERSIDE PRESS, CAMBRIDGE 1898 Scanned By Eliza Fegley At Sacredspiral.com, November, 2003. HTML Formatting By J. B. Hare. This Text Is In The Public Dom...
Fortune And Luck. V. Luck, Ancient And Modern : V. LUCK, ANCIENT AND MODERN Our English word luck, according to some authorities, is of Scandinavian origin, while others consider it to be the past tense of an Anglo-Saxon verb meaning "to catch." Luck signifies, therefore, a good catch, and is analogous to the German Glck. It has been aptly...
The Magic Of The Horse Shoe. Xvi. The Horse : XVI. THE HORSE-SHOE AS A PHALLIC SYMBOL It will suffice merely to allude to the theory of the phallic origin of the superstitious use of the horse-shoe, a branch of our subject capable of much elaboration. The horse-shoe is still the conventional figure for the yoni (a phallic emblem) in modern...
The Magic Of The Horse Shoe. X. The Horse : X. THE HORSE-SHOE ARCH IN ANCIENT CALEDONIAN HIEROGLYPHICS The horse-shoe arch was a common emblem on pagan monuments, and is frequently seen in Caledonian sculptured hieroglyphics, where it is believed to have had a special significance as a protective symbol. Lieutenant Colonel Forbes Leslie...
The Omens Of Sneezing. V. Salutation After : V. SALUTATION AFTER SNEEZING The origin of the benediction after sneezing, a custom well-nigh universal, is involved in obscurity. A popular legend says that, before the time of Jacob, men sneezed but once, as the shock proved fatal. The patriarch, however, obtained by intercession a relaxati...
Fortune And Luck. Ii. The Roman Goddess Fortuna : II. THE ROMAN GODDESS FORTUNA The worship of the Goddess of Chance, Fortuna, was introduced among the Romans from Greece during the reign of Servius Tullius, and soon became very popular. Indeed, at one period Fortuna was the chief Italian divinity, and the plebeians and slaves held an annual...
The Magic Of The Horse Shoe. Iii. Horns : III. HORNS AND OTHER TWO-PRONGED OBJECTS The supernatural qualities of the horse-shoe as a preservative against imaginary demons have been supposed to be due to its bifurcated shape, as any object having two prongs or forks was formerly thought to be effective for this purpose. As with the crescent...
The Magic Of The Horse Shoe. Xi. The Horse : XI. THE HORSE-SHOE AS A SYMBOL OF THE HORSE But the efficacy of the horse-shoe as a protector of people and buildings depends not solely upon its arched shape, nor on its bifurcated form, nor yet upon its fancied resemblance to a snake. Its relation to the horse also gives it a talismanic value;...
The Magic Of The Horse Shoe. V. Crescents : V. CRESCENTS AND HALF-MOON-SHAPED AMULETS The alleged predominant influence of the moon's wax and wane over the growth and welfare of vegetation was formerly generally recognized. Thus in an almanac of the year 1661 it is stated that:-- If any corn, seed, or plant be either set or sown within six...
The Magic Of The Horse Shoe. Xiv. The Positi : XIV. THE POSITION OF THE HORSE-SHOE AS A PROTECTOR OF BUILDINGS It has been supposed that the horse-shoe is placed at the outer entrance to a building because of an ancient Saxon superstition that witches were unable successfully to practice their wiles upon persons in the open air. The horse-shoe...
The Magic Of The Horse Shoe. Viii. Fire : VIII. FIRE AS A SPIRIT-SCARING ELEMENT The horse-shoe is a product of the artisan's skill by the aid of fire. This element has in all ages been considered the great purifier, and a powerful foe to evil spirits. The Chaldeans venerated fire and esteemed it a deity, and among primitive nations...
The Magic Of The Horse Shoe. The Magic : THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE-SHOE And still o'er many a neighboring door She saw the horse-shoe's curvd charm. -WHITTIER, The Witch's Daughter. Happy art thou, as if every day thou hadst picked up a horse-shoe. -LONGFELLOW, Evangeline.
The Omens Of Sneezing. Iii. Modern Superstitions : III. MODERN SUPERSTITIONS ABOUT SNEEZING Sneezing at the commencement of an undertaking, whether it be an important enterprise or the most commonplace act, has usually been accounted unlucky. Thus, according to a modern Teutonic belief, if a man sneeze on getting up in the morning, he should lie...
The Magic Of The Horse Shoe. Vii. Blacksmiths : VII. BLACKSMITHS CREDITED WITH SUPERNATURAL ATTRIBUTES Vulcan, the Roman god of fire, the Hephaestus of Grecian mythology, was also the patron of blacksmiths and workers in metals. He was the great artisan of the universe, and at his workshop in Olympus he fashioned armor for the warriors...
The Folk Lore Of Common Salt. Vi. Helping : VI. HELPING TO SALT AT TABLE In the northern counties of England, and indeed quite generally in Anglican communities, it is reckoned unlucky to be helped to salt at table, and this idea has found expression in the popular couplet, "Help me to salt, help me to sorrow." In a small volume entitled...
The Folk Lore Of Common Salt. V. Salt Spilling : V. SALT-SPILLING AS AN OMEN The widespread notion that the spilling of salt produces evil consequences is supposed to have originated in the tradition that Judas overturned a salt-cellar at the Paschal Supper, as portrayed in Leonardo da Vinci's painting. But it appears more probable th...
The Luck Of Odd Numbers. Iii. The Number Seven : III. THE NUMBER SEVEN The number seven has ever been regarded as having a peculiar mystic significance, and its manifold virtues have been the theme of elaborate monographs. Alike in Holy Writ and among the earliest historic peoples, in classic antiquity and in the mythologies of many nations, this...
Superstitious Dealings With Animals. Viii : VIII. LEGAL PROSECUTION OF ANIMALS Legal proceedings were formerly instituted against vermin, who were thus treated as if they were human beings endowed with consciences and responsible for their actions. Prosecutions of animals were common in France and Switzerland, with a view to protect...
Days Of Good And Evil Omen. V. The Sixth : V. THE SIXTH DAY OF THE WEEK Let us now consider the subject of Friday as an alleged dies mala. The seven week-days were originally named after Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, the Sun, Mercury, Venus, and the Moon, in the order given, and these names are found in the early Christian calendars. The Teutonic...
The Folk Lore Of Common Salt. Iii. The L : III. THE LATIN WORD "SAL" Owing to the importance of salt as a relish, its Latin name sal came to be used metaphorically as signifying a savory mental morsel, and, in a general sense, wit or sarcasm. It was formerly maintained by some etymologists that this word had a threefold meaning according...
The Omens Of Sneezing. I. In Ancient Times : I. IN ANCIENT TIMES THE ancient Egyptians regarded the head as a citadel or fortress in which the reasoning faculty abode. Hence they especially revered any function seemingly appertaining to so noble a portion of the body, and dignified even the insignificant act of sneezing by attributing to it...
Superstitious Dealings With Animals. Ii : II. SPIRITS ASSUME THE FORMS OF BLACK ANIMALS The belief in the demoniacal possession of animals was prevalent in Europe for several centuries, and in order to drive away the evil spirits it was customary to employ various exorcisms and incantations, which were supposed to be infallible after...
Days Of Good And Evil Omen. Vi. Friday : VI. FRIDAY IN MODERN TIMES Friday is the Sabbath of the Moslems, corresponding to the Sunday of the Christians and the Saturday of the Jews. In Egypt Friday is therefore blessed above all other days, while Saturday is the most unfortunate. However, although Friday was the day selected by Mahomet...
