The Magic of the Horse Shoe

Home , Bronze (horse), Horse worship, The Thirteen Club

T H E

MAGIC OF THE HORSE- SHOE

with ®tljet fnlhz il nt e skat es

B Y

l/ MEA LA E N REN M . D S W C . ROBERT ,

L O N D O N G AY A ND B IRD

T S T RA ND 2 2 BEDFO RD S T REE , 1 898

THE study of the origin and history of popul ar cus

f ds un attain toms and beliefs af or an insight, otherwise

O t able, into the pera ions of the human mind in early

t ifn e s. t o Supersti ions, h wever trivial in themselves,

l e co re ics of paganism though they be, and oft ntimes m

l e parable to banefu weeds, are now consider d proper il subjects for scientiﬁc research . Wh e the ignorant savage is a slave to many superstitious fancies which

his t dominate every action , the educated man s rives to

a s roﬁt be free from such a bondage, yet recognizes p _ able the study of those same beliefs . The heterogene ous character of the material drawn from so many dif sources has rendered it ﬁcult, if not impossible, to follow any distinctly systematic treatment of the sub jcet . However, the development in recent years of a widespread interest in all branches of folk-lore war rants the hope that any volume devoted to this sub

e ct t l j , and represen ing somewhat di igent research, may iv PREFACE

have a certain value, in spite of its imperfections . The expert folk-l orist may ﬁnd much to criticise ; but this

n i o u book, treati g of popular bel efs, is intended for p p

’ lar reading . It has been the writer s aim to make the

- chapter on the Horse Shoe as exhaustive as possible, as this attractive symbol of superstition does not appear to have received hitherto the attention which it merits . This chapter is the outgrowt h of a paper read at the seventh annual meeting of the American Folk-Lore

28 1895 ab Society, at Philadelphia, December , , an stract of which appeared in the Society’ s Journal for 1 9 8 6 . December, l Extended quotations are indicated by smal er type .

R . M . L .

BOS ON Se te mbe r 1 1898 . T , p , CONTENTS

THE M AGIC o r THE Hon sn sn ox

FORTUNE AND Lc THE FOLK-LORE or C OMM ON S ALT THE OM ENS OF SNEEZING

DAYS o r GOOD A ND EVIL OMEN S UPERS TITI OUS DEALING S WI TH ANIM A L S

THE LUCK OF ODD NUMBERS

TOPICAL INDE%

THE M AGI C OF THE HORSE— S HOE

’ A n d st ill o e r m an y a n e ighb orin g d oor ’ - She saw the horse sh oe s c urv ed ch arm . ’ HI IER The W tch s D au hter . W TT , i g

- ar thou as e ve r d a thou had st cke d u a horse sho e . Happy t , if y y pi p

FELLOW Evan e n e . LONG , g li

T H RS E-S HOE I . HIS TORY OF HE O

THE evolution of the modern horse-shoe from the primitive foot-gear for draught animals used in ancient t times furnishes an interes ing subject for investigation . %enophon and other historians recommended various processes for hardening and strengt hening the hoofs of horses and mules,l and from this negative evidence some writers have inferred that the ancients were ign o of rant farriery . It seems indeed cert ain that the practice of protecting the feet of horses was not uni h t e . Fabre tti versal among Greeks and Romans , an

Italian antiquary, examined with care the representa tions of horses on many ancient columns and marbles, and found but one instance in which the horse appeared

C a n et Ne w bi Cyclop ce d ia . 2 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE- SHOE to be shod and in most specimens of ancient art the

- ir on horse shoe is conspicuous by its absence . But in i the mosaic portraying the battle of Issus, wh ch was 1831 i unearthed at Pompeii in , and wh ch is now in the

Naples Museum, is the ﬁgure of a horse whose feet appear to be shod with iron shoes similar to those in 2 modern use ; and in an ancient Finnish incantation ’ Le n orm an t s against the plague, quoted in Chaldean ” : Magic and Sorcery, occur these lines

0 S cour e e r P e a e th h . g d pa t ; lagu , t k y ﬂig t I will give the h or se h wh ch t o e sca e hose oe s ll n ot s e e a wit i p , w sh s ha lid

ice n or ose e e on the r oc s. on , wh f t slip k

No allusion to the horse-shoe is made by early writers

on . h veterinary topics But, on the other hand, t ere is abundant testimony that the ancients did sometimes protect the feet of their beasts of burden . Winckel

art mann, the Prussian historian, describes an antique ’ engraved stone representing a man holding up a horse s 3 i . foot, while an assistant, kneel ng, fastens on a shoe In the works of the Roman poet Catul lus occurs the i 4 sim le of the iron shoe of a mule sticking in the mire . Contemporary historians relate that the Emperor Nero l ls caused his mules to be shod with si ver, while golden

1 A l . rchczzolo ia vo . 1 5 g , iii 77 . 9 K oh n t t o D . D . C clo azd ia o B b ca Art . J i , , y p f i li l 3 B A H n v ohn e ckm an st o I t on s. J , i ory f en i 4 C arm e n %VII I . 26 . 5 “ l r n S ue t on ius S ole is m u arum a ge te is. THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE- SHOE 3 shoes adorned the feet of the mules belonging to the P l i notorious Empress oppae a . Ment on of an iron horse 2 shoe is made by Appian , a writer not indeed remark able for accur acy ; but the phrase brasen-footed ” hi ’ steeds, w ch occurs in Homer s Iliad, is regarded by commentators as a metaphorical expression for strength and endurance . Wrappings of plaited ﬁbre, as hemp or broom, were used by the ancients to protect the feet 3 of horses . But the most common form of foot cover ing for animals appears to have been a kind of leathern sock or sandal, which was sometimes provided with an iron sole . This covering was fastened around the fet 4 ul locks by means of thongs, and co d be easily removed . - ul Iron horse shoes of pec iar form, which have been exhumed in Great Britain of recent years, have been 1 objects of much interest to archaeologists . In 8 78 a number of such relics shaped for the hoof and pierced ’ ll a for nails were found at a place ca ed C esar s Camp , 5 n . ear Folkstone, England In the south of Scotland,

- also, ancient horse shoes have been found, consisting of a solid piece of iron made to cover the whole hoof and 1653 very heavy . In the year a piece of iron resem

- - bling a horse shoe, and having nine nail holes, was

1 l n a ro u P i y J m e n t is suis sole as e x au in d e re . 9 Fo sbroke D ct on a r o A n t u t es , i i y f iq i i . 3 ’ Kn t M c an ca l t igh s e h i Dic ion ary . 4 Al x n A LL R n e a e r d am . D . oma An t t . d , , iqui ies 5 A rchwolo ia ol . x g , v lvii . 4 THE M AGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE hil i I i C d e r c . found in the grave of , k ng of the Franks, 1 4 . 8 . . h A D . w o died . Professor N S Shaler believes that the iron horse-shoe was invented in the fourth u m cent ry, and fro the fact that it was ﬁrst called se l e n e - , the moon , from its somewhat crescent like shape, 1 he concludes that it originated in Greece . But even u in the ninth cent ry, in France, horses were shod with 2 iron on special occasions only, and the early Britons,

Saxons, and Danes do not appear to have had much knowledge of farriery . The modern art of shoeing horses is thought to have been general ly introduced in England by the Normans under William the Con 3 F rr r ue ror . e a s q Henry de , who accompanied that monarch, is believed to have received his surname because he was intrusted with the inspection of the farriers ; and the coat-of-arms of his descendants stil l

- 4 bears six horse shoes .

On the gate of Oakham Castle, an ancient Nor

i ake lin man mansion in Rutlandshire, bu lt by W de

Fe rrar s , son of the ﬁrst earl of that name, were for merly to be seen a number of horse-shoes of different patterns . The estate is famous on account of the tenure of the barons occupying it . Every nobleman who journeyed

’ 1 n M a a n e No S cr b e r s ve mbe r 1 894 . i g zi , , 2 Jo h n Be ckm an A H st I n v n t or e . , i y of ion s F k o sbro e A rch lo ia v ol . . , aeo g , iii N t n o es a d uer e s se r e s 3 v ol . v . 1864 . Q i , i , THE M AGIC OF THE HORSE- SHOE 5 through its precincts was obliged as an act of homage to forfeit a shoe of the horse whereon he rode, or else to redeem it with a sum of money and the horse-shoes a thus obt ined were nailed upon the gate, but are now within on the wall s of the castle . These walls are covered by memorials of royal per son a e s g and peers, who have thus paid tribute to the 1 custom of the county . Queen Elizabeth was thought to have initiated this

a O . pr ctice, though this pinion is incorrect According to tradition she was once journeying on a visit to her l - lord high treasurer, Wil iam Cecil, the well known

Lord Burleigh, at his residence near Stamford . While passing through Oakham her horse is said to have cast a shoe, and in memory of the mishap the queen ordered a large iron shoe to be made and hung up in the castle, and that every nobleman traveling through the town ul ll w sho d fo o her example .

A - similar usage prevails to day, new shoes being pro 2 vid e d b of shapes and sizes chosen y the donors . While John of Gaunt (1339 son of Edward

III . of England, was riding through the town of

Lancaster, his horse cast a shoe, which was kept as a souvenir by the townspeople, and fastened in the middle of the street . And in accordance with a time

1 Le cestershire a n d Rutl n e n — N t s a d u r v l . a o e es o . 188 9 91 . i d Q i , i 9 M ar ar e t G . F n ch The H stor o Oa kha m C ast e . Oakha m 18 g i , i y f l , 97 . 6 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE- SHOE honored custom a new shoe is placed in the same spot every seven years by the residents of Horse - Shoe 1 Corner . The practical value of the horse-shoe is tersely ex A pressed in the old German saying, nail preserves a ” n - cou try ; for the nail keeps in place the horse shoe, the shoe protects the foot of the horse, the horse car ries the knight, the knight holds the castle, and the castle defends the country . The following story from Grimm’ s Household Tales 0 ii. . 3 3 . i (vol p ) may be appropriate in th s place, as l l t i . i us rating the same idea, besides point ng a moral

A me rch an t had don e a good busin e ss at th e fair ; h e had - h n sold his war e s an d lin e d his mon e y bags wit gold a d silve r. The n he wan te d t o trave l hom e ward an d be in his ho use be S o b e c e his r n the m on e on for e n ightfall . pa k d t u k with y At n oo he e s e in o wn an d his hor se an d r ode away . n r t d a t ,

- h i wh e n h e wan te d t o go farth e r t he stable boy br oug t o ut h s is n t n sir in t he sh oe o fit s e h or se an d said : A n ail wa i g, , l ft ” L e t b e w n n n s e re the m e rch n hin d foot. it a ti g, a w d a t ; I h av the sh oe will ce rtain ly stay on for the six m ile s e still ” In the e r n oon he n he o n ce h urr . t o go ; I am in a y aft , w h ad his hor se fe d the s a e -bo e n t o mo r e alighte d an d , t bl y w t ’ im an d s S ir a sh oe is m ss n rom our orse s e h aid , , i i g f y h l ft “ L e t it hi n d foot ; sh all I take him t o the blacksm ith ? ” “ be n n n swe re the m an the hor se c an v e r e still wa ti g, a d , y w ll

1 ’ M arch 10 1866 . Chambers Journ a l, , THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE 7 hold out for th e c ouple of m ile s which r e m ain ; I am in ” H r e or th bu or on t he h or se e an t o h . e o t e e ast e d f , b f l g b g It had n ot m e o n e or e it e an t o s um e lim p . li p d l g b f b g t bl , an d it had n ot stum ble d lon g be for e it fe ll down an d broke The m e rch n was orce t o e e t he h or se he re it its l e g . a t f d l av w was an d un uc e the run a e it on his c an d o , b kl t k, t k ba k, g m o An d he r e he n ot r r ve un u e e ho e on f ot . t did a i til q it lat at “ ” “ A n h un uc ai s h t h m s has n h . d a e o e ig t t t l ky n l, aid i lf, ”

h s s s e H s e n s ow . cause d all t i di a t r . a t l ly

- A A II . THE HORS E S HOE A S S FEGUARD

’ Your w e s a w t ch m an ou sh o u d n a l a h or se -sh oe on our if i , ; y l i y

- — cham be r d o or . Sm WAL ER SC O Red aun tlet . T TT, g 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, in countries widely separated, it has also been popularly used as a talisman for the preservation of buildings or premises wi from the les of witches and ﬁends .

- To the student of folk lore, a superstition like this, which has exerted so wide an inﬂuence over men ’ s minds in the past, and which is also universally pre va in lent our own times, must have a peculiar interest.

What, then, were the reasons for the general adoption of the horse-shoe as a talisman ? It is our purpose to ser ia ti consider the various theories m . Among the Romans there prevailed a custom of d riv ing nail s into cottage walls as an antidote against the 8 THE M AGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE

an d plague . Both this practice the later one of nail ing up horse-shoes have been thought by some to originate from the rite of the Passover . The blood sprinkled upon the doorposts and lintel at the time of the great Jewish feast formed the chief points of an arch, and it may be that with this in mind peo

- - ple adopted the horse shoe as an arch shaped talisman, and it thus became generally emblematic of good luck . The same thought may underlie the practice of the

r peasants in the west of Scotland, who t ain the boughs of the rowan or mountain-ash tree in the form of an arch over a farmyard gate to protect their cattle from

H ORNS AND O THER TW O - RONGED OBJE TS III . P C

The supernatural qualities of the horse-shoe as a preservative against imaginary demons have been sup posed to be due to its bifurcated shape, as any object havin g two prongs or forks was formerly thought to

b e f . i e fective for this purpose As w th the crescent, the source of this belief is doubtless the appearance of the moon in certain of its phases . di Hence, accor ng to some authorities, is derived the f l - alleged e ﬁcacy as amu ets of horse shoes, the horns and tusks of animals, the talons of birds, and the

t . claws of wild beasts, lobs ers, and crabs Hence, too, THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE 9 the signiﬁcance of the oft-quoted lin es from Robert Herrick’ s Hesperides

Han g up h o oks an d she e rs t o scar e

He n ce t he ha t hat r d e s the mare . , g i

of' ul The horn the fab ous unicorn, in reality none

h hi is as other than t at of the r noceros, much valued an amulet, and in west Africa, where the horns of

i fie n d - wild an mals are greatly esteemed as scarers, a large horn filled with mud and having thr ee small horns attached to its lower end is used as a safeguard 1 to prevent slaves from running away . In the vicin ity of Mirzapur in central Hindostan the Horwas tie on the necks of their children the roots of jungle plants as protective charms ; their efficacy being thought to depend on their resemblance to the horns of certain wild beasts . The Mohammedans of northern India use a com l ’ plex amu et, composed in part of a tiger s claw and two claws of the large-horned owl with the tips facing out 2 i ward, wh le in southern Europe we find the necks of ’ mules ornamented with two boar s t a sks or with the horns of an antelope . Amulets fashioned in the shape of horns and 3 crescents are very popular among the Neapolitans.

1 ’ C am e r on s A A cross fr ica . 2 . r k B N n - W C oo e . A . orth I n F , , dia olk Lore . 3 C ara Ersk n e e m n t Na C e es. l i l , p l 10 THE M AGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE Elworthy quotes at some length from the Mimica degli antichi of Andrea de Jorio (Napoli, in illustration of this fact . From this source we learn that the horns of Sicilian oxen and of bullocks are in favor with the nobility and aristocracy as evil-eye protectives, and are frequently seen on their houses ’ and in their gardens ; stag s antlers are the favorites with grocers and chemists, while the lower classes are content with the horns of rams and goats . The Sicilians are wont to tie pieces of red ribbon to the hi s little horns w ch they wear as charms, and thi is sup fﬁ posed vastly to increase their e ciency .

In southern Spain, particularly in Andalusia, the ’ stag s horn is a very favorite talisman . The native children wear a silver-tipped horn suspended from the neck by a braided cord made from the hair of a black ’ l d mare s tai . It is believed that an evil glance irected at the child is received by the horn, which thereupon breaks asunder, and the malevolent inﬂuence is thus ‘ dissipated . Among the Arabs the horn amulet is believed to render inert the malign glance of an enemy, and in the c ase s of the desert the horned heads of cattle are to be see n over the doors of the Arab dwellings as 2 talismans .

1 e or e Borr o w The Z n ca . G g , i li 2 ’ E n r rn x . He a o l A . C e rt e u an d C L A érie trad tion n y y , g i e lle , t om e i .

15 . p . 9

12 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE- SHOE The Siamese attribute therapeutic qualities to the

r horns and tusks of certain animals, and their pha m aC Opoeia contains a somewhat complex prescription i i used as a febr fuge, whose pr ncipal ingredients are

s the powdered horns of a rhinoceros, bi on, and stag,

t a sks the of an elephant and tiger, and the teeth of a bear and crocodile . These are mixed together

n with water, and half of the resulti g compound is to be swallowed, the remainder to be rubbed upon the body% The m an o cor n uta or anti-witch gesture is used very generally in southern and central Italy . Its antiquity is vouched for by its representation in ancient pain t 2 in gs unearthed at Pompeii . It consists in ﬂexing the two middle ﬁngers, while . the others are extended in imitation of horns . When the hand in this position is his pointed at an obnoxious individual, the malignity of 3 glance is believed to be rendered inert . ’ “ Ghisle ri In F . Marion Crawford s novel, Pietro , one of the characters, Laura Arden, was regarded in e tta tr ice Roman society as a j , that is, one having the evil eye . Such a reputation once fastened on a person

un involves social ostracism . In the presence of the fort unate individual every hand was hidden to make

1 B r n . Sir ohn o F R. n o m J w . S d a o S a i g, , The Ki g om nd Pe p le f i ,

l . . 145 . vo i . p 2 C ara Ersk n e e m n t Na l i Cl e , p les. 1 E wort h E v l E e . 1 l y, i y , p 26 . THE MA GIC OF THE HORSE- SHOE 13

is the tal manic gesture, and at the mere mention of her “ name all Rome made horns . No one ever accosted her without havin g the ﬁngers ﬂexed in the approved fashion , unless, indeed, they had about them some potent amulet . It is a curious fact that the possession of the evil dl eye may be imputed to any one, regar ess of character

I%. or position . Pope Pius was believed to have this i malevolent power, and many devout Christians, wh le

i s on their knees await ng his benediction, were accu t om e d slyly to extend a hand toward him in the above t mentioned posi ion .l In an article on “ Asiatic Symbolism in the “ Indian

Antiquary (vol . xv . Mr . H . G . M . Murray

- Aynsley says, in regard to Neapolitan evil eye amulets, that they were probably introduced in southern Italy by Greek colonists of Asiatic ancestry, who sett led a at Cum e and other places in that neighborhood .

Whether fashioned in the shape of horns or crescents, they are survivals of an ancient Chaldean symbol . It

u r has been said that nothing, unless perhaps a s pe sti r tious belief, is more easily t ansmissible than a symbol ; and the people of antiquity were wont to attribute to 2 every symbol a talismanic value .

li n The modern Greeks, as well as the Ita a s, wear

1 o u ar S c e n ce M on th No m ve be r 1896 . P p l i ly, , 1 ’ Gob e D l t A vie ll a La m ra t on d es s mbo es . l , ig i y l , p 25. 14 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE litt le charms representing the hand as makin g this 1 gesture . But not alone in the south of Europe exists the ul - belief in the pec iar virtues of two pronged objects, for in Norway reindeer-horns are placed over the doors 2 of farm-buildings to drive off demons ; and the ﬁne antlers which grace the homes of successful hunters in our own country are doubtless oft en regarded by their owners as of more value than mere trophies of the chase, inasmuch as traditional fancy invests them with such extraordinary virtues . In France a piece of stag-horn is thought to be a di preservative against witchcraft and sease, while in Portugal ox -horns fastened on poles are placed in melon-patches to protect the fruit from withering glances . t Among the Ossetes, a ribe of the Caucasus, the women arrange their hair in the shape of a chamois horn , curving forwards over the brow, thus forming a talismanic coiffure ; and when a Moslem takes his child on a journey he paints a crescent between its eyes, or t att ooe s the same device on its body . The modern t ’ Greek, too, adopts the precau ion of attaching a crab s ’ 3 claw to the child s head . In northern Africa the

n l horns of a imals are very generally used as amu ets, 1 Re n n e l Rod Th ust a L 2. d e C oms n d ore o M od e rn e c . 18 l , f Gr e e 9 1 Revue d es tra t on s o u a res t om e . 18 di i p p l i , viii 92. 11 M élusin e om . 1 t e No . 4 . 8 , viii 96 . THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE 15

i r the prevail ng idea being eve ywhere the same, namely, that pronged objects repel demons and evil glances . Horns are used in eastern countries as ornaments to

- head dresses, and serve, moreover, as symbols of rank . som e tim % They are often made of precious metals, of

. tan tur a s wood The , worn by the Dru es of Mount

Lebanon in Syria, has this shape . l In the Bulgarian vill ages of Macedonia and Thrace

so- s the called wise woman, who combines the profession

of wif r . Im witch and mid e, is an important cha acter mediately upon the birth of a chil d this personage places a reaping-hook in a corner of the room to keep away unfriendly spirits ; the efﬁcacy of the talisman being doubtless due partly to its shape, which bears

- considerable resemblance to a horse shoe .

And in Albania, a sickle, with which straw has just been cut, is placed for a few seconds on the stomach of a newly born child to prevent the demons who cause ? coho from exercising their functions

The mystic virtue of the forked shape is not, how in ever, restricted to its faculty of avert g the glance of l n an evi eye or other malign inﬂuences, for the Divini g Rod is believed to d erive from this same peculiarity of form its magical power of detecting the presence of water or metals when wielded by an experienced hand .

’ ’ 1 M lin n - C t ock n d r s a He a Dr s . a St o C CIO wd i . g y p , art d e s 2 Luc M . . n Gar e tt The Chr st a n Wome n o Turke . y J , i i f y 1 6 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE- SHOE

THE S M B O L OF THE O EN HAND IV . Y P 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

L bian Phce n ician l on y and tombs, as wel as on Celtic 1 monuments in French Brittany . Dr . H . C . Trumbull quotes evidence from various writers showing that this symbol is in common use at the present time in several

n Eastern lands . In the region of ancient Babylo ia the ﬁgur e of a red outstretched hand is still displayed on houses and animals ; and in Jerusalem the same token is frequently placed above the door or on the lintel on account of its reputed virtues in averting evil glances . The Spanish Jews of Jerusalem draw the ﬁgure of a hand in red upon the doors of their houses ; and they also place upon their children ’ s heads silver hand

ob shaped charms, which they believe to be specially noxious to unfr iendly individual s desirous of bringing evil either upon the children themselves, or upon other members of the household . In d ifferent parts of Palestine the open-hand symbol appears alike on the houses of Christians, Jews, and

s ? Moslems, u ually painted in blue on or above the door

1 ’ ’ n m . . 1 . 1 8 Al e tra t o n e e t o e 59 84 . L g rie di i ll , i p 2 H. a Trumbul The Thresho d C oven a n t . 4. C l y l, l , p 7 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE- SHOE 17

. E. Claude Reignier Conder, R , in Heth and Moab,

s remarks on the antiquity of thi pagan emblem, which appears on Roman standards and on the sceptre of Siva in India . He is of the opinion that the ﬁgure of the di red hand, whether sculptured on Irish crosses, splayed a u in Indi n temples, or on Mexican b ildings, is always

— example of the same original idea, that of a pro te ctive symbol . A white hand-print is commonly seen upon the doors and shutters of Jewish and Moslem houses in Be yrout and other Syrian towns ; and even the Christian resi dents of these towns sometimes mark windows and

ﬂour- hi di boxes with t s emblem, after pping the hand in l n whitewash, in order to avert chil ing February wi ds ” 1 from old people and to bring luck to the bin . In Germany a rude amulet having the form of an open hand is fashioned out of the stems of coarse di plants, and is deemed an ample safeguard against vers misfortunes and sorceries . It is called the hand of ”

t . Saint John, or the hand of For une The Jewish matrons of Algeria fasten little golden ’ d - hands to their chil ren s caps, or to their glass bead necklaces, and they themselves carry about similar luck tokens . In northwestern Scotland whoever enters a house where butt er is being made is expected to lay his hand

1 - Fo k Lore Mar ch 18 8 . 10. l , , 9 , p 18 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE upon the churn, thereby signifying that he has no evil t - design s against the bu ter maker, and dissipating any possible effects of an evil eye . l

As a charm against malevolent inﬂuences, the Arabs of Algeria make use of rude drawings representing an

O pen hand, placed either above the entrances of their t habita ions or within doors, a symbolical translation

- i of the well known Arabic mprecation, Five ﬁngers in thine eye Oftentimes the same meaning is con ve e d y by ﬁve lines, one shorter than the others to indi ? cate the thumb, thus E

- RES C ENTS AND HA LF M OON' S HA P ED AM LETS V . C U The alleged predominant inﬂuence of the moon ’ s wax and wane over the growth and welfare of vegeta u tion was formerly generally recognized . Th s in an al manac of the year 1661 it is stated that

If an cor n se e or n b e e he r se t o r own h n six y , d, pla t it s wit i e r the u l Moon in S um me r or hours e ithe r be for e or aft f l , h w M o on in n e r h n o n e h th e cos be for e t e n e Wi t , avi g j i d wit n o f r ct urus a n d Or on t h e Hae i an d th e S c mic al ri si g A i , d i uli , 3 r it is subje c t t o blastin g an d can ke . Timber was always out during the wane of the moon , and so ﬁrmly rooted was this superstition that

1 M us n e t om e v . NO . 3 . 1 896 . él i , iii 9 ’ r tra t on e e t om e . . 159 . 1884 . L Algé ie di i ll , i p 3 - Richard Folkar d r . P a n t Lore . , J , l

20 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE

ul ff s of the operations of agric ture, but over the a air

- of every day life as well . Hence doubtless arose the belief in the value of crescent -shaped and cornute objects as amul ets and charms ; of these the horse-shoe is the one most commonly available, and therefore the one most generally used . In astrology the moon has indeed always been con sid e re d the most influential of the heavenly bodies by reason of her rapid motion and nearness to the earth ; and the astrologers of old, whether in forecasting future events or in giving advice as to proper tim es i ff and seasons for the transact on of business a airs, first ascertained whether or not the moon were well as pe ct e d . This was also a cardinal point with the shrewd magicians of later centuries . And should any one re quire proof of the existence of a modern belief in lun ar ’ ul influences, let him cons t Zadkiel s Almanac for the 1 year 898 . Therein he will find it stated that when

be n e ﬁc the sun is in aspect with the moon , it is a suit able day for asking favors, seeking employment, and t raveling for health . Venus in be n e ﬁc aspect with the moon is favorable i for court ng, marrying, visiting friends, engaging maid

e . s rvants, and seeking amusement ul l Mars, for cons ting surgeons and dea ing with engineers and soldiers . ﬁ Jupiter, for opening of ces and places of business,

g i i g n and for be nn n new e t e rD rise s. THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE- SHOE 21

n Saturn, for having to do with farmers, mi ers, and a elderly people, for buying re l estate and for planting and sowing .

r For, says the oracle of the almanac, ast ologers have found by experience that if the above instructions are f l . followed, human a fairs proceed smooth y “ i - In his work entitled The Ev l Eye (London ,

Mr . Frederick Thomas Elworthy calls attention to the fact that the half-moon was often placed on the heads of certain of the most powerful Egyptian deities, and therefore when worn became a symbol of their wor

. i ship Indeed, the crescent is common in the relig ous symbolism not only of ancient Egypt, but also of

Assyria and In dia . The Hebrew maidens in the time of the prophet Isaiah wore crescent—shaped ornaments 1 on their heads . The crescent is the well-known symbol of the Turk

. i i ish religion According to trad tion, Phil p of Macedon

B . 0 . 382 ( the father of Alexander the Great, attempted to undermine the walls of Byzantium during a siege of the city, but the attempt was revealed to the inhabitants by the light of a crescent moon .

Whereupon they erected a statue to Diana, and adopted the crescent as their symbol . When the Byzantine empire was overthrown by 45 . 1 3 Mohammed II , in , the Turks regarded the 1 1 Isaiah iii . 8 . 22 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE

h fa crescent, w ich was everywhere to be seen, as of vorabl e import . They therefore made it their own

n emblem, and it has since continued to be a disti ctively

Mohammedan token . In the Mussulman mind the new moon is intimately associated with devotional acts . Its appearance is eagerly watched for and

Th e m om e n t the e ye lights on th e slight thre ad of silve r in t he e s e h r e n x e h re h s r e w t rn twilig t, it mai s ﬁ d t e , w il t p ay rs o f n s v n an d r e are ofe re th e h an e n h e tha k gi i g p ais f d, ds b i g ld u b the ce the u w r an d o e n an d e r wa p y fa , palms p a d p , aft rds asse hre e e s o e r the s the ze e n n p d t tim v vi age, ga still r mai i g 1 immovable . Golden crescents of various sizes were among the most primitive forms of money . Ancient coins fre quently bore the likenesses of popular deities or their symbols, and of the latter the crescent appears to have been the one most commonly employed? It was the usual mint-mark of the coins of The spia in the early

ur B part of the fo th century . is seen on the coins of the reigns of Augustus, Nero, and other Roman emperors ; and on the silver pieces of the time of 4 Ifun Hadrian is found the a cr e sce n s with seven stars . A crescent adorned the head of the goddess Diana

1 C orn h ll M ar ch 18 77 . i , , 9 M D . A n t Fa t Thom as n m an . c en hs embo ed in A t Na n c e n mes. I , , i i di i 3 t Num um. x r 1 Bar l a V . He ad H s or a or O o d 88 c y , i i f , 7. 1 t n ar o Roman Co n s. Lon d on 188 A Dic io y f i , 9 . THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE—SHOE 23 in her character of Hecate, or ruler of the infernal regions .

Hecate was supposed to preside over enchantments, and was also the special guardian and protectress of 1 ul houses and doors . The Greeks not only wore am ets in the shape of the half moon , but placed them on the 2 walls of their houses as talismans ; and the Romans

' haler ce used p , metallic disks and crescents, to decorate the foreheads and breasts of their horses . Such ornaments are to be seen on the caparisons of the horses on Trajan ’ s Column and on other ancient ui monuments, in the collection of Roman antiq ties in t dia the Bri ish Museum, and in me eval paintings and tapestries ? In the portrayals of combats between the Romans and Dacians on the Arch of Constantine, the trappings of the horses of both armies are decorated with these 4 emblems, as are also the bridle reins of a horse shown in a French manuscript of the ﬁfteenth century re pre ” 5 senting gentlefolk meeting on horseback . ’ Charms of similar shape, made of wolves teeth and

1 ’ e n t n M n G ema s a a e vol . 84 . 1814 . l g zi , 2 o u ar S cie n ce M on th Nove mbe r 1895 . P p l ly, , 3 Journ a o the A n thro o o c a I n st tute o eat Brita n an d I re nd l f p l gi l i f Gr i la ,

l . vo 19 . 1890 . 4 ’ ’ Be rn ard d e M on t aucon L an ti uité ex li uee . f , q p q 5 Ph . Ch ar e s Be r e an The Horses o An t u t M d e A es a n d l j , f iq i y, id l g , R en a ssan ce . Lon d on 1 8 . i , 64 24 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE- SHOE

’ r ff boa s tusks, have been found in tumuli in di erent parts of Great Britain .

A sepulchral stone, which is preserved among other - l at Gallo Roman re ics within the ch eau of Chinon , fﬁ France, bears the e gy of a man standing upright and clad in a large tunic with wide sleeves . Above the

u -s fr e ﬁg re is a crescent haped talisman, a symbol quently found in monuments of that period?

is But the use of these symbols, although so ancient, by no means obsolete ; the brass crescent, an avowed l charm against the evil eye, is very common y attached to the elaborately decorated harnesses of Neapolitan

r - s d aught horses, and is u ed in the East to embellish the trappings of elephants . It is also still employed in like manner in various parts of Europe and in the d - England of to ay . In Germany small half moon shaped amul ets similar to the ancient [MTVlG'xOL or lun ul ce are st ill used against the evil eye .

In a Sweden and Frisia, bridal ornaments for the he d and neck often represent the moon ’ s disk in its ﬁrst quarter ; and it is customary to call out after a newly ” 2 0 . married pair, Increase, Moon

- Elworthy remarks that the horse shoe, wherever used t as an amulet, is the handy conventional represen ative s of the crescent, and that the Buddhi t crescent

1 Th od o An ook B . A . Old Toura n e . e re d re a C , , i

1 - Ro hho Alt d eutsches Bil r erle ben . Pro e ssor 0 . . f H c lz , g THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE 25 emblem is a horse-shoe with the curve pointed like a

Gothic arch . The English fern called moonwort (B o trychium lun aria ) is thought to owe its reputed magical powers to the crescent form of the segments of its frond .

Some writers regard it as identical with the martagon, an herb formerly much used by sorcerers ; and also c with the Italian sfer r a ava llo .

According to the famous astrologer and herbalist, ul Nicholas Culpepper, moonwort possessed certain occ t

r i vi tues, and was endowed with extraord nary attributes, chief among them being its power of undoing locks and of unshoeing horses . The same write r remarked l i that, while some people of inte l gence regarded these ul notions with scorn, the pop ar name for moonwort ” 1 l - - among the countryfo k was unshoe the horse . “ ” Du Bartas, in his Divine Weekes, says in refer ence to this plant

Hor se s ha e e n on the rass h l s r e a u on m oon t t, f di g g y i l , t d p o t h he r ho l ow h e e s hou h e sho n h o w r wit t i l l , t g lat ly d, at ig t g b e oo hom e he r m s e r m us n h h ar f t , t i ai t i g w e r e t e ir shoe s be ’ com m % m h e . 0 oon wor e e e re h o hid st t he sm h t t ll w t u it , ’ ha m e r an d n che r s ho un shod d h m pi , t u st t e m with .

The horse-shoe has sometimes been identiﬁed with the cross, and has been supposed to derive its amuletic power from a fancied resemblance to the sacred Chris

1 Richard F l - o kard r . P , J , lan t Lore . 26 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE f l tian sym bol . But inasmuch as it is di ﬁcu t to ﬁnd any marked simil arity in form between the crescent and the cross, this theory does not appear to warrant serious consideration .

RON A S A P ROTECT E C HARM VI . I IV Some writers have maintained that the luck asso ciat e d - with the horse shoe is due chieﬂy to the metal,

i an d irrespect ve of its shape, as iron steel are tradi

n l tio a charms against malevolent Spirits and goblins .

- r In their view, a horse shoe is simply a piece of i on of ul gracef shape and convenient form , commonly pierced - i with seven nail holes (a myst c number), and therefore an altogether suitable talisman to be afﬁxed to the door of dwelling or stable in conformity with a venerable custom sanctioned by centuries of usage . Of the antiquity of the belief in the supernatural properties of iron there can be no doubt . Among the ancient Gaul s this metal was thought to di be consecrated to the Evil Principle, and, accor ng to a fragment of the writings of the Egyptian historian

B r ll Manetho (about 275 . i on was ca ed in Egypt ’ the bone of Typhon, or Devil s bone, for Typhon in the Egyptian mythology was the personiﬁcation of evil? ” “ u i Pliny, in his Nat ral H story, states that iron

1 Laisn e l d al e an ces et e end es d a cen tre d e la F an c . e la S l , Croy l g r e

Par s 18 . i , 75

28 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE

Quite thoughtlessly the girl laid her ﬁre -steel on the casket, and when the giantess returned for the property l l s she could not touch it, for steel is repel ant to tro l , both great and small . So the herdswoman carried u - u home the treas re box, which was fo nd to contain a golden crown and other valuables? The heathen Northmen believed in the existence of a

d warﬁsh k race of artisans, who were s illed in the work ing of metals, and who fashioned implements of warfare in their subterranean workshops . These dwarfs were also thought to inhabit isolated rocks ; and according to a popular notion , if a man chanced to encounter one of l them, and quick y threw a piece of steel between him ul w and his habitation, he co d thereby prevent the d arf

n him from returni g home, and could exact of whatever he desired ? ﬂi Among French Canadians, ﬁre es are viewed with superstitious eyes as luminous imps of evil, and iron and steel are the most potent safeguards against them ; a knife or needle stuck into the nearest fence is thought to amply protect the belated wayfarer against these in sects, for they will either do themselves injury upon the i former, or w ll become so exhausted in endeavoring to pass through the needle ’ s eye as to render them tempo ? rarily harmless Such waifs and strays of popular

1 - W l l am A . Cra e M . A . S can n a v a n F l o k Lore . . i i igi , , di i , p 396 1 Ru o h K r Th R N t e se e e on o the or hme n . 2 . d lp y , ligi f , p 99 1 o u a r S c en ce M on th vol . 44 . 1 894 . P p l i ly, THE M AGIC OF THE HORSE- SHOE 29 ll credulity may seem most trivial, yet they serve to i us tr ate the ancient and widely diffused belief in the tra dition al qualities ascribed to certain metals . One widely prevalent theory ascribed to iron a mete

ri dif t o c origin, but the ferent nations of antiqui y were wont to attribute its discovery or invention to some favorite deity or mythological personage ; Osiris was t thus honored by the Egyp ians, Vulcan by the Romans, and Wodan or Odin by the Teutons . In early times the employm ent of iron in the arts was much restricted by reason of its dull exterior and R0 brittleness . There existed, moreover, among the

a t mans cer ain religious prejudice against the metal, whose use in many ceremonies was wholly proscribed . This prejudice appears to have been due to the fact that iron weapons were held jointly responsible with those who wielded them for the shedding of human blood ; n - i asmuch as swords, knives, battle axes, lance and spear ? points, and other implements of war were made of iron Those mythical demons of Oriental lands known as the Jin n are believed to be exorcised by the mere name 2 of iron and Arabs when overtaken by a simoom in the desert endeavor to charm away these spirits of evil by ” 3 r % crying, Iron, i on

1 Dr Karl l l . Sitt A rchao o ie d e r Kun st . 21 . 18 5. , g , p 0 9 1 E d war B . l d T or LL D . r m t ve C ulture . y , . , P i i i 8 W l am S . Wal sh Han Book o L terar Cur os t es. il i , dy f i y i i i 30 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE

The Jin n being legendary creatures of the Stone

Age, the comparatively modern metal is supposed to be obnoxious to them . In Scandinavia and in nort hern is countries generally, iron a historic charm against the wil es of sorcerers . The Chinese sometimes wear outside of their clothing 1 a piece of an old iron plough-point as a charm ; and they have also a custom of dr iving long iron nails in certain kinds of trees to exorcise some particul arly dan ? ge rous female demons which haunt them The ancient Ir ish were wont to hang crooked horse-shoe nails about 3 the necks of their chil dren as charms ; and in Teutonic folk-lore we ﬁnd the venerable superstition that a horse shoe nail found by chance and driven into the ﬁreplace will effect the restoration of stolen property to the owner . In Ireland, at the present time, iron is held to be a sacred and luck-bringing metal which thieves hesi ? tate to steal A Celtic legend says that the name I r on -lan d or I r e lan d originated as foll ows : The Emerald Isle was formerly altogether submerged, except during a brief period every seventh year, and at such times repeated

attempts were made by foreigners to land on its soil,

1 L h n e . Re v . ustus Doo tt e S oc a e the C se J li l , i l if of i 1 Re n n e ll Ro . 165 . dd, p

3 - W am r Bl L n d o n 188 . Ge o e ac k Fo k M e c n e . o 3 illi g , l di i , 1 N tu . . B . Fr e d r ch Die S mbo k a n d M tholo ie d er a r J i i , y li y g THE M AGIC OF THE HORSE- SHOE 31 but without success, as the advancing waves always swallowed up the bold invaders . Finally a heavenly revelation declar ed that the island could only be res cued from the sea by throwing a piece of iron upon it

Pr oﬁt during its brief appearance above the waters . ing by the information thus vouchsafed, a daring adventurer cast his sword upon the land at the time indicated, thereby dissolving the spell, and Ireland has ever since remained above the water . On account of this tradition the ﬁnding of iron is always accounted lucky by the Irish ; and when the treasure-trove has the

- form of a horse shoe, it is nailed up over the house door . Thus iron is believed to have reclaimed Ireland l from the sea, and the ta ismanic symbol of its reclama tion is the iron horse-shoe? Once upon a tim e — so runs a tradition of the

Ukraine, the border region between Russia and Poland — some men found a piece of iron . After having in vain attempted to eat it, they tried to soften it by boil in t g it in water ; then they roasted it, and af erwards l beat it with stones . Whi e thus engaged, the Devil, who had been watching them, inquired, What are you making there and the men replied, A ham ” mer with which to beat the Devil . Thereupon Satan asked where they had obtained the requisite sand and

1 F. Nork M tho o e d er o sa u r , y l gi V lks gen un d Volksmd rchen . St ttga t ,

1848 . 32 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE- SHOE from that time men understood that sand was essential for the use of iron-workers and thus began the manu facture of iron implements? Among the Scotch ﬁshermen also iron is invested with magical attributes . Thus if, when plying their t ul voca ion , one of their number chance to ind ge in pro fan it ul y, the others at once call out, Ca d airn and each grasps a handy piece of the metal as a counter inﬂuence to the m isfortune which would else pursue them throughout the day . Even nowadays in Eng

in ul - land, defa t of a horse shoe, the iron plates of the heavy shoes worn by farm laborers are occasionally to be seen fastened at the doors of their cottages ? When in former times a belief in the existence of mischievous elves was current in the Highland districts hi of Scotland, iron and steel were in gh repute as pop ular safeguards against the visits of these fairy-folk ; for they were sometimes bold enough to carry off young

- mothers, whom they compelled to act as wet nurses for their own offspring . One evening m any years ago a

Duld re an farmer named Ewen Macdonald, of gg , left his wife and young infant indoors while he went out on an errand ; and tradition has it that while crossing t a brook, thereaf er called in the Gaelic tongue the

1 au S e bill ot Lé en d es e t cur os tés d es m t ers. P l , g i i é i 1 - The Fo k Lore Journ a v ol . vii. 1 l l, 88 9 . 1 acob Lar ood an d hn . Hott n T t w o C e he H s r o S n board s. J J , i o y f ig THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE 33 streamlet of the knife, he heard a strange rushing sound accompanied with a sigh, and realized at once f that fairies were carrying o f his wife . Instantly throw

ri ing a knife into the air in the name of the T nity, the ’ l if d n fairies power was annu led, and his w e ropped dow before him?

- In Scandinavian and Scottish folk lore, there is a ffi - marked a nity between iron and flint . The elf bolt or flint arrowhead was formerly in great repute as a charm against divers evil influences, whether carried around

ul i n as an am et, used as a mag cal puriﬁer of drinki g water for cattle, or to avert fairy spite . It seems pos

n sible that iron and steel in supersedi g ﬂint, which was so useful a material in the rude arts of primitive peo ples, inherited its ancient magical qualities . In the Hebrides a popular charm against the wiles of sorcerers consisted in placing pieces of ﬂint and untem pered steel in the milk of cows alleged to have been

. k bewitched The mil was then boiled, and this process was thought to foil the machinations of the witch or enchantress ? The fairies of the Scottish lowlands were supposed to use arrows tipped with white ﬂint, where with they shot the cattle of persons obnoxious to them, the wounds thus inﬂicted being invisible except to cer tain personages gifted with supernatural sight ?

1 W ll am M a k c a Ur uhart a n d len moriston . 434 . i i y, q G , p 1 Dan W l son T e he A rchaeo o a n d reh stor c A n n als o S cot an d . i l i , l gy P i i f l 1 Thom as Ke h T M t t e he Fa holo . 52 ig l y, iry y gy, p 3 . 34 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE

n is Accordi g to a Cornish belief, iron potent to con

-ﬁe n d s trol the water , and when thrown overboard ena bles mariners to land on a rocky coast with safety even in a rough sea ? A simil ar superstition exists in the Orkney Islands with reference to a certain rock on the coast of Westray . It is thought that when any one with a piece of iron about him steps upon this rock, the sea at once becomes turbul ent and does not sub side until the magical substance is thrown into the water ?

The inhabitants of the rocky island of Timor, in the

Indian Archipelago, carry about them scraps of iron mi to preserve themselves from all kinds of shaps, even as the London cockney cherishes with care his lucky l penny, crooked sixpence, or perforated shil ing ; while in Hindostan iron nails are frequently dr iven in over a door, or into the legs of a bedstead, as protectives . It was a mediaeval weddin g custom in France to place on ’ 3 - l the bride s ﬁnger a ring made from a horse shoe nai , a i superst tious bid, as it were, for happy auspices .

In Sicily, iron amulets are popularly used against the v l e il eye indeed iron in any form, especia ly the horse

ff v shoe, is thought to be e ecti e, and in fact talismanic properties are ascribed to all metals . When, therefore,

1 F S . Basse tt S e a . ha n toms. , P

1 - am e s W. M ack n a Folk Lore o S cott sh Lochs a nd S r n s J i l y, f i p i g , p . 6 . 1 W am on e s C red ul t es ast and P resen t illi J , i i P .

36 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE k i nife on wh ch a cross is marked, and in Bavaria a pair In . t of opened scissors, are similarly used Wes phalia an axe and a broom are laid crosswise on the threshold, the chil d ’ s nurse being expected to step over these arti cles on entering the room? The therapeutic value of iron and its use as a medi cam e n t do not properly belong to our subject ; and, - i indeed, neither the iron horse shoe nor ts counterfeit symbol have usually been much employed in folk-medi cine . Professor Sepp, in his work on the religion of the

ul r early Germans, mentions, however, a pop ar cu e for

- whooping cough, which consisted in having the patient eat off of a wooden platter branded with the ﬁgure of

- a horse shoe . ’ In France, also, a favorite panacea for children s dis eases consists in laying on the child an accidentally

- found horse shoe, with the nails remaining in it ; and in Mecklenbur g gastric affections are thought to be successfully treated by dr inking beer which has been ? poured upon a red-hot horse-shoe Pliny ascribed healing power to a cast-off horse-shoe found on the road . The ﬁnder was recommended care fully to preserve such a horse-shoe ; and should he at fﬂi any future time be a cted with the hiccoughs, the mere recollection of the exact spot where the shoe had

1 H. P oss D in B uch und S tt d er Dr . as K nd ra e 22. l , i i Volker, p . 1 1 A Wuttke D er d eutsche o ksaber aube . . . , V l gl , p 336 THE M AGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE 37 been placed woul d serv e as a remedy for that some times obstinate affection? In Bavaria a popul ar alleged cure for hernia in chil dren is as follows : From a horse-shoe wherein all the i nails remain, and which has been cast by a horse, a na l is taken and when next a new moon comes on a Fri day, one must go into a ﬁeld or orchard before sunrise and drive the nail by three blows into an oak-tree or - i pear tree, according to the sex of the ch ld, and thrice invoke the name of Christ ; after which one must kneel on the ground in front of the tree and repeat a P a ter i n oster . This is an example of a k nd of therapeutic measure not uncommon among peasants in different

in su e rsti parts of Germany, a blend g of the use of a p tious charm with religious exercises ? An ingenious theory ascribes the origin of the belief in the magical properties of iron to the early employ ment of the actual cautery, and to the use of the lancet in surgery ? In either case the healing effects of the metal, whether hot or in the form of a knife, have been attributed by superstitious minds to magical properties in the instruments, whereby the demons who caused the disease were put to ﬂight . In northern India the natives believe that evil spirits are so simple-minded as

1 Natur H s a tor book xx . h . 8 1 l i y, viii c . 1 Dr . G . Lamm e rt Vo ksme d n in Ba ern . 120. , l izi y , p 1 am be l C p l . 38 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE to run against the sharp edge of a knife and thus do themselves inj ur y ; and they also make use of iron rings - e ﬂi as demon scarers, such talismans having the double cacy of the iron and of the sacred circle?

In Bombay, when a child is born, the natives place an iron bar along the threshold of the room of conﬁnement as a guard against the entrance of demons ? This prae tice is derived from the Hindoo superstition that evil spirits keep aloof from iron and even to-day pieces of horse shoes are to be seen nailed to the bottom sill s ? of s the doors of native hou es In east Bothnia, when the cows leave their winter quarters for the ﬁrst time, an iron bar is laid before the threshold of the door through which the animals must pass, and the farmers believe that, if this precaution were omitted, the cows r um ? would prove troublesome th oughout the s mer So,

aalﬁe ld too, in the region of S , in central Germany, it is customary to place axes, saws, and other iron and steel implements outside the stable door to keep the catt le from bewitchment .

The Scandinavian peasants, when they venture upon the water, are wont to protect themselves against the

Ne ck r- power of the , or rive spirit, by placing a knife

x in the bottom of the boat, or by ﬁ ing an iron nail in

1 - . k B . A u a on an d Fo L o North I n d . W Croo s . o r Re io ore ern a , , P p l ligi l f i 1 h a Trum u . Le tte r t o t e write r from H. Cl y b ll 1 - The Fo k Lore J ourn a v ol . . . . l l, vi p 77 1 - on e s an d Kr o Fo k Ta es o the M a ars . 410 n ote . J pf, l l f gy , p , THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE- SHOE 39

t t a a reed . The following is the ransla ion of charm used in Norway for this purpose

Ne c Ne ck n a in e the M c e e e k, , il wat r, Virgin ary ast th st l

in e . D o ou n I . wat r y si k , ﬂit In Finland there is an evil fairy known as the Alp

t P ain a ain en Nigh mare . Its name in the vernacular is j , hi which means in English Presser . T s unpleasant

n l being makes people scream, and causes you g chi dren to squint ; and the popular safeguard is steel, or a broom placed beneath the pill ow? Friedrich remarks that the Moslems look upon iron

div t as a ine gif , and that the Finlanders have their tutelary gods of this metal . Among the Jews there prevails a popul ar belief that one shoul d never make use of a knife or other steel instrument for the pur pose of more readily following l with the eye the pages of the Bible, the Ta mud, or other sacred book . Iron should never be permitted to i touch any book treating of relig on, for the two are t n i incompa ible by nature, the one destroyi g human l fe and the other prolonging it ? The Highlanders of Scot land have a time-honored custom of taking an oath u pon cold iron or steel . The dirk, which was formerly an indispensable adjunct to the Highland costume, is a

1 Thom K as M t . 148 e ht e The Fa ho o . ig l y , iry y l gy, p 1 M o se Schuhl S u erst tion s e t coutume s o u a es d a ud i i , p i p p l ir J a sme . 40 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE favorite and handy object for the purpose . The faith in the magical power of steel and iron against evil-dis posed fairies and ghosts was universal, and this form of oath was more solemn and bindin g than any other? Among the Bavarian peasants nails and needles have

- a reputation the reverse of that of the horse shoe . A horse-shoe nail stuck into the front door of a house will

i ll . dl i g ve the owner a serious i ness A nee e, when g ven r to a friend, is sure to prick to death existing f iendship, even as such friendship is severed by the gift of a knife ul or pair of scissors . Such an untoward res t may be a averted, however, if the recipient smile pleas ntly when

r the gift is made . A cu ious superstition about iron locks prevails in Styria and Tyrol . If you procure from a locksmith a brand-new lock and carry it to chur ch at if the time of a wedding ceremony, and , while the bene diction is being said, you fasten the lock by a turn of ’ the key, then the young couple s love and happiness is destroyed . Mutual aversion will supplant affection until you open the l ook again?

B LA K M VII . C S ITHS CRED ITED WITH S UPERNATURA L A TTRIB UTES

ae Vulcan , the Roman god of ﬁre, the Heph stus of

Grecian mythology, was also the patron of blacksmiths

1 John Gre orson C am be The Fia n s . 52 g p ll, , p . 1 F f r aule in He le n e Ra f. THE M AGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE 41 and workers in metals . He was the great artisan of the

his hi universe, and at workshop in Olympus he fas oned armor for the warriors of the heroic age . On earth volcanoes were his forges, and his favorite residence [ E was the island of Lemnos in the ge an Sea . Beneath

IEt n a C , with the aid of those famed artisans, the y n clops, he forged the thu derbolts of Jove ; and there m also, according to tradition, were ade the trident of ’ l Neptune, Pluto s helmet, and the shield of Hercu es .

Hephae stus was thus a controller and master of ﬁre . The Cyclops were believed by the ancients to have invented the art of forging ; and the discovery of the peculiar qualities of iron was attributed to certain myth ical beings called the Dactyls, who dwelt in Phrygia, and wh o were thought to have acquired this knowledge from observation of the fusion of metals at the fabulous burning of Mount Ida . The Dactyls had the reputa t ion of being wizards, whose very names possessed a mysterious prote ctive power when pronounced by per sons exposed to sudden dangers .

- r Certain semi fabulous t ibes of central Asia, workers in metals, kept secret the mysteries of their craft, and l i hi were wont to indu ge in wild orgies and festivit es, w ch served to inspire with awe the uninitiated . At such times they danced until frenzied with excitement, to the accompaniment of cymbals and tambourines and the clashing of weapons . The people of neighboring tribes 42 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE- SHOE

n feared to approach them, believi g that they were pos sessed of a magical power which enabled them to trans form one metal into another and to forge thunderbolts . They were reputed to be masters of ﬁre and of the ele ’ ik ul ? ments, and their forges, l e V can s, were volcanoes These barbarous peoples were sometimes confounded with the Dactyls, Corybantes, Cabiri, and Curetes, tra dition al l metallurgists endowed with supernatural skil , an d i therefore popularly reckoned as mag cians, or even as divinities . For a long period they were supposed to be vested with the exclusive knowledge of metal-work ing, a knowledge shrouded in mystery . ” Kale valla In the , or ancient epic poem of Finland, the blacksmith Il marinen is represented as the pioneer il and most sk led of artisans, who fashioned both the implements of warfare and domestic utensils . This hero Cam e t o e art h t o work th e m e t al on h oa -m oun t He w as born up t e c l , Skill e d an d n urt ure d in t h e c o al-ﬁe ld s;

o e r h am m e r In o n e han d a c pp , In th e oth e r t on gs o f ir on ; th e b acksm th I n t he n ight wa s born l i , I n th e m om he built his sm ithy ;

h r a or e d h ll o ck S ought wit c a e a f v i , Whe re th e wi n d s m igh t ﬁll h is be llows; t h swam -l an d Foun d a hill ock in e p , d a un d an t Wh e re th e i ron hi b ,

- 1 Th e r e h e built his sm e ltin g fn rn ac e .

1 ’ 1 i t 1 o um e A r 1893 . L I n it a ion , 9 v l , p il , 1 in A rcha c T mes . C . Bro wn LL . D . eo e o Fin a n d J , , P p l f l i i ,

44 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE And where were you the night before ? ” asked the “ ” “ Jard al i . . sm th In , answered the stranger You ” must be a tremendous liar, said the smith, with great frankn ess . Then he applied himself to his task in ear

- nest, and forged the biggest horse shoes which he had ’ ever seen, but which were found to ﬁt the horse s feet

l ' perfectly . In the course of f u ther conversation the traveler remarked that he had long dwelt in the north of Norway and was on his way to Sweden . When he was ready to continue journeying and had mounted his i “ steed, the sm th inquired his name . Have you ever ” heard of Odin ? was the rejoinder . I have heard “ his . name, said the smith Then you may see him ” be now, remarked the horseman , and, if you do not l h ow ieve what I have told you, look I leap my horse ” over the fence . Thereupon he spurred the animal and

r rode st aight at the courtyard fence , which was seven ells high . The gallant steed cleared the fence with ease, and neither he nor his rider were seen again by the worthy blacksmith? The dignity and importance of the blacksmith ’ s art in early mediae val times in England is illustr ated by the ’ following tal e fr om Paul Sébillot s Légendes e t Curi ” osités ét . des M iers, art Forgerons

l in King A fred the Great, who reigned the latter part of the ninth century, on one occasion assembled

1 - W. A . ra e S can d na v a n Fo k Lore . C igi , i i l THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE- SHOE 45

his together seven of principal mechanics and craftsmen, and announced that he woul d appoint as their chief that one who could longest dispense with the assistance of the others ; and he also invited them all to a banquet, on condition that each shoul d bring with him a speci men of his handiwork and the tools wherewith it was

all : made . At the appointed time they appeared the blacksmith brought his hammer and a horse-shoe ; the tailor his scissors and a newly made garment the baker his long-handled wooden bread-shovel and a loaf of bread the shoemaker his awl and a pair of new shoes ; the carpenter his saw and a squared plank ; the butcher his chopping-knife and a large piece of meat ; and the - f mason his trowel and a corner stone . A ter careful deliberation the company decided that the tailor’ s work i was the best, and he was accord ngly chosen to be chief of the artisans .

The blacksmith was vexed at the choice, and vowed l he wou d work no more, so long as the tailor was chief he therefore closed his shop and took his departure . ’ But his absence was speedily felt ; the king s horse lost a shoe, the six comrades one after another broke

his their tools, and, although the tailor continued to ply d trade longer than the others, he too was soon oblige to cease from work . Thereupon the king and his tradesmen decided to try their hands at blacksmithing, ’ but met with ill success ; for the king s horse trod on 46 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE his royal master, the tailor burnt his ﬁngers, and the others met with various mishaps . At lengt h they be s mi gan to quarrel among themselve , even co ng to blows, and in the melee the anvil was overturned with a crash . Just at this point Saint Clement appeared on the scene arm in arm with the blacksmith . The king saluted the f newcomers respect ully, and addressed them as follows

I have made a bad mistake, my friends, in allowing ’ myself to be beguiled by the tailor s ﬁne cloth and his k i s illful hand work in common fairness the blacksmith, without whose aid the other workmen can accomplish ” All nothing, should be proclaimed chief artisan . the tradesmen except the tail or then begged the worthy smith to make new tools for them, which he forthwith

- proceeded to do, even including a brand new pair of scissors for the tailor . Then the king reorganized th e society of artisans and proclaimed as chief the blacksmith, whom all greeted with wishes for good health and happiness .

Af hi n ter t s the ki g called on each one for a song, and the new chief in his turn sang one entitled The ” t Merry Blacksmith , which is even nowadays some imes ’ t rad e sm e n s l heard at the festivities of gui ds in England . ﬁ Saint Clement, who gures in the above tale, was the patron saint of farriers . He was a Roman bishop, who

1 . A . D 00 died . In ecclesiastical tradition he was reck on e d r an among the marty s, having been bound to an THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE-SHOE 47 chor and thr own into the sea on November 23 of that

His - year . name day was still observed in recent times li k him by Eng sh blac smiths, who regarded as the ori

in t or g a of the art of practical farriery, and held an annual festival in his honor . The blacksmiths’ apprentices of the Woolwich dock yard were wont to form a procession on the evening of ’ i i Saint Clement s Day, one of the r number personat ng ” Old Clem, with masked face, oakum wig, and long white beard . i s l During the festiv ties thi worthy de ivered a spe ech, in part as follows

I am the r e S a n C e e n the ﬁr o n r of al i t l m t, st f u de brass,

ron an d s e e rom the ore . I h e e e n t o M o n ZEt n a i , t l f av b u t , whe r e the od ul c an r s his or e an d o e the g V ﬁ t built f g , f rg d ? arm or an d thun de rbolts for the god Jupite r

Eli ius m Saint Eloy, or Saint g , is someti es represented ﬂ as the guardian of farriers and blacksmiths . He our ishe d in the seventh century, and in his youth served

he as apprentice to a goldsmith at Limoges, where he came very proﬁcient in the art of working the precious

. 1 metals His festival occurs on December . l - According to a we l known legend, Saint Eloy was n s once shoei g a demoniac horse, which refu ed to stand ’ still ; he therefore cut off the animal s leg and put on 1 T F T l . . hise on D r M . A . B t t e r sh o u ar C ustoms . 424. y , , i i P p l , p 48 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE—SHOE

. r the shoe Then, making the sign of the cross, he e i ill ff placed the leg, the horse experienc ng no e ects from the operation . ’ This saint is mentioned in Barnaby Googe s Popish ” Kin d om e l g , as fo lows

An d Lo e th e sm th d oth oc ke t o h orse an d sm the s of all d e ree y i l , i g ;

the w th r on m e d d e h e re or if the o dsmithe s be e . If y i i l , y g l

In certain countries blacksmiths and farriers have

ur always been credited with supernat al faculties, and it

n seems, therefore, reasonable thus to explai the origin of some portion of the alleged mystic virtues of their

- handiwork, the iron horse shoe, although indeed this view does not appear to have been advanced hitherto .

Among ourselves, and in some of the principal Euro mi pean countries, blacks ths are highly respectable mem oc bers of society, although they do not usually deal in

ul . m c t science But in portions of the Russian e pire, as

Min re lia in the province of g , the Caucasus, and neighbor ing regions, blacksmiths do enjoy a certain reputation a as magicians . Solemn oaths are t ken upon the anvil instead of upon the Bible . In Abyssinia and in the Congo country all iron -workers have the reputation of

Tibbous l sorcerers, and among the of centra Africa they are treated with great deference . When an inhabitant

s of the Orkney Island wishes to obtain an amulet, he l his app ies either to a farrier, or to son or grandson ; THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE- SHOE 49 i and the Roumanian gypsies are mostly blacksm ths, di their wives obtaining a livelihood by men cancy, the practice of divination, and the interpretation of dreams ; while both men and women are thought to have the faculty of summonin g to their aid powerful spirits of the air?

In Morocco, at the present day, there still exists a

d warﬁsh community of artisans, workers in metals, magicians, and adepts in the healing art, who make little books which are used as port able amulets ; and the

Haratin, who inhabit the Drah valley, deem it sinful t even to men ion by name these dwarfs, whom they con sider entitled to extraordinary respect . Each member of this mysterious tribe of pigmy hails smiths is said to wear a , or outer garment, having upon the back a representation of an eye, a symbol sug ge stive of the Cyclops of old?

O There was, indeed, as we have seen, a common pin ion throughout a great part of Europe that the earliest smiths were supernatural beings ; for it was reasoned that the marvelous process of melting and fashioning iron could not have been conceived by man, but must have originated through magical agencies . In Germany blacksmith’ s forges were often situated on highways remote from settlements, and were the

1 M élusin e t om e iv , . p . 367. 1 R. G . Ha bur t on The Dwa s o M n A li , rf f ou t tlas. 50 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE- SHOE resort of travelers and teamsters, who stopped either to have a horse shod, or to obtain veterinary advice .

Quite naturally these smithies, like the modern cross l roads variety stores, became little centres of sociabi ity

t . s and gossip, and even of conviviali y Moreover, que tion able characters sometimes frequented these places, and hence their reputation was not always savory . mi ll But the blacks th himself, by virtue of his ca ing, f was looked upon with respect, even after his cra t had ceased to inspire the vulgar with mysterious awe?

In south Germany and the Tyrol, when a blacksmith

n rests from his work on a Saturday eveni g, he strikes

his il with hammer three blows upon the anv , thereby chaining up the Devil for the ensuing week . And so

s n - likewi e, while hammeri g a horse shoe into shape, he strikes the anvil instead of the shoe every fourth or

ﬁfth blow, and thus makes doubly secure the chain wherewith Satan is bound ? Blacksmiths are usually clever enough to recognize the Devil, even when disguised as a gentleman . Once upon a tim e the Evil One appeared at the door

l Gosse n sass of a smith in the vi lage of , on the Brenner

r wi . road, Ty ol, and shed to have his two horses shod

When the work was done, he inquired how much he shoul d pay but the shrewd smith refused to take an y

1 E 8 D r . Lud w Be k D ie esch cht d sen s . 7 . ig c , G i e es i , p 9 1 u D d h o sabe r aube . 263 . A . W ttke , er eutsc e V lk gl , p

52 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSM HOE

’ blacksmith s magical powers . Very early in the morn ing the little patient is brought to the shop of a smith of the seventh generation, if such can be found, and laid quite naked on the anvil . The blacksmith raises

- his hammer thrice as if to strike a glowing horse shoe, m ’ each ti e letting it gently fall on the child s body, a l ’ simple ceremony, but vastly promotive of the chi d s

u . physical welfare, in the minds of its r stic parents The farriers of the Arabs inhabiting the c ase s of the great Sahara desert are exempt from taxes and enjoy n umerous privileges . Of these the most important and

n striki g, as showing the honor accorded to the men of

i : this craft, is the follow ng

When, on the battleﬁeld, a mounted farrier is hard

n il pressed by enemies, he runs the risk of bei g k led so long as he remains upon his horse with weapons in his hand . But if he alights, kneels down , and with the corners of his hooded cloak or bur n ous imitates the l movements of a pair of bel ows, thus revealing his pro fe ssion ? , his life is spared The Baral on gs of South Africa regard the art of

n smelti g and forging as sacred, and, when the metal begins to ﬂow, none are permitted to approach the fur naces except those who are initiated in the mysteries of the craft ?

1 D ‘ E. aum T H . as he orses o the S ahara 150 e t se . , f , pp q 1 Re . M v am e s Mac d on al d Re on a n d th . 92. J , ligi y , p THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE- S HOE 53

In Finland, also, blacksmiths are held in profound respect, and the greatest luxuries are none too good for m them . They are presented with brandy to keep the in in good humor ; and a Finnish proverb says, F e bread always for the smith, and dainty morsels for the ” 1 hammerer . Among certain tribes of the west coast of equatorial Africa the blacksmith oﬂiciat e s also as priest or medi

- cine man, and is a chief personage in the community, which often embraces several adjacent villages . Indeed, there appears to be a quite general belief in different portions of Afr ica that metal-workers as a class are

n — of i superior bei gs, higher orig n than their fellow tribesmen . When a savage people, without a know

of ledge farriery, acquired by conquest a new territory, and found therein blacksmiths plying their vocation, they naturally regarded these artisans with wonder, not ? unmixed with fear t t Moreover, the early associa ion, in my hology and - n tradition, of metal worki g and sorcery, appears to ex m plain in a easure, as already suggested, the reason for the magical properties popul arly ascribed to horse-shoes and to iron articles generally .

1 Dr . 0 . Schr a d e r re h stor c A n t u t , P i i iq i ies. 1 R ha r An E c d d re e thn o ra h sche ara e e n un d Ver e che . 155. i , g p i P ll l gl i , p 54 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE

F RE A S A S RIT-S CAR NG ELEMENT VIII . I PI I

’ The horse-shoe is a product of the art isan s skill by the aid of fir e . 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 mi deity, and among pri tive nations everywhere it has

- . ﬁre ever been held sacred The Persians had temples, P r cea called y , devoted solely to the preservation of the ? holy ﬁr e

- In the Rig Veda, the principal sacred book of the Hin i dus, the crackl ng of burning fagots was listened to as the voice of the gods, and the same superstition prevail s still among the natives of Borneo ?

In a fragment of the writings of Menander Protector, a Greek historian of the sixth century, it is related that when an embassy sent by the Emperor Justin reached di Sog ana, the ancient Bokhara, it was met by a party u of T rks, who proceeded to exorcise their baggage by beating drums and ringing bells over it . They then ran around the baggage, bearing aloft ﬂaming leaves, t m mean i e, by their gestures and movements, seeking to repel evil spirits ; after which some of the party them

’ 1 n Chambe rs E cyclop azd ia . 1 Ran e r M tho o v ol . . . 5 0 . i , y l gy, ii p 7 1 Br n on R n o t ve Pe o e s . 142 . i t , e ligio s f P rimi i p l , p THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE 55 selves passed through ﬁre as a means of puriﬁca tion?

Fire is especially potent against nocturnal demons, and also against the evil spirits which cause disease in ” -ﬁre s cattle . Hence the utility of the ancient need , produced by the friction of two pieces of wood, which were thought to be an ant idote against the mur rain

e izoOtics — a and p generally, custom until recently in t rac vogue in the Scot ish Highlands, and formerly p ticed in many other regions . ’ The midsummer ﬁres kindled on Saint John s Eve,

t s in accordance with an ancient Bri i h custom, were regarded as purifiers of the air . Moreover, the whole area of ground ill uminated by these fires was reckoned to be freed from sorcery for a year, and, by leaping t through the flames, both men and ca tle were insured safety against demons for a like period ? In Ireland it was customary for people to run through the streets on Saint John ’ s Eve carrying long t poles, upon which were tied flaming bundles of s raw, in order to purify the air, for at that time all kinds of

ls mischievous imps, hobgoblins, and devi were abroad, ? intent on working inj ur y to human beings Midsummer ﬁres were still lighted in Ireland in the

1 He n r Yu e Catha a n d the Wa Th t y l , y y i her . 1 ’ Gen t ema n M a l s a n e v o . 281 . 514 . 18 6 . l g zi , , p 9 1 ’ The C om ca P l r m s r ma e n to I re an 1723 . 92. i l i g i Pilg i g i l d, , p 56 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE latter half of the nineteenth century, a survival of

- pagan ﬁre worship . In many countries people gathered about the bonﬁres, while children leaped through the

t corn fie lds flames, and live coals were carried in o the as an antidote to blight? Sometimes the remaining ashes were scattered over the neighboring fields, in order to protect the crops from ravagin g vermin or insects ; and in Sweden the smoke of need-fire s was reputed to stimulate the growth

r - ﬁshin - of f uit trees, and to impart luck to g nets hung ? up in it

When a child is born , the Hindus light fires to frighten demons ; and for the same reason lamps are w be swung to and fro at eddings, and fire is carried fore the dead body at a funeral ? Devout Brahmins keep a fire constantly burning in their houses and worship it daily, expecting thereby to secure for themselves good fortune . The origin of the respect accorded to fire among these people has been attributed to its potency in alleviating or curing certain 4 diseases, as, for example, when applied in the actual cautery, or by means of the moxa ; for, wherever a belief exists in demoniacal possession as the cause of

1 D r t e B r sh a u ar C ustoms . 322. y , i i P p l , p 1 - - W . K. Ke Cur os t e s o I n T ad t on an d Fo k Lore lly, i i i f n d o Europ ea r i i l , p 48 1 C am be 24 . p ll, p . 1 Cam be . 318 . p ll, p THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE 57 bodily disorders, the cure of the latter is evidence that the malignant Spirits have been put to flight . The fire -worshiping Parsees also keep a fir e contin uously in the lying-in room ; and when a child is ailing r f om any cause, they fasten to its left arm a magical charm of written words prepared by a priest, exorcising

v Or the e il spirits in the name of their chief deity, m uzd , and binding them by the power and beauty ” 1 of ﬁre . On the birth of a chil d among the Khoikhoi of south

u fir e Africa a ho sehold is kindled, which is maintained ’ until the healing of the chil d s navel ; and when a a- t i l member of the tribe goes hun ing, his w fe is carefu if to keep a fire burning indoors ; for, it were allowed ? to go out, the husband would have no luck The conception of a mediaeval smith as a master and controller of fire was embodied in a group of figures modeled by the Austrian sculptor, Karl Bitter, and placed at the southern entrance of the Administration ’ 1 n 893 . Buildi g at the World s Fair, Chicago, in This group, which was called Fire Controlled, consisted of a female figure, whose uplifted right hand carried a torch, while at her feet stood a brawny smith resting a sledge hammer upon the prostrate form of a fir e demon .

1 M a L . r a Ch d T s R Id l . 2 . he Pro e s o e ous eas o . . 6 i il , gr f ligi , v i p 7 1 The o h H hn - us a Ph D . Tsun Goam . 77 . p il , . , i , p 58 THE M AGIC OF THE HORSE- SHOE

Above this group stood a single ﬁgure, by the same di artist, representing a blacksmith stan ng at his anvil, with hammer resting against it, and in his belt hung

- r . t a pai of pincers In his lef hand was a horse shoe, which he was examining?

THE S ER ENT NE S HAP E OF THE H ORS E-S H OE IX . P I The theory has been advanced that in ancient idol atrous 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 a resemblance between the horse-shoe and the arched body of the snake, when the latter is so convoluted that its head

- and tail correspond to the horse shoe prongs . Both snakes and horse-shoes were anciently engraved 2 on stones and medals, presumably as amuletic symbols ;

Cre n di and in front of a church in , a town in the south ern part of the island of Malta, there is to be seen a statue having at its feet a protective sym bol in the shape of a half moon encircled by a snake . The serpent played an important r61e in Asiatic and ancient Egyptian symbolism . This has been thought to be due partly to a belief that the sun’ s path through

1 ’ The We rn e r C om an Art Treasures from the Wor F p y, ld s a ir .

Chica o 1 895 . g , 1 All the Year Roun d , N. S . vol . m ix . 188 7 .

60 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE painting on the walls of their houses the ﬁgures of se r pents with the heads and tails pointing upward . These l are intended both as amu ets to keep away witches, and

- as luck bringers, and are therefore exact counterpar ts

- of the horse shoe and the crescent as magical emblems . ’ f The more interlaced the snake s coils, the more e fective the amulet ; the idea being that a witch is obliged to trace out and follow with her eye the interweaving t b convolutions, and that in a tempting to do this she e comes bewildered, and is temporarily rendered incapa ble of doing harm . In ancient Roman works of art the serpent is some times portrayed as a protective symbol . In some bronze u ﬁgures of Fortune unearthed at Herculane m, serpents are represented either as encircling the arm of the goddess, or as entwined about her cornucopia, thus typ ifying, as it were, the idea of the intimate associa wi tion of the snake th good luck .

o The Ph enicians rendered homage to serpents, and

a in history shows that the Lithuani ns, Sarmatians, or habitants of ancient Poland, and other nations of cen

r t al Europe, treated these reptiles with superstitious i respect . In Russia, also, domest c snakes were formerly

r carefully nurtu ed, for they were thought to bring good fortune to the members of a household?

The worship of serpents is still practiced in Persia,

1 n v a Gr osses U i ers l Lexicon . THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE 61

Tibet, Ceylon, and other Eastern lands . In western is Africa, also, the serpent is a chief deity, and appealed to by the natives in seasons of drought and pestilence? i n A tal sman having the form of a snake, and k own as

sir en a . l a , is in use among the lower classes at Naples In the folk-lore of the south Slavonian nations the serpent is regarded as a protective genius, not only of the people, but of domestic animals and houses as well . di Every human being has a snake as tutelary vinity, with which his growth and well-being are closely con n e ct e d , and the killing of one of these sacred creatures was formerly deemed a grave offense . To meet with a snake has long been accounted fortunate in some countries . The south Slav peasant believes that who ever encounters one of these creatures, on ﬁrst going into the woods in the spring, will be prosperous through out the year . But on the other hand he regards it as an evil omen if he happens to catch a glim pse of his own tutelary serpent . Fortunately, however, a man never knows which particular Ophidian is his special guardian ?

The r e lation of the se rp e n t t o sculpture d or e n grave d ston e s e e a s t o us th e re e as s the o e c of e n e r on n ot r v l ptil till bj t v ati , if of or a on m on w e r e m If o e n on s. we se h ad ti , a g id ly t ati arc

1 As C o l t e e ct on o o a s. l y, l i f V y ge 1 D r . Fr e r ch S . Kra uss S réca Gluc un S i d i , , lc d chicksal im Volksglauben

d er S ud slave n . Wie n , 188 6 . 62 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE

m on he om s of E s r an d E ur a we a a g t t b gypt, As y ia, tr i , sh ll ﬁn d n n um e r e n e s c n e r an d c e of e s e n i abl sig t , yli d s, s arab i g m gr ave d with se r pe n t s ; the se we re pr ove rbiall y worn as amu e s or use as n s n of hor an d in the e m e an d l t , d i ig ia aut ity ; , t pl s om s of he se an d o he co n r e s e e n s ar e e n a e or t b t t r u t i , s rp t gr v d cul ur e or n e e the r as hie o h c s or as o n s pt d pai t d, i r glyp i f rmi g n In n a e ar e sym bolical orn ame nts o f de itie s o r ge ii . I di th y sculpture d twin in g aroun d all the god s of th e c ave te m ple s hic r t he e s of n s an d he roe s an d the o e s of w h ma k grav ki g , ld t t he S can din avian run e s are wr itte n within the folds of se r 1 n n pe nts e grave d on sto e s . In ancient Mexican temples the serpent symbol is frequently seen . The approach to the temple of El l Casti lo, at Chichen in Yucatan, is guarded by a pair of huge serpent heads, and a second pair protect the entrance to the sa nctuary . Figures of serpents also

ai fa ad e s an d appear in the Mos c relief designs of the g , within on the sanctuary walls . So, too, in the temples

se r of Palenque and other southern Mexican towns, pents are everywhere plentiful in the decorations and sculptures ? Representations of snakes are to be seen on the wall s of houses in many parts of India at the present day, and villages have their special Ophite guardians . The ﬁfth day of the ﬁrst or bright half of the lunar ’ month S ravana, which nearly corresponds with August,

1 ’ A . Bu W. ck a n d t . u M l S a s a a n e vo . . 18 74. l , P l g zi , i 1 A A n t . l . me r . vo . xv . 141 . 1 . iq , iii p 896 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE 63 is celebrated by the Brahmins in honor of the naga or i cobra . Some interesting deta ls of the ceremonies ’ on these occasions are given in Balfour s Cyclopaedia ” of India . We learn from this source that native women are wont at such times to join in d ancing around

- in snake holes, and also to prostrate themselves and voke blessings ; while others bow down before living cobras at their own homes, or worship ﬁgures of ser pents . Visits from snakes are highl y appreciated as auspi cious events, and the reptiles are sure of a hospitable reception, because they are looked upon as tutelary divinities . Thus the serpent was held sacred by the nations of m th o antiquity, being a prominent feature in every y logy and symbolizing many pagan divinities .

The Vlach women of European Turkey, who inhabit villages in the mountain ranges of Thessaly and Al bania, treat serpents with great respect and even with veneration . If one of the harmless white snakes which abound in the country chances to enter a cottage, it is d provided with food and allowed to epart unharmed, its appearance indoors being accounted a lucky event . ’ Such friendly treatment often results in the snake s be coming domesticated and receiving the title of house ” 1 serpent . The Carinthians, too, are wont to treat

1 u n T t n W men o Tur e . L c M . . Gar e tt he Chr s a o k y J , i i f y 64 THE M AGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE dl snakes as fon ings, for they consider that these reptiles brin g good luck proportionate in degree to their bodily diameter ; hence they are fed with care and provided with bowls of milk twice a day?

in Indeed, many countries the serpent or dragon, i l orig nal y a guardian of treasure, is considered a house i in protector . The same concept on is embodied the grotesque dragon-headed gargoyles so common in me ? diae val architecture t Dr . Daniel G . Brinton , in speaking of the emblema ic significance of the serpent among American aborigines, remarks that this symbol has ever been associated with i rel gious mysteries . Many d erivatives from the Hebrew and Arabic words i for serpent signify the pract ce of sorcery, consultation ? li u with fami ar spirits, and interco rse with demons ul m It wo d seem, therefore, not i probable that the horse-shoe amulet has acquired some portion of the magical influences ascribed to it through its serpentine form . The serpent-symbol has furnished a theme for many u t writers, and sumptuous vol mes a test its deep interest . The chief points which relate to our present subject are briefly : (1) The similarity of form between the

1 u S n o a r M n th l . 1 c e ce o vo 35 . 88 P p l i ly , 9 . 1 M n us e t om e . 18 . v No . 2 . 96 él i , iii 1 Th M t e hs o the Ne w or d . 1 2. y f W l , p 3 THE M AGIC OF THE HORSE- SHOE 65

- i 2 horse shoe and a serpent ne coil, and ( ) the association of ideas resul ting therefrom in the popular mind . The

- ll horse shoe, when allied symbolica y to the serpent, represents a creature which has ever been an object of di superstition, whether as a deity, household guar an, or

di . i embo ment of evil Hence it suggests mag cal power, l be n e fice n t whether good or evi , but chiefly the idea of , protective influence .

THE HORS E-S H OE AR CH IN ANC ENT CALED ON AN X . I I HIEROGL YP HI CS

The horse-shoe arch was a common emblem on pagan u u mon ments, and is frequently seen in Caledonian sc lp t ure d v hieroglyphics, where it is belie ed to have had a special signiﬁcance as a protective symbol . Lieutenant

Colonel Forbes Leslie, in The Early Races of Scot ” - land, remarks that the horse shoe arch was probably emblematic of the serpent as a protecting and bene

ﬁce n t power, because this arch closely resembles a

so - l Na en d r a peculiar mark or attribute of the ca led g , - i the hooded serpent k ng, a chief deity in the mythical lore of Ceylon . It would appear quite unnecessary to refer to the Cingalese mythology in this connection, inasmuch as the close resemblance between the shape of the horse-shoe and the arched body of a snake has ll already been commented on . As i ustrative of the somewhat unique theory which claims the ancient 66 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE- SHOE

- i horse shoe arch, itself a tal smanic symbol, as the origi nal source of all the superstition s associated with the

- modern iron horse shoe, it may be appropriate to quote a few lines from the authority above mentioned

Wh ate ve r this ﬁgure ( the hor se -sh oe arch) m ay have re pr e se n e t o our e h e n n c e s or s e e m s e r e t d h at a t , it s v y lik ly that from it th e horse -shoe de r ive d its suppose d powe r o f pr om ot in g the fortun e o f it s posse ssor an d prote ctin g him again st n h h r n n h re e e c a m t e s w e e e s e m e or e m on s. t at d la i i , t d ig d by d S upe rstition clun g to the symbol that was hallowe d by an ti uit an d e n m r e e h e m e m of n sm on t he q y , ev i p ss d t is bl paga i r n Ch istia ity by which it was supe r se de d .

The historian Diod orus Sicul us said that the Chal deans imagined the eart h as havin g the shape of a round boat turned upside down . The boats still used on the rivers Tigris and Euphrates resemble in form a beehive with a considerable bulge in the middle . ” l 63 v o . 11 . . Gerald Massey The Natural Genesis, p ) ’ says that this conception of the earth s ﬁgur e c orr e spon ds to th e Egyptian P ut -sign with it s h ollow un de r n h ar ous rm f h orm o n of th e wor are e at . V i fo s o t is f ati ld

- l ue a a s m bol x n . n e s v a s e ta t Th e h orse sh oe is on e . H e c it y Th h - ss of th e E an o e ss of sup e r st ition . e e ad d re gypti g dd

- ho Th e e t e r o e a 0 Hath or h as the sh ape of a hor se s e . l t m g ( ) is an oth e r for m of t he sam e sign .

“ The Rev C Vernon Harcourt, in his Doctrine of the Deluge (vol . i . p . suggests that the moon was anciently regarded as particularly sacred when in the

68 THE M AGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE

E- H A A %I . T HE H ORS S OE S S YM B OL O F THE HORSE But the efﬁcacy of the horse-shoe as a protector of people and buildings depends not solely upon its arched i shape, nor on its b furcated form, nor yet upon its fancied resemblance to a snake . Its relation to the hor se also gives it a talismanic value ; for in legendary lore this animal was often credited with supernatural qualities . An English myth ascribes to the horse the

- n - character of a luck bri ger, and horse worship was in vogue among the early Celts, Teutons, and Slavs . r In Hindostan, also, the ho se is regarded as a lucky animal ; and when an equestrian rides into a sugar-cane i ﬁeld in the sow ng season, the event is considered auspicious . In the same region the froth from a ’ horse s mouth is thought to repel demons, which are believed to have more fear of a horse than of any other m i ani al . The natives of northern India also bel eve i l e that the horse was orig nal y a wing d creature, and that the horny protuberances on his legs indicate where the wings were attached? In the Norse myt hology almost every deity has his

rt l pa icu ar steed, as have most of the heroes of antiquity, for the heathen nations regarded the horse as sacred and divine?

1 - Re F o Nor thern I n d a . W. r o oke B . A . P o u a r on a o k Lore C , , p l ligi n d l f i 1 acob Gr mm Deutsche M tholo ie . J i , y g THE M AGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE 69 Tradition says that when the city of Carthage was o founded by Dido, the Ph enician queen, in the ninth

B . C . century , a priestess of Juno dug in the ground, di by command of the oracle, and scovered the head

l . be of a bul ock This was considered unsatisfactory, cause bullocks and oxen were servile animals under the yoke . Thereupon the priestess again turned up ’ the soil and found a horse s head, which was reckoned auspicious, for the horse, although sometimes yoked to the plough, was also symbolic of war and martial glory.

S Therefore a temple of Juno was built on the pot, and the ﬁgure of a horse ’ s head was adopted as an emblem by the Carthaginians and stamped upon their coins ? “ wi his i Dr . Lud g Beck, in H story of Iron , states that in Teutonic legends the horse was sacred to Wodan or Odin, who always rode, while Thor either drove about in his chariot or went afoot . Thence it is, says

re re this writer, that the Devil of the Middle Ages is p sented with the hoofs of a horse . The reputation of the horse as a prophetic and divin at or y animal, even among Christian peoples, is shown i by various German tradit ons, of which the following is ill an example . When the inhabitants of Delve, a v age i u in the Duchy of Holstein, were about to bu ld a ch rch,

1 Fr e r r uz li an d M th lo ie d er a ten Vo ker v ol . iv. i d ich C e e r, Symbo le y o g l l ,

0. p . 38 70 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE- SHOE the choice of a site was determined in this manner An image of the Virgin was fastened upon the back of

- a parti colored mare, which was then allowed to roam at will ; and it was agreed that the church shoul d be erected upon the spot where the mare should be found the next morning . This proved to be a neighboring

- bramble thicket, and the new ediﬁce was accordingly di placed there, and de cated to Our beloved Lady on ” 1 the Horse . The ancient belief in the oracular powers of the horse is well shown by a custom formerly in vogue among the Pomeranians . On the outbreak of a war a priest laid three spears at equal distances upon the

in ground front of the temple . Two other spears were then leaned transversely across them, with their points resting in the earth . After a prayer the high priest led up a sacred horse, and if he stepped with his right foot foremost thrice in succession over the spears with n out stumbli g, it was accounted a good augury, other wise not ? d - A ragon headed horse, emblematic of grandeur, i having on its back the civil zing book of the law, is one of the four great mythic animals of the Chinese ; and the Tibetans have a like symbol, which they use as a

- luck brin ging talisman .

1 Das K oster ol . ix l , v . p . 97. 1 Frie d r ch . 454 . i , p THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE 71

The association of the horse with luck is prominent in Indian myth as well

The e e -hor se of t he un e r a o ch ch d h j w l iv s l m nar , su as Bud a was t o h e e e n h ad he c re for or dl n e ur car av b a d w l y gra d , r ie s it s r ide r Pe gasus-like through the air in whate ve r d i re c on she for an d thus wou e com e ssoc a e h ti wi d , it ld b a i t d wit th e d e of e r she s an d e s e c a e h an d i a mat ial wi , p i lly w alt s 1 j e we l .

Among the lower classes of the Hindus of Bombay, a notion is prevalent that Spirits are frightened by ’ the sound of a horse s hoofs ; and this superstit ion has th been thought to explain e custom, in vogue among the Hindus generally, of having a bridegroom ride a ’ ? horse when on his way to the bride s residence

In Bokhara, when a horse stumbles in fording a stream, and the rider thereby gets an involuntary wet

in ting, it is considered a most fortunate occurrence f stead o a mishap . In the same country it is also accounted lucky to meet an equestrian ? One reason in favor of the theory which ascribes the ’ horse-shoe s weird powers to its connection with a luck bringing animal is the fact that various portions of the equine frame serve as amul ets in different locali

- ties . Thus not only the horse shoe but the hoof, or

1 L Au n Wad d ll M . B . T B o T t . 41 . . st e e he ud d h sm be i , , i f i , p 3 1 Cam be . 45 . p ll , p 7 1 hu Sc e r Turlcistan . . yl , , p 30 72 THE M AGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE

n s even a si gle bone of the foot, may be u ed for this object . In the island of Montserrat the t wo in cisor teeth of a horse are carried about as charms? The popular belief of many people credits equine hair with special “ ” virtues . Honor abides in the manes of horses is a ’ saying of Mohammed, and in Turkey a horse s tail as an emblem is significant of dignity and exalted position . In certain villages of Brandenburg every new-born boy, before his first bath, is placed upon a horse, the animal being brought into the chamber for the purpose . This is thought to impart to the child manly qualities for life . In other districts small children are allowed to ride a black foal to facilitate the cutting of their teeth ; and the neighings of horses are believed to be of favorable import if listened to carefully . The pop ul ar belief on this subject is exemplified in the Germ an

- saying, He has horse luck in reference to a piece of extraordinary good fortune . ’ The Irish think that the reason for the horse-shoe s magical power is because the horse and the ass were in the stable where Christ was born, and hence are ever more blessed animals . The romantic literature of Ireland affords evidence

1 1 . 18 . M us ne t om e v . No . 1 . 7 96 él i , iii , p 1 M ax hn s R a t e r 371 . Ja , oss n d Re i , i . THE M AGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE 73 of the existence of a species of horse-worship in that it country in former ages, and trad ion says that in the olden time there were horses endowed with human ul ? fac ties We learn from Tacitus, moreover, that the Te ut on l c peoples use h e h orse s the Ro n use ch c e n s for ose d w it , as ma s d i k , purp s of u ur an d n e u ur e e v e n s rom diffe r e n n to n a a g y, divi d f t t f t i n h n He n ce ro a ha the iscov e r t ion s of e ig i gs . it p b bly is t t d y o f horse -sh oe is so un e r s h ou h uc som e of th e a iv ally t g t l ky, fe e lin gs that on ce att ach e d t o the an im al itse lf still surv ivin g

oun th e r on of it s h oo . For h or se s e o s an d r s ar d i f , lik d g bi d , we re un iv e r sally accre dite d with a gre ate r in sight in to fut u ? rity than m an him se lf

The horse is seen among the insignia of Kent, the - i is di ﬁrst of the Anglo Saxon k ngdoms, and splayed at the present time on the shields of the houses of Han over and Brunswick ? One of the most solemn forms of oath taken on the eve of battle required a warrior to swear by the shoulder of a horse and the edge of a sword that he woul d not ﬂee from the enemy even if the latt er shoul d be superior in strength ?

At the time of the conquest of Peru, the Indian abo rigin e s were amazed at the sight of the Spanish horse

1 Ulster Journ a o A l rchce o o vol . . . . l f gy, vu p 69 1 ” C or n h ll M a a n e a r t cl e o n C om ara t e Folk-Lo v re vol . x . i g zi , i p i , l xvi 1 Thom a A . s W se M . D . H stor o a an m in C ed on . i , , i y f P g is al ia 1 Ma e t Northern A n t u t es . 154 . ll , iq i i , p 74 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE- SHOE

men , believing that man and horse were one creature . And it is said that Pizarro owed his life to this super stitio us belief ; for on one occasion, when pursued by

h e his t natives, he fell from horse, and the Peruvians n l who witnessed the mishap, believi g that one anima l had by magic divided itse f into two, gave up the pur suit in dismay?

- M . D . Conway, in his Demonology and Devil Lore, asserts that the Scandinavian superstition known as the ” demon-mare is the source of the use of the horse shoe against witches . In Germany there is a saying in reference to the morbid oppression sometimes e xpe ri i e n ce d during sleep or wh le dreaming, and which is a i symptom of ind gestion, The nightmare hath ridden ” thee . s Thi elvish mare rides horses also, and in the morn ing their manes are found all tangled and drippin g with sweat . Grimm says that the traditional idea of the Night mare seems to waver between the ridden animal and the e riding, trampling one, precisely as the Devil is som

n i times represented as ridi g men, and again as tak ng them on his back after the manner of a horse .

According to a Bavarian popular belief, the Night

a mare is woman , who is wont to appear at the house m a door of a orning, invari bly requesting the loan of

1 ’ M a 8 . . Gen t e ma n s a ne vol . 2 417 . 1895 l g zi , 7 , p

76 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE- SHOE

The re as S ain t Ge orge o ur L ad ye s Kn ight Nam e was h e e m e d t r ty s,

Saint Ge orge .

h cr t u o e r him an d l e t him o An d han g t is S ip re u , al ne . h ro e r h r e s h is t he se Fr e rs in With suc p p c a m as t ys , fal y tym e s past we r e wont t o charme the mone y out of th e playn e folke s purses . Drink offerings were anciently poured from vessels ’ made from horses hoofs ; and witches are popul arly supposed to drink with avidity the water which collects

- in equine hoof tracks . German writers on early tra dition s and folk-lore agree in ascribing to the horse i shoe divers magical propert es, whose origin is vaguely connected with the ancient pagan conception of the horse as a sacriﬁcial animal? Accordin g to a popul ar poetic fancy of the ancient ’ l s Teutons, horses, Wodan s favorite and dar ing animal , were endowed with the gifts of speech and prophecy during the twelve days between Christmas and Epiph any . At this holy season they were wont to put

con ﬁ their heads together, and impart to each other d e n tially their experiences and trials of the past year ; and this communion of equine spirits was the sole plea sure vouchsafed to the noble animals, and atoned in a measure for the hard work which was their lot .

1 Pro e ssor Dr . S e Die Re ion d er a ten D eutsche n . 340. 18 f pp , lig l , p 90 . THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE 77 Even nowadays many peasants do not venture to t harness their horses at Chris mas time, and do not even speak of the animals by name, but make use of pet epithets and circuml ocut ions when they have occasion

. t to refer to them On Chris mas night, hostlers often

r sleep in the manger or under it, and their d eams at such times are prophetic for the coming year, for in their sleep they can hear what the horses are saying . In order to impart health and vigor to the animals without incurring the expense of extra fodder, the hostler walks at Epiphany season by night three t imes ll i around the vi age church , carrying in his upl fted hands a bundle of hay, which he afterwards feeds to the horses ; or on Christmas night he steals some cab bage, which is then mixed with the fodder ; or, before i t going to the m dnight Chris mas Mass, he lays on the ” - manure heap a quantity of hay called the Mass hay, and on his return from church this is given to the horses . Some peasants have a yet more simple method of promoting the welfare of their horses, which consists in laying the cleaning-cloth upon a hedge on the even ’ ings of Christmas, New Year s Day, or Epiphany, and afterwards grooming the animals with the dew-laden cloth? In the popular min d horses are credited with ex traordin arily keen facul ties for detecting ghosts and

1 — ah n s . . 294 296 . J , i pp 78 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE—SHOE

t t haunted places, which they ins inc ively scent from

n a afar . The Thuri gian pe sant does not beat his horse when the latter refuses to proceed along some gloomy forest road ; for the whip is useless against spiritual P a tern oster i obstacles, whereas a devoutly repeated s f usually much more e fective . It is a Bohemian superstition that a horse sees every thing magniﬁed tenfold, and that this is the reason why the noble animal submits to being led by a little child? When a Brandenburg rustic has bought a horse in a him neighboring town and rides homeward, he dis mounts at the boundary line of his own village, and, ul l gathering a handf of his native soi , he throws it backward over the line to prevent the animal ’ s being bewitched . In Bohemia the chief signs of bewitch ment in a horse are thought to be shivering, profuse sweating, and emaciation . A charm against this con ’ ’ sists in drawin g one s shirt inside out over one s head, i and usin g it as a wherewithal to groom the an mal, a method which may be acceptable to superstitious ll l jockeys and hostlers, but which wi hard y commend ? itself to a fastidious horse-owner

’ HEAD TAL S M ANS x 11 . HOB S ES S As I In early times it was customary to use horses’ heads s as talismans, by means of which al o the ancient heathen

1 1 Wutthe . 423 . uttke . 185 . W , p , p THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE 79 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, with the O mouth propped pen with a stick . The gaping jaws were then turned in the direction whence an enemy l i was ikely to come, in order to cast over him an ev l

v - spell . This contri ance was known as a spite stake, ’ - or nithing post . In Mallet s Northern Antiquities 156 Ei il (p . , it is related that g , a famous Icelandic bard, on being banished from Norway in the ninth cen tury, ﬁxed a stake in the ground and fastened thereon ’ “ : a horse s head, saying meanwhile I here set up a - hi nithing stake, and turn t s my banishment against King ” ’ Eir k n hil e Gu d a . n and Queen Then , pointi g the horse s head toward the interior of Norway, he uttered a sol e m n imprecation against the protecting deities of the

v land, invoking e il upon them, and expressing a wish that they might be compelled to wander about and never ﬁnd rest until they had driven forth the hated ’ king and queen . In these cases the horse s head was magically employed as an instrument for working evil

the upon an enemy, but later same symbol was widely used among northern peoples as a talisman again st

Not alone in remote antiquity, but throughout the

- Middle Ages, the old pagan device of the spite stake continued to be employed by the Teutonic peoples ; and 8 0 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE 1584 even after the Reformation, as late as the year , a ’ mare s skull placed upon a pole was a favorite mean s for driving away rats and other vermin in Germany . The principle involved appears to have been always the same, namely, the power of averting evil supposed to ’ be a magical attribute of horses heads ; and this power i was not only effective against human enemies, but l ke wise against the spirits of evil? When the Roman general Osecina Severus reached the scene of Varus’ s defeat by the German tribes under 9 n A . D . their chieftain Armi ius, in the year , near the ’ river Weser, he saw numbers of horses heads fastened to the trunks of trees . These were the heads of Roman horses which the Germans had sacrificed to their gods ? In the fifteenth century a savage tribe known as the Wends had a practice of placing a horse ’ s head in the crib or manger to counteract the influence of evil spirits, and to prevent their horses from being ridden by the

Night Hag . And in many countries analogous notions,

i - ver table relics of paganism, exist in full force to day . Thus in Mecklenburg and Holstein it is a common usage to place the carved wooden representations of the heads of horses on the gables of houses as safeguards, and when ﬁxed upon poles in the vicinity of stables they

1 R ch ar d An d re e B aun l n d . 128 . i , r schweiger Vo ksleu e, p 1 Gr m m ol . . . 4 i , v i p 7. THE M AGIC OF THE HORSE- SHOE 81 are thought to ward off epizootics . In Mecklenburg, ’ al ll so, horses heads, when placed beneath the pi ows of i the sick, are believed to act as febr fuges, and in Hol

- land they are hung up over pigsties . The fore parts of horses are to be seen on the gables of old houses in

a n the Rh etian Alps, carved out of the ends of the i ter ” 1 se ctin g principals . The use of horses’ heads as talismans is thought to have some connection with the ancient pagan sacriﬁcial offerings of horses . Adherence to the latter custom was formerly regarded as a pledge of loyalty to hea the n ism i S , and conversely its renunciat on was a ign of i adopting the new relig on . In the tenth century the

Norwegian king Hakon Athelstan, known as Hakon ” the Good, endeavored persistently to extirpate hea

in then idolatry his kingdom, but without much success, owing to the vigorous Opposition of his people . At one of their great Yule-tide festivals the kin g was urged to eat some horse’ s ﬂesh as a proof of devotion to the old i faith, and on his refusal to do th s they wished to kill

On another occasion King Hakon so far yielded to the importunities of his people as to inhale the steam

- from a kettle of horse broth . He also drank some Yule

in his t i his beer, holding the cup lef hand, wh le with

S right he made the ign of the cross, which the pagan

1 - S . Bar n Gou d M . A . S tran e S urv va s. i g l , , g i l 82 THE M AGIC OF THE HORSE- SHOE

’ mind conceived to be the symbol of Thor s hammer . Finally he was even induced to eat a couple of mouth

-ﬂe sh e fuls of horse , an act which his people accept d as a satisfactory guarante e of his orthodoxy? Among the newly converted Northern nations the use

-ﬂe sh di rac of horse as food fell into srepute, and the p tice was looked upon as a secret sacriﬁce to the old oh idols, while those indulging in it were punished as durate pagans ? m ’ l The employ ent of horses heads as ta ismans, a

s n cu tom doubtless originati g in heathendom, has been thought not only to suggest the Sacriﬁcial offerin g of a di horse, but also to symbolize the religious de cation of a building placed under the protective inﬂuence of such a symbol . For among the ancient Teutons the horse was held to be the most holy of animals, and auguries were derived from the neighings of white horses in their sacred groves . There exists, moreover, among German peasants a widespread belief that the placing of carved wooden representations of horses’ head s upon house gables is an act of homage to the Deity, whose blessing and benediction are thereby invoked upon the dwellings

i . thus adorned, and upon the nmates as well When , utw ar d s however , the heads are directed o , in order to

1 J. Sche b e D K t B n m as os e r a d ix . . 1 01 Tho as Car e Ea r i l , l , p ; lyl , ly

K n s o Nor wa . 8 . i g f y, p 1 Dr Kar We n ho d A n n 1 1 . t rd sch L e . 45 . . l i l , l o i es e b , p 856

84 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE- SHOE found is either carried about as an amulet, or placed on the chamber wall or threshold ; and a young girl who

- ﬁnds a certain number of horse shoes in a year, or who a sees a hundred white horses within the s me period, will be married before the year is out ? In Moldavia the head of a horse or of an ass is much i esteemed on account of its reputed magical propert es, and is believed to be a powerful agent not on l y for the production of witchcraft, but conversely as a powerful antagonist of evil ? Inclosures where animals are kept are very commonly protected by one of these talismans placed upon a forked stake ; and the same device is ? popular as a safeguard against wolves and robbers In Roumania the skull of a horse is placed over a court i yard gate as a preservat ve against ghosts, and in Tuscany it is also used as a charm ? i The Christmas festiv ties at Ramsgate, in Kent, for “ merly included a peculia r feature called going a-h o ” ’ dening . A horse s head ﬁxed on a pole was carried through the town by a party of young people, gro

- l li t e sque ly attired and ringing hand bel s. By pul ng a ’ string attached to the lower jaw, the horse s mouth was made to Open and shut with a snapping sound . In this case the horse ’ s head was typical of the good

1 n Fr aule i He le n e Raﬁ . 1 M th o e d er Natur . B . Fr e d r ch Die S m o k un d o J. i i , y b li y l gi 1 E Rol an d Fa un e o u a re d la F an ce t om e iv . . l , p p l i e r , 1 C . . Le an d s S orcer . G l , Gyp y y THE M AGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE 85

Demon, threatening and overcoming the powers of darkness? It appears that a modern counterpart of the ancient t heathen prac ice of hanging equine heads upon trees, l i as tributes to Wodan, sti l ex sts in Sussex, where the bodies of horses are suspended by the legs from hori zon t al - i tree branches, as a means of bring ng luck to the cattle . And the evident analogy between the two cus

of in toms widely separated epochs, the sacriﬁcial offer g of horses upon trees in order to avert evil or to invoke protection, has not escaped the attention of modern writers ? The Ostiaks of southern Siberia were wont to sus ’ pend horses heads from the branches of trees, and to protect bees from witchcraft they also placed them near the hives ?

l a In Bu gari and among the Osseten, an Asiatic tribe, the same talismans are afﬁxed to the palings inclosing ’ farmyards . The ancient Teuton placed a horse s head

- on the weather vane of his barn, while he hung up a

- horse shoe in some consecrated place, as a deprecatory 4 o ﬁ e rin g to the god of thunder and storms ; and the Tartars of the Chinese province of Koukou-Nor seek to protect their bees from the evil eye by hanging up

1 Ge ra d Masse A B oo B n n n l y, k of egi i gs. 1 F - o k Lore l . i l , v o v . p . 6 . 1893 . 1 M us n e t om N e v . o . 1 . 1 7 . 1 896 . él i , iii , p 1 ro e ssor Dr . Se D i 1 Re on t D t c 2 3 . 890. e d er a en eu s hen . 6 P f pp, ligi l , p 86 THE M AGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE hi near the ves either a skull, a foot, or in fact any bone of a horse . In Mecklenburg one remedy for the delirium of fever ’ consists in placing a horse s skull under the bed ; and in some parts of Prussia certain Spinal affections of chil d ren are treated by bathing the patient in rainwater in which a horse’ s head has been dipped thrice daily for three successive Thursdays? In a curious old work by ’

. l M Fugger the writer says that a mare s skul , ul ﬁxed on a pole and placed in a garden, has a wonderf effect in promoting the growth of plants and vegetables, m and, moreover, insures freedo from rats and cater pillars ? ’ ’ The Magyar shepherds place horses and asses skulls as talismans about their sheepfolds to keep wolves away from their ﬂocks, and also to prevent herbaceous animals other than their sheep from eating the grass of their pasture lands . Also when, as occasionally hap pens, some hill or upland region gains an unsavory rep utation among the peasants as an all eged meeting-place ’ of witches, horses skulls are placed there in order to prevent such unseemly orgies, for, according to the pop

la w l . u r report, where witches meet grass i l not grow Whoever has the courage to visit such a place on the so- L uciastuhl midnight of Good Friday with a called ,

1 Jabn s vol . . . 373 . , i p 1 t utt u t Das Buch d e r rit erlichen Re erlc ns . THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE—S HOE 87

n a peculiar chair or stool made duri g Christmas week, wi may see the tches at their revels, and may easily dis perse them by throwing a horse’ s skull into their midst ? The gypsies inhabiting lands bordering on the east ern Danube are wont to fasten the skulls of horses and cattle upon the fence-palings which surround their farm

n yards, to prevent witches and evil spirits from enteri g the inclosures . So, too, the Transylvanian gypsies bury horses’ skulls beneath the ﬂoor of the earth cav erns which they occupy in winter and the t ribes of southern Hungary place simila r talismans upon the graves of their kindred, that no witch may tread upon the sanctiﬁed ground ? The wizards and conjurers of the Shamans pretend to be experts in sorcery, and to possess a secret know ledge which enables them to control the actions of evil

- Spirits . They wear a long elk skin robe adorned with

s many fetich objects, such as bell and pieces of iron ; and to assist them in their magic rites they carry staves, ’ th e whose tops are carved into shape of horses heads, and by means of these staves they are enabled to leap ? high into the air

1 ki A b n n h n isl o us d em o ks e e d e r M a ar . 10. He i ric vo Wl c , V l l gy en , pp 9 , 1 ' r h lisl ocki o ks aube un d e li ios B u Z i He in ic von W , V l gl r g er ra ch d er geun er . 1 ’ ’ “ ” M lin o k an d St ron s En c c o d a ar t . ham a m E C t c g y l p e i , S n is ; . B.

T l or r m t ve Cu ture vol . ii. . 142. y , P i i i l , p 88 THE M AGIC OF THE HORSE- SHOE

TH HORSE-S HOE AS A FA OR TE ANT - TCH XIII . E V I I WI CHA RM

The un iver sa lity of the use of the horse-shoe as a

i safeguard aga nst evil spirits is indeed noteworthy . - ar e xce llen ce It is the anti witch charm p , as well as

s the approved symbol of good luck, and, u ed for these purposes, it is to be seen throughout a large portion of

- the world . The horse shoe is most commonly placed over the entrance-doors of dwellin gs ; but stables like Wi f se are thought to be e fectually protected by it, for ” “ - witches were dreadful harriers of horse ﬂe sh . In ’ William Henderson s Folk-Lore of the Northern Countries of England we read of a Durham farmer who was convinced that one of his horses had been rid den by hags, as he had found it bathed in sweat of a morning . But after he took the precaution to nail a

- - horse shoe over the stable door, and also to hang some broom above the manger, the witches had not been able i l to ndu ge in clandestine rides on his horses . While many an honest fellow in England and elsewhere is a i - ﬁrm believer in witches and mag cal horse shoes, very few of them can give plausible reasons therefor . The Lancashire farmer thinks that mischievous fairies

r not only ride horses by night, but d ive cows out of the ’ barn , steal the butter, and eat up the children s por - h l is . ridge ; so he, too, afﬁxes horse shoes to bui dings THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE- SHOE 89

Any one visiting the hamlets of Ox fordshire can hardly fail to notice the numerous horse-shoes afﬁxed to the picturesque thatched-roofed cottages and the countryfolk in this neighborhood are not always con on e tent with of these popular safeguards, for two or three of them are often to be seen on the walls of a

li . dwel ng, invariably placed with the prongs downward ’ “ ” 19 1 . . 888 u iii . In Brand s Popular Antiq ities (vol p , ) may be found a clipping from the Cambridge (Eng . ) ” Bar tin ale Advertiser, which relates that one g , a car

e n t e r p and resident of Ely, suspected a woman named t ob d Go e of having bewitched him, and of being the cause of an illness which he had recently had . There

at l t upon, a consu ta ion of matrons of the neighborhood

e ffi held in his chamber, it was decided that the most cient means of protecting him from the evil influence of the suspected sorceress was to have three horse-shoes fastened to the door . A blacksmith was accordingly summoned, and an o e r a on t o h s e fi e ct e r o e ch t o the n e p ti t i was p f rm d, mu a g r of the su o se ch wh o rs co m n e t o th e e n pp d wit , at fi t plai d D a , but was au h e a his r n he he n r ush e in l g d t by e ve re c e . S t d ’ r a h t o the S c m an s r o om an d m r cu ous t o e a sse w t i k , , i a l t ll , p d the Ru c on in s f h - But h won bi pite o t e h o rse sh oe s. t is de r ce ase d wh e n it wa s disc ov e re d th at Vulcan h ad substitute d ’ on e s sh o d k y e s.

Miss Georgiana F . Jackson says, in Shropshire Folk 90 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE

Lore, that, in the home of her childhood at Edgmond, the stable-door was decorated with three rows of horse shoes arranged in the form of a triangle ; and the grooms used to say that they were placed there t o exclude witches . i - In this reg on, too, an old horse shoe placed above the door of a bedroom is a preventive of the night mare .

hrO In Shrewsbury, the ancient county town of S p

- shire, horse shoe talismans are to be seen not only

- above the house doors, but also on the barges which navigate the river Severn . In quite recent times a case has been reported of a

r hatﬁe ld poor gi l of W , in Suffolk, who had exp erienced a long illness, during which she was visited daily by an old woman who appeared to be very solicitous as to her ’ welfare . At length the girl s family began to suspect that this old woman was none other than a witch ; they therefore caused a horse-shoe to be fastened to the sill ul of the outer door . The precaution was successf , so l runs the tale, for the reputed witch cou d never there

sh after cross the thre old, and the girl speedily recovered her health? “ his Ge n tilism e Aubrey, in Remains of , describes the horse-shoe as a preservative again st the mischief or t power of witches, attribu ing its magical properties to

1 ’ n t e ma n M a n 1867 . Ge l s ag zi e .

92 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE

- neighborhood, by tugging at a hair rope in imitation of the act of milking . Such a rope was made of hairs

s from the tail of several cows, whose exact number hi was indicated by knots in the rope . W le tuggin g at the rope the witches repeated either the following or a Similar charm

’ ’ ow s mi k an d m are s m k C l il , An d e ve r be ast that be ar s m ilk y , ’ Be t we e n St . ohn st on e s an d Dun d e e J , ’ m ’ Com e a t o m e , c o e a to m e .

The only adequate protection from such mischievous pranks as these was afforded by nailing a horse-shoe to the byr e-door and tying sprigs of rowan with a red ’ thread to the cow s tail . If, however, these precautions ui were neglected, the g lty witch might yet be dis ’ covered by placing the gud e man s breeks upon the ’ cow s horns, a leg upon either horn ; and thereupon the animal, being let loose, was sure to run directly to the witch ’ s house? n In many places, certai houses continue even at the present time to have an evil reputation as harborers of witches and goblins . In these cases it seems probable that the owners or occupants of such dwellings neg le ct e d to avail themselves of the immunity afforded

- by horse shoes and other safeguards . For no one, we l be ieve, has ever seriously maintained that evil spirits,

1 Robe F T . rt ord , histle d own THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE- SHOE 93

mi i a who are once ﬁrmly do c led, can be e sily expelled . Familiarity with their surroundings may breed a con tempt for amulets . Certain it is, however, that an ounce or two of iron by way of prevention is worth a pound or more of cure . When a dwelling is demon i acall y possessed, the devils must be driven out somehow, and for this purpose recourse is had to exorcisms, and to religious or magical ceremonies . In the words of ’ ”

. 28 the poet Dryden Wife of Bath s Tale, i )

An d fr iars th at thr ough the w e althy re gion s run Re sort t o ar m e rs r ch an d bl e ss the r h al s f i , i l , An xor e h h d e cis t e be d s an d c ross t e wall s.

“ An ti uit at e s In q Vulgares, by Henry Browne the writer gives elaborate directions as to the lli proper mode of exorcising a haunted dwe ng, and says that the house which is reported to be vexed with

a spirits shall be visited by a priest daily for a week, p prOpriat e prayers and scriptural selections being read . Sometimes magical procedures supplanted religious exercises, and experts in sorcery were employed to rid ll a mansion of its undesirable tenants . The fo owing advertisement from a London newspaper of 1777 may be appropriately given here

HA ED H E — h r e s he re ar m n s on s an d cas UNT OUS S . W e a t e a i tle s in En glan d an d Wale s which for m an y ye ar s have be e n un nh a e an d ar e n ow a n n o e c he r e n i bit d, f lli g i t d ay, by t i b i g visite d an d haun te d by evil spirits or th e spir its of those who 94 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE- SHOE

n o n r e son s ar e e n e re se r b e e e n in the for un k w a r d d mi a l , v grave, m an wh o h as m e th e o r of E ro e of r cu r a ge n tle ad t u u p , a pa ti la

rn o f m n an d d e e l e in the a st r use an d ac re t u i d, ply skil d b s d f e x or c sm h e re o ﬁ e rs his ss s an ce t o an o n e r sc ie n ce o i , by a i t y w r of such re m se s an d un e r e s t o r e n e the o r propr ie to p i , d tak d r r e r om the s a on of s ch s r s be h e r use sam e f e f vi it ti u pi it , t i ca wh m a an d r e n e r the m e n n e an d use u for the at it y, d t a tabl f l

t hn n No . 0 r ors e e r re sse o Re v . Jo Jo e s 3 pr op ie t . L tt s add d , ’ M rt n n e d ul e r an d n e w S t . a i s La , y answ ed, i t rvie given if ? re quir e d

THE OS T ON OF THE HORS E-S HOE A S A PRO XIV . P I I TEC TOR OF B UI LD INGS

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 successful ly to practice their w iles upon persons in the open air ? The horse—shoe effectively bars the ingress of witches and evil spirits, but an entrance once obtained by these

t he creatures, it is powerless to expel them . Therefore

- horse shoe within doors loses much of its efﬁcacy, but is still an emblem of good luck .

e n Placed on the outside of the door, or above the of i u trance a dwell ng, or pon the threshold, the horse shoe is easily ﬁr st among the inveterate foes of witches and devils generally .

Lau h ou w l l who m s n or d s r g if y i , i p e vil fe a ,

Wh om d e ath a a s n ot h n t m o m n o n r pp l , p a o s c e t e a

1 ’ Bo t n T an c M a 18 1 - x s o r s r t 9 98 . Tur n e r s An o S a on s. ip , y , gl

96 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE

i - it, as the proper place for the d splay of horse shoes as household guardians .

in In the earliest historic times, and primitive com m un itie s i , the entrance of a dwell ng was considered a sacred place ; and in the Opinion of eminent scholars who have made a study of the subject, the threshold m was the ﬁr st fa ily altar . A peculiar reverence for the doorway and threshold prevail s to-day in many parts of the world, as is evident from the numerous ceremonial rites in vogue among widely separated sav ? age tribes and uncivilized peoples Indeed, the custom of placing amulets and charms in and about the

r - a ent ance doors of houses, st bles, and other buildings is almost universal . In Russia a cross is marked on

wi . the threshold to keep tches away In Lithuania, il when a house is being bu t, a wooden cross, or some article which has been handed down from past generations, is placed under the threshold . There, also, when a newly baptized child is being brought back from church , it is customary for its father to l hold it for a whi e over the threshold, so as to place the new member of the family under the protection of ” the domestic divinities . Sick childr en who are sup posed to have been afﬂicted by an evil eye are washed on the threshold of their cottage, in order that with

1 H. a Trum bu l The Thr ho d oven an t cha Cl y l , es l C , p THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE- SHOE 97 the help of the Penates who reside there, the malady may be driven out of doors? Under the threshold of the Assyrian palaces at Nineveh were found certain images of grotesque mon st e rs , as, for example, a human form with the head of ’ ’ i a lynx, and a lion s body with a man s head, wh ch were intended as tutelary deities ?

f his John Netten Radcli fe, in Fiends, Ghosts, and 43 - Sprites (p . , London, says that the horse shoe superstition is a remnant or relic of the worship of — a ill household guardians or divinities, practice st in vogue among the natives of Ashantee, and also among

Bhutas . i the of Hindostan In some English count es, naturally perforated stones are hung behind the door ; and in Glamorganshire the walls of the houses are whitewashed in order to terrify wandering spirits of evil . Whether successful or not for this purpose, the custom is certainly effective as a destroyer of the d e moniac germs of certain diseases . The French Canadians are not the least superstitious w of mankind, neither do they holly neglect to take due precautions against the admittance to their homes of evil spirits . They do not answer Entrez when a knock is heard at the door, but call out Ouvrez This custom is

1 Ra st on S on s o t R s an o he us e e . 1 l , g f i P p l , p 36 . 2 Bon ami N n e veh a n d its ala ces . 15 . , i P , p 9 98 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE- SHOE said to have originated from a current tradition regard ing a young woman who once answered Entrez % in response to a knock, whereupon the Devil promptly came in and carried her away ? Where such legends

- find open mouthed credence, it does not appear strange that horse-shoes and other talismans should be at a premium . In Tuscany magical medicines are taken upon the hi threshold, w ch also plays an important part in sor hi cery . One reason assigned for t s fact is that the t threshold forms the line separa ing the outer world, f where demons are rampant, rom the domestic precincts, where human beings dwell . One writer affirms it to be a fixed law in demonology that spirits cannot cross the threshold and enter a house unless previously invited to do so, but adds that there are many exceptions to this rule? The weight of evi dence does not support this view, for mischievous fairies and witches are known to rudely disregard the laws of etiquette, and do not wait for an invitation i r ai to enter dwell ngs . This fact is, indeed, a chief ’ son d étr c for the use of talismans at the entrance of habitations . The residents of the beautiful Thuringian Forest region, in whose neighborhood these lines chanced to be

1 F bru 18 . a u ar S c e n c e M on th v ol . 44 . 520. e ar 94 P p l i ly, , p y, 1 C . . Le an d Etrusca n Roma n Rema n s . 282. G l , i , p

100 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE

L a s their r e by the Romans of old, and ﬁnds a parallel in the honor accorded to the favorite amulet of Western

- i . civ lization, the horse shoe The Tibetans set up above the entrances of their houses complex talismans, composed of various mystical ’ objects, such as a ram s skull with horns attached, hav in g displayed along the base of the skul l pieces of

r ca ved wood representing a man and woman, a house, and other sym bols ; the idea being to deceive the demons, and to make them believe that these objects are the real dwelling and its inmates . The Tibetans believe that the demons are thus tricked, and that the wooden im ages are the victims of their mischievous designs ?

Far away among the nomadic tribes of Turkestan, horse-shoes are occasionall y seen nailed to the thresh olds of dwellings in the vicinity of the ancient city of

Merv ; and within doors, near the entrances of these peculiar habitations, which resemble mammoth parrot i u cages, pieces of l nen or calico, fo r or ﬁve inches

- square, are seen upon the felt wall lining, to serve as receptacles for the free-will offerings of such wandering ? spirits as may pass the magic barriers of the horse-shoes In some regions there still prevails a time-honored custom of placing over the chief entrances of dwellings

1 W ad d e . 484 ll , p . 1 ’ Ed m o n d O Don o an T M l v he erv Oas s o . 11 . . 141 , i , v p . THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE 101

t i inscrip ions, embodying usually a rel gious thought or exhortation . Sometimes, however, the sentence com mends the house and its occupants to the care of the i goddess Fortune, thus having a signiﬁcance ak n to that - 1 2 of the horse shoe symbol . In the year 89 the writer Copied many inscriptions found above the doors of i houses in northern Italy and Sw tzerland, some of them being written in Latin, others in German, French, Ital ian , and the Romansch dialect, current in the Enga dine . Here, for example, is one from a house in the wi i S ss village of Bergun, the orig nal being in German This house is in God’ s hand May Good Luck come % in, and Bad Luck stay out

n i Ma y of these inscr ptions are Biblical verses, which are here used as talismans, just as the pious Moslem employs sentences from the Koran .

Here, again, is the translation of a German sentence over the door of a dwelling in the vil la ge of Ober—SchOn C 1897 berg, near Innsbruck, Tyrol, opied in

All pe r son s e n te r in g this h ouse ar e re com m e n de d t o Divin e

ro e c on . God an d th e r n M r uar uch e e n p t ti Vi gi a y g d all s , v hou h owe r u e e e hre e an d h n n s an d hun t g p f l n mi s t at n, lig t i g t d e r rage without %

Above the door of a house in the village of Welsch n ofe n , near Botzen, the wayfarer may read the follow

: ing sentence Pray for us, holy Florian , that ﬁre may ” not harm our dwelling . Above the inscription an eye 102 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE li is painted, while below is a rea stic picture of Saint

ﬁr e Florian, the protector of buildings against , engaged r n in pou i g water on a burning roof .

Bassam e se The , inhabitants of the Gold Coast of use Africa, west of Ashantee, certain fetich objects for li the protection of their dwel ngs . These amulets, which are often merely pieces of wood painted red, or fragments of pottery, are placed upon the doors of their huts, and are believed to afford ample protection against thieves ? Such a fetich is probably intended l to exclude evil spirits as we l, and is, therefore, a

- - substitute for both the horse shoe and the watch dog, those guardians of the household so popul ar in civilized communities . When a modern Egyptian returns from a pﬂgrh age to Mecca, he fastens above the entrance of his house i a branch of the aloe, wh ch is not only a proof of his i relig ous zeal in having accomplished the holy journey, but is also reckoned a protection against objectionable spiritual intruders, and is, therefore, seen in Cairo over the doors of the houses both of Christians and Jews .

In northern Scotland, formerly, a branch of the rowan tree was placed over a farmhouse door, after having “ %” been waved while the words Avaunt, Satan were solemnly pronounced ?

1 A . Fe ath rm n H t n n e a S c a s or o M a . , o i l i y f ki d 1 l D i Ro e rs D . . L in R . Char e s S oc a e S cot n d ol 2 e v a v . . 29 . g , , i l f l , . iii p

104 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE- SHOE

THE L C K HORS E-S HOE E XV . U Y IN G NERA L

He au hs ke a boor wh o has oun h - l g li f d a orse shoe .

D utch v pro erb. Throughout Germany the belief obtains that a horse on shoe found the road, and nailed on the threshold of t a house with the points directed outward, is a migh y

t ba s protec ion not only against g and ﬁends, but also i r ever se d against ﬁre and l ghtning ; but, , it brings fortune . In eastern Pennsylvania, however, even in

- recent times, the horse shoe is often placed with the

n l prongs pointing i ward, so that the luck may be spil ed

- into the house . The horse shoe retains its potency as a charm on the sea as well as on land, and it has long been a practice among sailors to nail this favorite amu

ﬁshin - let against the mast of a vessel, whether g boat or a - n l l rge sea goi g craft, as a protection against the Evi ” - ﬁ . o One The shoe of a wraith horse, the mythical - l spring of a water stallion, is especial y esteemed by Scotch mariners for this purpose? In Bohemia only exists the superstition exactly op

osit e who p to that elsewhere prevalent, namely, that ever picks up a horse-shoe thereby ip so fa cto picks - m f - up ill luck for hi sel , a notable example in folk lore of the exception which proves the r ule . The Bohe

1 re or S c t F - G g , o ch olk Lore . THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE 105 mi i l -u - ans, however, bel eve a nai ed p horse shoe to be a cure for lunacy? i As a general rule, the degree of luck perta ning to a horse-shoe found by chance has been thought to depend on the number of nails remain ing in it : the more nails the more luck ? In Northumberland the holes free of nails are care l ful y counted, as these indicate, presumably in years, how soon the ﬁnder of the shoe may expect to be married ? The peasants of nort hern Portugal prefer

- - mule shoes having an uneven number of nail holes,

coun t e ractive s as of the evil inﬂuences of the dreaded, ? omnipresent witches known as the B ruxas In Derbyshire it is customary to drive a horse

ﬂa st on e s shoe, prongs upward, between two g near the door of a dwelling ? This position is sometimes ex ll plained by saying that, so placed, the luck cannot spi out . “ l - In a short poem cal ed The Lucky Horse Shoe, by James T . Fields, an amusing account is given of a

- r farmer who picked up an old horse shoe f om the road, and nailed it upon the door of his barn with the prongs downward . But, far from bringing him luck, Fortune

1 k D A . utt e er e uts he lksaber ub B rl n W , d c Vo gla e . e i , 1869 . 1 h M . A . A o R n Robe rt T o rn e D ct on a r are a d Cur I n orma t on . , , i i y f ious f i 1 The De n ha m Tra cts.

1 F tn htl or ig y Re view. 5 n ld al l Ad d M A. H u ho d Tales. 18 5 . Sid e y O y, . , o se l 9 106 THE M AGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE thereafter frowned upon him ; his hay crop failed, a

his drought blighted his vegetables, and hens refused to lay .

The good farmer, discouraged and perplexed, con ﬁd e d his woes to the sym pathetic ear of an aged way farer who chanced to pass by, relating how misfortunes had pursued him since he had fastened up the old

- horse shoe .

The st ran ge r aske d t o se e the shoe The fa rm e r brought it in t o v ie w ; h h l d his he ad But w e n t e o d m an ra ise , He laugh e d out right an d quickl y said : No on r sk e u n ro n w d e i s po you f w , ’ Yo u v e n a il e d t h e h orse -Sh oe upsid e d own ’ Jus ur n it r oun an d soon ou l e t t d , y l s e Ho ou an d For un r w y t e wil l ag e e .

The farmer proﬁted by the friendly suggestion and

- reversed his luck token, whereupon the capricious god ll dess fairly beamed upon him . His barn was soon ﬁ ed wi th hay, his storehouses were packed with the kindly ui i fr ts of the earth, wh le his wife presented him with twins . Farmers may well take heed how they nail up horse shoes over the doors of their barns . To obtain the best ul ul res ts, it wo d seem advisable to place a pair of these l useful articles on each farm bui ding, one with the points upward, the other reversed ; for in this way ’ win they may not only hope to Fortune s smiles, but

108 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE- SHOE

- nail my horse shoe over your door, but hung it upside down , so the luck ran out at the ends, but because of your own mistake . You trusted to me ; you trusted to %” Luck . Ah ha In the northernmost districts of Scotland exists a belief that if the ﬁrst shoe put on the foot of a stallion be hung on the byre door, no harm will come near the

- cows ; and in the same region , if a horse shoe be placed between the houses of quarrelsome neighbors, neither incurs any risk of evil as a result of the other ’ s ill wishes? As a means of warding oﬁ impending sickness from cattle, and in order that they may thrive during the summer, the Transylvanian peasants place broken horse ’ ’ - shoes in the animal s drinking troughs on St . John s 4 2 . Day, June

In Lincolnshire, not many years ago, there prevailed “ ” a custom of charming ash-trees by burying horse w shoes under them . T igs from a tree thus magically endowed were believed to be efﬁcacious in curing cattle

S over which a hrewmouse had run, or which had been ff exp osed to the glance of an evil eye . To e ect a cure in such cases, it was only necessary to gently stroke the ? aﬁ e ct e d animal with one of these twigs n Some years ago, a Golspie ﬁsherman who ow ed a

1 h 1 . A . . Ed n bur 897 . B . N ho son M . o s e Ed war d W ic l , , G l p i i g , 1 Notes a n d uer es 5th se r e s vol . ix . . 65 . an uar 18 78 . Q i , i , p J y , THE M AGIC OF THE HORSE- SHOE 109 small boat was favored with an extraordinary run of ul luck in his ﬁshing, and as a res t of his good fortune l was enabled to buy a larger vessel, sel ing the old one to a neighbor . From that time, however, his lucky star seemed to wane, and good catches were infrequent .

Casting about in his mind for the reason of this, he bethought him of a stallion ’ s shoe which was fastened inside his former boat, and which had been given “ him by a wise person . But both boat and horse

in shoe were now the hands of his neighbor, who main t ain e d with reason that the lucky token was now his ” property, as he had purchased the boat and its gear . And ever thereafter the disconsolate ﬁsherman attrib ut e d his lack of success in that season to his own folly in having parted with the stallion ’ s shoe? The horse-shoe ﬁgures often in traditions of the sea as a protection to sailors . When the ghostly Ship of the Flying Dutchman meets another vessel, some of its uncanny crew approach the latter in a boat and beg them to take charge of a packet of letters .

These letters must be nailed to the mast, else some misfortune will overtake the ship ; especially if there be

- no Bible on board, nor any horse shoe fastened to. the foremast . 1825 In the month of September, , lightning struck a brigantine which lay at anchor in the Bay of Armiso,

1 Re v . am e s M acd on a d n M t Re on a d h . 92. J l , ligi y , p 1 10 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE l in the Adriatic . A sailor was kil ed by the bolt, and tradition says that on one of his hips was seen the per

- feet representation of a horse shoe, a coun terpart of one nailed to the vessel’ s foremast in accordance with the custom in vogue on the Mediterranean?

The same custom is common in German inland waters, i as, for example, on the river craft wh ch ply on the

Elbe below Hamburg, and on those which navigate the

- . t Trave, at Lubec On the lat er vessels horse shoes are

a - n usu lly fastened to the stern post, i stead of to the mast .

k . Se e s u . In a German work, entitled p , by P G 138 Heims, page , the writer remarks that, among sea

n - fari g people, the old pagan emblem, the horse shoe, whose talismanic origin is so closely associated with horse-sacriﬁce and the use of horse-ﬂe sh as food among the heathen nations of the North, is even now the most powerful safeguard aboard ship against lightning and the powers of evil . There are comparatively few small vessels laden with wood, fruit, vegetables, or other merchandise, sailing i e between Balt c Sea ports, upon whose foremast, or els

- where upon deck, horse shoes are not nailed . a Indeed, continues the s me writer, this symbol has a l at notable signiﬁcance in German art as wel , a fact tributable less to its graceful curving shape than to the

1 Nove llen zeitun se chste r ahr an No . 51 . 8 12. g, J g g, , p

11 2 THE M AGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE representations of horses’ heads upon the gables of houses in order to terrify wandering spirits of evil . ”

s . In Curiositie of Popular Customs, by William S 665 Walsh (p . , it is stated that the Northern peoples were wont to offer sacriﬁces to Wodan after the i harvest, and that the little cakes st ll baked on St . ’ 11 Martin s Day, November , throughout Germany, are

- shaped like a horn or horse shoe, which was a token of the pagan god . Although not susceptible of proof, it Seems highly probable that we have here another relic of idolatry . It is a point worthy of note, moreover,

- that Wodan was not only an all powerful deity, corre s on din p g to the Greek Zeus and Roman Jupiter, but that he was also a great magician , and hence quite

l - l in he r natura ly the horse shoe, as one of his symbo s, i its mag cal attributes . In Tuscany a horse-shoe when found is placed in a hi small red bag with some hay, w ch the Tuscans con - i sider also a luck bringing art cle, and the twofold charm is kept in its owner ’ s bed?

. i Dr Robert James, an Engl sh physician of the eigh t e e n th - century, and the inventor of a well known fever

n powder, ascribed his success in acquiring a fortu e to his good luck in havin g once found a horse-shoe on

Westminster Bridge . The sincerity of his faith was attested by the adoption of the horse-shoe as his famil y crest . 1 C . . L Et n n R . G e lan d , rusca Roma ema in s THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE- SHOE 113

’ “ Brand quotes from John Bell s MS . Discourse on Witchcraft (1705) as follows

s r Th e r Guard again st de v ili h char m s for M e n o Be asts. e m an sor ce r e s ract ce in our n s wh ch I are y i p i d day, agai t i ou o n t h s occ s o n e ar m e s m on an d d o he re ore w ld i a i b y t ti y, t f s r ous ask ou wh a is ou m e an our o se r on o f e i ly y , t it y by y b vati Tim e s an d S e aso n s as lucky or un lucky ? Wh at m e an you our m an S e s e rse s or s so o e n r e e a e sa by y y p ll , V , W d , ft p t d, id fastin g or go in g backwar d ? How m e an you t o h av e succe ss c arr n a ou w h ou c e r a n He r P an t s an d ran che by yi g b t it y t i bs, l , b s of Tr e e s ? Wh is th e r n c e r n e v e n s o u d o use y it at, f a i g tai t , y uch su e r s ous m e an t o re e n he m a n of s p titi s p v t t , by l yi g bits T m e r at oors c r r n e m e r for Char m h i b D , a yi g a Bibl ely a , wit out an y fart he r use o f it ? What in te n d ye by opposin g chcra t t o t ch cr in uch or h t wh e n e su ose Wit f Wi aft, s s t t a , y pp on e t o b e e w t c he e e n e a o ur his Re e urn n s b i d, y d v li f by B i g , o t e s Horse -sh oe s an d such i e m ic c e r e m on e s ? B t l , , l k ag al i In some Roman Catholic countries the priests are wont to brand cows and pigs on the forehead with the - ? mark of a horse shoe , to insure them against disease

t r e e t It was, moreover, an old Scotch supersti ion, or f , to pass a horse-shoe thrice beneath the belly and over

- 1 the back of a cow that was considered elf shot . S r e ew a ld Among the Wendish inhabitants of the p ,

- in North Germany, the lucky ﬁnder of a horse shoe is careful not to tell any neighbor of his good fortune, but proceeds at once to fasten the shoe over the door 1 Th om as A . W se M . D . H t n s or o a a sm in C a e on . i , , i y f P g i l d ia 1 The S cott sh Ga lov d an En c lo d ia L n n c ce . o o 1824 . i l i i y p d , 1 14 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE—SHOE

of his house, or on the threshold, with three nails, and by three blows of a hammer, so that evil spirits may not enter . We have seen that a horse-shoe picked up on the road is often prized as no mean acquisition by the ﬁnder thereof . It may not be out of place to give here a lit. eral translation of a spell for the protection of a horse’ s hoof when a shoe has been lost . The original appeared ’ 1834 in Mone s Anzeiger in , and is written in the di “ l ” alect known as Midd e High German, which was in vogue from the twelft h to the sixteenth centuries

he n h or se h as o on e of r on hoe a e re W a l st its i s s, t k a b ad kn ife an d in cise the hoof at the edge from on e h e e l t o th e “ o h e r an d the n i e cr o sw se on t he so e an d sa : I t , lay k f s i l y c omm an he e ho o an d h or n h h ou re a e s as e d t , f , t at t b k t littl as God th e or ro e his o r h e n h e cr e e h e e n an d L d b k W d, w at d av ” h r hr ur in e art h . A n d t ou shal t say the se wo ds t e e h o s suc e ss on an d ﬁ ve P a te r n ost ers ﬁve A ve M ar ia s t o t he c i , and r n Th h e h or l n m p aise of the Virgi . e n t se wi l ot walk la e n h ou ha e n s h h u til t pp e t t o re ac a smit y. The Germans have a saying in regard to a young girl who has been led astray, She has lost a horse ” shoe . This saying has been associated with the shoe as a symbol of marriage, an idea found both in the northern and Indian mythologies . But the phrase has been also thought to refer to the horse-shoe shaped lor ia w g which cro ns the head of the Virgin, the horse

1 16 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE - SHOE l i man who had served under Napoleon I . Whi e b v o uackin g with a detachment of lancers in a vil lage of eastern Prussia, he and several others lodged in the house of an old peasant woman, and their horses were accommodated in her barn . It was shortly noticed that the animals appeared depressed and refused the hay i and grain provided for them, whereupon the sold ers concluded that they were under some spell and began a search for the cause . They soon found an old horse

n shoe with three nails remaini g in it, and one of these was quickly driven out with a hammer . Instantly the horses began to snort and exhibited signs of restless ness . On the removal of the second nail they held up dl i their heads prou y, and when the third na l was ham mered out they fell upon their provender and devoured it voraciously . The cavalrymen were now convinced that their horses had been the victims of some devil try i at the hands of the r hostess, whom they believed to be a sorceress . Before their departure, therefore, they gave her a good beating with their sabre scabbards to teach her not to practice her nefarious arts upon the horses of honest people .

THE H E-S HOE A S A HAL L S M B OL XVI . ORS P IC Y 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 MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE 1 17

The horse-shoe is still the conventional ﬁgure for the yon i (a phallic emblem) in modern Hindu temples . This theory is discussed in “ Ancient Faiths embodied ” D in Ancient Names, by Thomas Inman, M . . , London, 1873 “ ” ; and in A Discourse on the Worship of Priapus, 1 . 8 5 6 . by Richard Payne Knight, Esq , London, ui Phallic ornaments are of great antiq ty, and amulets of this character have been found in the earliest Etrus can tombs . Specimens are also to be seen in the vari ous Italian museums . The yon i symbol guards the entrances of ancient

di . temples in Mexico and Peru, as well as in In a

- Ornate Mexican sacred stones of the horse shoe form, relics of the ancient Maya tribes, are classed in the

. C . National Museum at Washington, D , as representa tive of fecundity and nature-worship ; and horse-shoe symbols are found in Aztec manuscripts relating to 1 agricul ture as signs of abundance . Phallic charms are seen above the entrances of houses

- and over tent doors in north Africa to avert the evil eye,

i n and to br ng health and good fortune . Much i forma tion on this subject may be found in a chapter on ser “ pent and phallic worship in Rivers of Life, by Major 1883 General J . G . R . Forlong, London, ; and in an ll ” essay on Pha ism in Ancient Religions, by C .

f 1888 . Stani ord Wake,

1 Fr n R a c s arr F . . G . S . The S a cre S mbo s a n d Nu s o A i P y , , d y l mber f bori in al A c in n n n g me r i a A cie t a d M od ern Times. 1 18 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE On a curious tablet found near a prehistoric mound

t l i ai in the vicini y of the vil age of Cahok a, S nt Clair t County, Illinois, are por rayed human faces with bird %ik l i - e proﬁ es, d amond shaped eyes, and low foreheads

- surmounted by ornamental crowns or head dresses . O The mouths are wide pen, and in front of them are represented symbols having a well-d e ﬁn e d horse-shoe li form . These symbols, although probably of phal c origin , are thought to signify the principle of life di - residing in the breath , just as in In a the horse shoe 1 ul is an emblem of the so .

THE H RSE-SHOE AS A S M B OL ON TA ERN XVII . O Y V S IGN-B OARD S

- The horse shoe, associated usually with some other

n i symbol, is not i frequently seen d splayed 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 The History of Sign ” boards, by Jacob Larwood and John Camden Hot ten :

The Thr e e Hor se-shoe are n ot un com m on an d t he s n e s , i gl sh oe m a b e m e t in n c om n t on s ar s n r om the y with ma y bi a i , i i g f old e e in it s u Th u t he H r a H b li f l cky in ﬂue n ce s. s o se n d or se S hoe was the s n o f l m ar e n o e r as a e rs ig Wi lia W d at D v , pp a

rom his o n Th n H - h is s f t ke . e S u a n d or se S o e till a public

1 The Amer c n A n t u r a n ol xii . 356 vol . x . . 58 . i a iq a i , v . . p iii p

120 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE- SHOE

l - sometimes offered, namely, that the ha f moon tavern ’ sym bol is a sil ent invitation to eat and drink to one s n full capacity ; a hi t, as it were, to follow the crescent ’ ” moon s example and get full .

H ORSE-SH OES N - XVIII . O CHURC H D OORS The origin of the horse-shoe as a charm has been ascribed to its resemblance to the metallic aureole or m en iscus formerly placed over the heads of images of patron saints in churches, and which is also represented i in ancient pictures of the Virg n . n imbus This aureole, or more properly , was probably

M e s i fre of pagan origin, for in early c rcles of stars quently ornamented the heads of statues of the gods, i as emblematic of divinity . In speak ng of cert ain ancient relics found in Ireland, Mr . W . G . Wood 492 Martin Pagan Ireland, p . ) says

Th n re c n c e h th e e x e e e rm n n in i c s e ti plat s, wit tr miti s t i ati g ﬂat c r cul r s s ar e th e o n e n m os r e ue n t d is i a di k , r am ts t f q ly I n h h the h al -m oon cove r e d . for m t e y are ide n tical wit f sh a e or n am e n s in use m on th e re e an d Rom n s an d p d t a g G ks a , with t he n im bi on carvin gs of the Byzan tin e sch ool ; an d the y d iﬁ e r b ut little from the r in g which n ow is c on v e n tion ally c ro n the h f sa n Thus th s or can be pla e d a u d e ad o a i t. i gl y r n m Th c r e sc n c a e a e r s t o t ac e d bac k t o paga do . e e ti pl t pp a h v e e e n r m r the a e o f som e s n u sh e e rson a b p i a ily b dg di ti g i d p , a chie f or kin g ; the n it be cam e the e m ble m of on e c on side r e d t o be e o e rso for in e n t he e r of a v ry h ly p n, Ir la d, in a ly days THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE 1 21

st an t the n e r e r ve r n c rom the Chri i i y, sai ts w e d i d p i ipally f ar isto cr acy. In the collection of the Royal Irish Academy is a golden tiara or diadem, said to have been found in

County Clare . This relic, which measures about a foot in height and the same in breadth, is thought to have been a head-dress of some pagan or early Christian chieftain . In the earlier years of the church these crescent sym bols were avoided as savoring of heathenism ; but without any thought of its significance, it became customary in the Middle Ages to place a cir cular brass plate upon the heads of statues as a protection from snow or rain . Hence arose the practice of sim ilarly adorning images 1 and paintings in churches . In later times these crescent-shaped pieces of metal were sometimes nailed up at the entrance of churches, 2 and so came to be regarded as protective emblems . The horse-shoe was an easily available substitute for the halo or glory, and so was often placed upon the doors of churches, especially in the southwest of England, as it was generall y believed in olden times that evil spirits fi could enter even consecrated edi ces . Aubrey, in his “ ” Miscellanies, mentions having seen under the porch St an in fie ld of Church, in Suffolk, an inscription with the

1 Le o o d Wa n e r M an n ers C ustoms n p l g , , , a d Observan ces. 2 . H. Kil lik ll S e Cur ous u t . y, i Q es ion s 122 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE- SHOE

- device of a horse shoe, intended to exclude witches, and he naively remarks that one woul d imagine holy water l M p y sufﬁcient for the purpose . On the south door of the parish church of Ashby

Foville, in Leicestershire, were formerly two ancient - 16 horse shoes of great size, one of them measuring by 11 w inches, or more than t ice as large as an average modern shoe . As it does not seem likely that such shoes were made ’ in for to ﬁt horses feet, in the absence of traditional mation regarding them, it appears probable that they 1 were intended solely to bar the ingress of witches . ’ In St . Martin s Church , Canterbury, the oldest in

England, the sacristan shows visitors the site of an early i Engl sh door on the south side, and a Norman doorway le l in the midd of the northern wal , both long since blocked up . Infants to be baptized were formerly brought into the church by the south entrance, and after the ceremony the north door was thrown open to permit the egress of evil spirits expelled by baptism . For in early times demons were believed to come from the north, where the habitations of the Norse gods were also thought to be . The pagans, when worship ing their deities, looked towards the north ; but Christians engaged in prayer t urned their faces east ward and lifted up their ban d s ; they regarded the

1 — L c st sh an Rut a n d Notes and uer es vol . 11 . 1891 93 . e i e er ire d l Q i ,

124 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE- SHOE sought to hinder the completion of the church, and ﬁnally b e waylaid the bishop outside the buildin g and attempted to kill him . But the good bishop at this critical time called upon the Blessed Virgin Mary i i for assistance, and she sent a tempest of w nd wh ch so buffeted and distracted the Devil that he sought refuge inside the church, not daring to venture out because of the ﬁerce wind, which prevails a good part of the time even nowadays, and which is still await ing the Devil ’ s reappearance

The B sho w e kn o d e d on a o i p , w, i l g g The w n d st waits n or w l h e o i ill , i l g Till he has a chan ce o f be at in g his foe ; ’ B ut the D e v ho d u w th out a m il pp p i li p , An n d at o ce t ook shape a s t he Lin col n Imp . An d th e r e h e s t s at o t he c o um n i p l , An r d g in s at t he pe ople wh o gaze so sole m n . M ore ove r he m ocks at th e w n b e l o w , i d , 1 A n d sa s You m a t d oo m sd a % y , y wait ill y, O

e In southern Germany, Bavaria, and Tyrol, the hors

- shoe symbol is to be seen on church doors, as an em

. u i blem of St Leonard, the g ard an and protector of horses and travelers ; and it is usually associated with

oft e n tim m some romantic legend, having a historic

- basis . Traditions relating to horse shoes on church l l doors are, indeed, plentiful in the popu ar iterature of

Germany, and a few examples are given later . St .

1 Arn o d Fr ost The B a ad o the W n the D e v l a n d L n c n M n ter . l , ll f i d, i , i ol i s

L n ol n 18 . i c , 97 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE 125

’ 6 obse rv Leonard s Day, November , had its special

n an ce s. The peasants were wont to bri g their horses

r to some chu ch dedicated to that worthy, and ride them i thrice around the sacred build ng, a procedure which 1 was believed to be highly auspicious . It was, more ’ cust om ar for t over, y noblemen, before star ing on an

- equestrian journey, to fasten a horse shoe on the church 2 in i ﬁ r . door as a vot ve o e g to St Leonard . Especial honor is accorded to this saint on the day

vi of his festival, at Fischhausen, a seaport llage in northeastern Prussia . On that occasion the parish church is surrounded by farm wagons and other vehi cles drawn by gayly decorated horses, for here the coun try people have a grand rendezvous ; young women in holiday attire drive hither the cows, who have been brought from their summer quarters in the upland pastures, that they, too, may participate in the festivi ties . A religious service, largely attended by the peas

in ants, is ﬁrst held the church, and then follow the

hi ur outdoor exercises, of which a c ef feat e consists in driving the horses three times around the buil ding at a 3 rapid pace . During the prevalence of a severe epiz ootic in Wur

1 . W. Wo Be tra e zur eutsch n M t l i . 1 J e ho o e . lf, i g d y g , p 9 9 ’ n a Z in rl S tten B ctu n n un . e e r che u d M e n d es t ro er o kes. Ig z V g , i , i ge i l V l n u I n sbr ck, 1857 . 3 He r m an Schm d an d Kar ie l e r T e Bav n H n an the i l St , h aria ighla d s d S alzka mmergut . 26 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE—SHOE t e mb r e g many years ago, the people removed the shoes ’ ll from their horses feet, and hung them on the wa s of i churches as propit atory offerings . Various other iron m implements, such as chain traces, were thus si ilarly displayed . ’ An ancient St . Leonard s Chapel, in the town of

Laupheim, is encircled by an iron chain, which is said to have been forged from horse-shoes thus piously con 1 tributed . The largest church dedicated to this saint is Tblz an d k at , in upper Bavaria, its altar is li ewise sur

an rounded by iron chain .

Pictures of St . Leonard are sometimes placed upon stable-doors to bring luck ; he is usually represented as l holding a pastoral staff, whi e on one side is seen a colt or ﬁlly, on the other a sick ox, and at his feet is a ewe lamb .

m . In northern Ger any, St George, as a successor di o of Wodan , is one of the special guar ans and prote

of . tors horses On the festal day of this saint, April 23 , the peasants gather in large numbers around some church dedicated to him, and their horses and vehicles, numbering sometimes many hundreds, are drawn up in a circle around the sanctuary . After the parish priest has delivered a sermon in the church , he comes to the door and blesses each horse separately as the animal is led past, meanwhile sprinkling him with holy water .

1 An t on Bir l in e r S a e n Le e n en an d o ksa ber auben vol . . . 49 . g , g , g d V l gl , i p

128 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE - SHOE

HORSE -SHOE LEGEND AR L O RE XIX . Y

1 t wo - . Within recent years 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 writt en by a master of Exeter Grammar School in the early part of the nineteenth century. The bal lad graphically describes a race for a wager between a certain Earl of Totnes, mounted on a Derbyshire roan ,

r Cham e rn own e and one Sir Arthu p , on a ﬂeet Barbary courser . The race was won by the earl, who thereupon t rode s raight to the door of Haccombe Church,

An d the re he e on his kn n d ra e d f ll e e s a p y , An d m an y an A ve M aria said ;

Bre ad an d m on e he a o h oor y g ve t t e p , ’ An d h n 1 e aile d the r oan s shoe s t o th e chape l d oor .

2. In the traditionary lore of the Harz Mountains

- there is a weird tale of four horse shoes, which for ages were to be seen on the door of a church in the suburbs of Kl e tt e n burg .

Once upon a time, so runs the story, a great drinking match was held on a Sunday morning at Elrich . The prize was a golden chain, and many knights assembled from near and far . The carousal lasted for some hours,

ti Kl e tt e n bur un l Count Ernest of g, the only one who

1 B r v a l . i 1 8 . elg a i , vo v . 8 7 THE M AGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE 1 29 coul d still keep on his feet, exultantly claimed the golden chain, which he hung about his neck . Then, his mounting horse, he rode homeward, and while near ing Kl e tt e n burg he heard the strains of even-song in a

. i church dedicated to St Nicholas . Urg ng on his steed, he rode madly through the open door str aight to the ’ altar . Then, so runs the legend, the horse s four shoes fell off, and horse and rider sank down together out of f sight . In memory of this wonder ul event, the four

- an d horse shoes were placed on the door of the church, for many years were regarded with awe by the simple 1 countryfolk . 3 . In the construction of the Church of St . Stephen, i at Tangermunde, in Prussian Saxony, a brick ed ﬁce u of the fourteenth century, the members of two g ilds, those of the blacksmiths and shoemakers, were of hi especial assistance and in remembrance of t s, a horse-shoe and an iron shoe-sole were built into the outer wall of the church . The former indicates that up to its level the blacksmiths had built the walls, and the latter shows that all the work above the horse-shoe was done by the shoemakers ; such, at least, is the pop l t cum r an o u ar explana ion, which may well be received g

sa lis. 4 . In the parish church of Schwarzenstein, in east

- Prussia, hang two horse shoes as reminders of the fol

1 - Yule T d e S tor es e d t e d b Be n am n Thor e . Lon on 1853 . i i , i y j i p d , 130 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE ill lowing tradition : In the v age of Eichmedien , one l - mile from Rastenburg, ived formerly as tavern keeper a woman, who had earned an unenviable notoriety by her practice of charging double the proper fees for

i . board and lodg ng Late one night, when several of her guests accused her of being a cheat, she asseverated her honesty by holding up her hand, and saying in the “ form of an oath : If my score is not correct, may ” the Devil n o w jump on my back . The Evil One took the woman promptly at her word, transformed her into l a mare, and rode her out of the vil age, laughing scorn mi ’ fully . At headlong speed he rode to a blacks th s shO p in Schwarzenstein , and demanded that his mare be shod at once . The blacksmith, routed out of his sleep, excused himself, pleading the lateness of the hour and

v the fact that there was no fire in his forge . The De il m insisted, however, and promised liberal pay ent if the work were done quickly . The blacksmith yielded at length , but had not proceeded far in shaping the shoes “ ’ when the mare began to speak . My cousin , don t ” “ - you know me ? she said ; I am the tavern keeper . Upon this the blacksmith was so horrified that neither threats nor entreaties could prevail to make him pro o ecd with the shoeing, and before he had finished the d third shoe a cock crowed, and imme iately the spell was broken and the woman reassumed her own form . An d to point the moral of this legend, and as a warning

132 THE M AGIC OF THE HORSE- SHOE fried’ s intercession Olaf consented to spare the lives of the murderers, on condition that they should build We xio a Christian church in ; and this church, which

-of- re re still exists, has on its coat arms, or seal, the p se n t ation of three severed heads, in memory of the occurrence and its legend . In this church hung for ’ merly a shoe of Wodan s famous steed Sleipnir, as a souvenir of the following tradition : When the church bells rang for the ﬁrst time to sum mon the people to i mass, Wodan came rid ng over the mountains, and ,

We x io when nearing , Sleipnir, in a sudden fright, struck a rock with one of his feet, and the impress of the powerful blow remains in the rock to this day . 1 But the shoe fell off and was placed in the church .

6 . Many years ago, so runs an old legend, a man

un obtained employment at a farm in Norway, where,

m . known to him, the istress was a witch Although the did man had plenty of good wholesome food, he not thrive upon it, but became thinner each day . Being i troubled at this, he sought the counsel of a w se man , from whom he learned the true character of his mis

in tress . He learned, moreover, that she had been the habit of transforming him into a horse at night while he slept, and riding him to Troms Church , a fact which full y accounted for his leanness .

The wise man also gave him a magical ointment, with

. Sche b e D as K oster . J i l , l THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE 133 i i which to rub his head at bedt me, and by v rtue of i which , on awak ng the next morning, he found himself

standing by Troms Church with a bridle in his hand, whil e behind him were a number of horses bound to

gether by their tails . Soon he perceived his mistress

coming out of the church, and when she was near

enough to him he threw the bridle over her head, and

instantly she was transformed into a handsome mare,

which he mounted and rode homeward . On his way, ’ i however, he stopped at a farrier s and had the an mal

shod with four new shoes, and on reaching home he

told his master that he had bought a ﬁne mare, that woul d be an excellent mate for one which he already

had . His master bought the mare at a good price, but

when he took the bridle off she disappeared, and in her place stood the mistress witch with new horse-shoes on

her hands and feet . Thereupon the man related the

wonderful tale of his experiences, and in consequence

thereof the wife was turned out of doors, and never l -sh got rid of the horse oe s.

7 . Once upon a time a gentleman of rank was d riv in g with four horses along the highway which runs

u ur between the towns of T bingen and Hirschau, in W t e mbe r O f g, and when pposite a roadside chapel he sco fed at a picture of the Madonna which adorned it . Imme diat e l y his horses came to a standstill, nor could he

1 ’ Tho r N t . e s orthern M ho o ol . 11 . 1 p y l gy, v p 90 . 134 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE i make them proceed, in spite of vigorous urg ng . At im length, in this dilemma, a priest was called, who posed as a penance the removal of a shoe from the right

- fore foot of each horse, and after this had been done the gentleman was enabled to continue his journey . And in commemoration of this miracle one of the horse

- shoes was nailed upon the chapel door, where it was 1 still to be seen in recent years .

8 . One Sunday morning a swarthy rider on a black horse rode at full speed through the vill age of Nab di ’ burg, in Bavaria, rectly to the blacksmith s shop, to “ have his horse shod . Will you not rest on a Sun ” “ day ? demanded the smith . My steed and I jour ney to and fro, and care nothing for the Christian ” “ Sunday, replied the horseman ; therefore shoe my ’ horse in the Devil s name, and I counsel thee speak no pious word meanwhile, for no devout person has yet ” obtained the mastery over this spirited animal . With these words he sprang to the ground and stroked his ’

in . horse s ﬂow g mane The smith, though ill at ease, began the work and the horse was as quiet as if under a spell, much to the astonishment of his master, who could scarce believe his eyes . Three shoes were quickly se t his , and the smith called to assistant, Now, then , ’ %” in God s name, hand me the last shoe Instantly the

1 ' Ern st M e e r D eutsche S a en S tten a n d Gebrauche a us S chwabe n . i , g , i S t utt art 1852 g , .

136 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE- SHOE was not thus to be deceived . Leanin g upon his mea

r - i be uih n su ing rod, he l stened unmoved to the g g con versation of the pretended belle, and rejected with scorn the gold and precious stones which she brought

him . Thereupon the Devil became enraged, stamped upon the ground with vehemence, and disappeared, leaving behind him an evil smell ; and the mark of

- one of the iron horse shoes, wherewith he was shod, was deeply imprinted on a stone in the cemetery, ul and, according to pop ar report, is still to be found there . m - The i pressions on stone of ﬁgures of horse shoes, of which there are numerous examples in northern

ae Europe, are regarded by some arch ologists as sacred h e ul symbols of the pagans or re s of the c t of Wodan , and as showing the sites of ancient altars and burial places ; while others maintain that these ﬁgures were originally intended as boundary marks . Numerous traditions associate them with battles fought in these l ocahtie s , and in the popular fancy they are imagined to indicate the favorite haunts of witches, the meeting

- places where they held their revels, the horse shoe mark ’ being an imprint of the Devil s foot . These weird rendezvous were usually on the tops of mountains or ’ l - hi ls, and are still known as Witches Dance Places in

ff l . di erent parts of Europe, especial y in Germany THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE- SHOE 137

RECAP T LA T ON O F THEO R ES OF T HE OR G N XX . I U I I I I OF THE HORSE-S HO E S UPERS TITI ON In the preceding pages an attempt has been made to ’ furnish plausible reasons for the horse-shoe s universal popularity both as an amul et and as a token of good luck . It is evident, however, that this superstition can

- not be referred to any one particular starting point .

Just as the sources of a river may be manifold, consist ing of numerous springs and tributaries, so, too, the ’ belief in the horse-shoe s magical Virtues is of complex

i . orig n, and can be traced to diverse beginnings

It may be proﬁtable, therefore, brieﬂy to enumerate the different theories which have been advanced

1 . r ite o the P a ssover At the f , the blood sprinkled upon the lintel and door-posts formed the chief points

- of an arch . Hence the value of arch shaped talis mans .

2 - . The magical virtue of the horse shoe against witches and ﬁends has been att ributed to its bifur ca te d

r m lun a r cr e sc n t fo , and to its resemblance to the e . Charms of simil ar shape are known to have been in use among the ancient Chaldeans and Egyptians .

3 . I r o n ste e l i and , metals hav ng traditional power

-d s against evil i posed fairies and goblins .

- 4 . ser en tin The p e shap e . Serpent worship was mi t nearly universal among pri tive peoples, and amule ic 138 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE- SHOE sym bols of this form were in use in the days of ancient

Rome . so- l hor se-shoe ar h i 5 . The cal ed c as typ fying a be

n ﬁce n t . e , protecting power

6 . The ancient conception of the earth as having the shape of a r oun d boat tur n e d up sid e d o wn and - n corresponding to the Egyptian P ut sig .

Th Hor se . 7 . e This animal was worshiped among the early Germanic tribes, and an English myth ac

di - n cre ts to it luck bringi g qualities .

8 . The Scandinavian superstition of the D e m on

M ar e .

9 . n M ar s The old astrological pri ciple that , the God i S a tur n of War and the War Horse, was host le to , the

- liege lord of witches .

1 S ain t D un stan an d the D evil . 0 . The legend of

1 P ha llic m bo lism . 1 . Sy

A ur e o le Nim bus. 12. The or

1 bl a cksmiths. 3 . Supernatural faculties ascribed to

14 . The Egyptian hieroglyphic symbol 0 , signifying i the m ystica l d oor of l fe . ’ - 15 Hor se s hoo r in ts . . f in mythology tradition p “and 1 - 6 . The horse shoe a symbol of the heathen god

Wo d an . C ON L S ON XXI . C U I Whatever m ay be the origin of the superstit ious em

- ployment of the horse shoe, its adoption as a token of

FORT UNE AND LUCK

Fort un e avor ou be n ot e at e d If f y , l ;

she rown d o n ot d e s on d . If f , p

An somn s.

Wh e n Fort un e m e an s t o m e n m ost ood g , u She looks pon the m with a t hre at e n in g e ye .

K n John . 4 119 . i g , III ,

Whe n sm lin Fort un e s r e ad s he r o d e n ra i g p g l y, All crowd aroun d t o fla tte r an d obe y ; But whe n she t hun d e rs rom t he an r k f g y s y, Our r e n ds our flatt e r e rs our o e rs fl . f i , , l v y m Ov .

in c F r n n in ur e r S e o tu e is ot o pow , Le t us be as l it tle as possible in he rs

. T HE T D D ES OF G OOD L UCK I YC , HE GREC IAN G O S

AM ONG the more popular div1 n 1t1e s of the early was Grecians Tyche, the goddess of good luck, whose worship, according to Plutarch, complemented that of

. ul Destiny She r ed over accidental events, and was the dispenser alike of blessings and misfortunes ; but when too lavish in the distribution of her favors she was lia

n Of ble to i cur the jealousy of Nemesis, the goddess retribution . FORTUNE AND LUCK 141

Tyche, the Goddess of Fortune, is not mentioned in the works of the earliest Grecian poets, but Homer and Hesiod both allude to an ocean nym ph of this name who was gathering ﬂowers with Proserpina when the ff latter was carried O by Pluto . The Theban lyric poet Pindar appears to have origi n at e d the worship of Tyche, whom he celebrated in

Pharo oh s verse, and invested with the title p , or Pro 1 t e ctre ss of Cities ; and in Greece, towards the close of

r B . C . hi l be the ﬁfth centu y , t s goddess was general y ff heved to be the ruler of worldly a airs . While Zeus u was, indeed, the most powerf l of the gods, Tyche was regarded by some as having the character of Provi 2 dence ; yet she was more generally thought to be identical with Chance or Luck . The famous Ionic philosopher Anaxagoras said that Fortune was a cause unknown to human reason ; for some things come by

Necessity, some by fatal Destiny, and others by deliber 3 ate Counsel .

11 A . THE ROM AN GOD D ES S FORTUN

F or tun a The worship of the Goddess of Chance, , was intr oduced among the Romans from Greece during

Tulhus the reign of Servius , and soon became very

1 C clo i A hi ad e h a . y pced a of rts. P l lp i 2 F. All r Etud e e e sur la esse re c ue T ché. Par s 1889 . g , dé g q y i , 8 ’ P utarch s O n on s o h o h l p i i f P ilos p ers. 142 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE popular . Indeed, at one period Fortuna was the chief

Italian divinity, and the plebeians and slaves held an annual festival on the twenty-fourth day of June in

ul hb rt honor of her who co d bestow riches and e y . Pliny wr ote that the Chance or Fortune by means of which we acquire so much is a divine power ; and Plu tarch, in his work on the Fortune of the Romans, attempts to show that the great achievements of that people were to be attributed to good luck rather than to sagacity or prowess . As an example he cites their escape from invasion by the opportune death of Alex 323 B o . ander the Great at Babylon , . , at a time when he was preparing to overwhelm Italy with his armies .

in The Roman biographer, Cornelius Nepos, in speak g 3 1 Em e n e s Car dian B . C . 6 of the Greek general, the (

said that, even if the favors shown him by Fortune wi i i had been commensurate th his great abil t es, he would not for that reason have been more eminent ; for great

l u uahtie s men shou d be meas red by their q , and not

. savan t by their good or bad fortune The Dutch ,

Desiderius Erasmus, wrote that Diogenes was wont to rebuke with asperity those who blamed the god dess when their affairs did not prosper ; and he also severely criticised the prevalent habit of craving at the hands of Mistress Fortune, not such things as were substantially good, but rather such as seemed to be so

in . i the fancy of the petitioners Ph lip of Macedon , on

144 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE- SHOE remarked, she is there still, for the modern Roman is

ﬁr m as a believer in luck, whether good or bad, as was 1 the Roman citizen two thousand years ago . Among the ancients, a lucky event, something opportune occur l ring unexpected y, was ascribed to a sudden caprice or h l w im on the part of the goddess, whi e success in an undertakin g was thought to be due to her favor when in a sober mood ? “ t ” Why was For une made a goddess ? asked St .

Augustine, since she is so blind that she runs to any ad body without distinction, and often passes by her m ir e rs to cling to those who despise her? And Cicero remarked that Fortune was not only blind herself, but

Often deprived her votaries of sight . i be he fs Pl ny, in discoursing about the religious cur

in his rent time, says

All o e the or in al l ce an d m e Fo u v r w ld , pla s at all ti s, rt ne is th e on ly G o d wh om e ve ry on e in voke s : she alon e is spoke n o f; sh e alon e is accuse d an d is suppose d t o b e guilty ; she on e is in our hou h s is r e an d m e an d is oa e al t g t , p ais d bla d, l d d w th r e r o che s w v e r n a s she is c on ce e th e e n e r i p a ; a i g , iv d by g t of m an in t o be n w n e r n n c on s an un c e r ali y k d bli d, a d i g, i t t,

a n r a e an d o e n vor n th e un worth . TO h e r t i , va i bl , ft fa i g y are r e e r re o ur o sse s an d all our n s an d in c ast n u the f d all l gai , , i g p accoun s of m or al s she on e al an ce s the t wo e of o ur t t , al b pag s

1 History of Rome . 9 e o r e r abb En ish S n on mes. G g C , gl y y 3 An d r e w To oke A . M . The a n theon . Dub in 1 792. , , P l , FORTUNE AND LUCK 145

We are so uch in the o e of ha h h n ce she e t. m p w r c nce, t at c a r itse lf is con side e d as a God . i The representat ons of Fortune, which are to be seen

-re he fs in ancient statues, bas , medals, and coins, exhibit the many different attributes of her character . The m earliest i age of the goddess was probably at Smyrna,

Bu alus and was the work of the eminent sculptor p , who B hve d in the sixth century . 0 . She was here shown as i bearing on her head a hem sphere, and with the horn

a t i dist ri of Amalth ea in her left hand, thus ypify ng the b i 1 ut on of all good things . Her lack of discernment has been symbolized by

r artists, who have port ayed her with a bandage before ff her eyes ; with a rudder, as guiding worldly a airs ;

li . In or with a wheel or ball, as types of instabi ty a painting by Sulzer, Fortune is shown seated on a hi is throne, w ch borne aloft in the air by contrary

. is m i winds In her hand a ag c wand , and her coun t e n an ce ﬁckle n e ss i expresses inconstancy and , wh le in her train follow Riches, Poverty, Despotism, and Sla ’ . ll d Est e It ahan very In the Vi a , near the town of

Z u h ri Tivoli, is a painting by c c a showing Fortune astride of an ostrich, which has been supposed to be an allegorical intimation that the goddess has a pre ? ference for simpletons In her temple at Thebes, she

1 ’ An th on s C lass ca D t n a i l ic io ry . 2 F. No l e D ct on n a re d e la a b e . P 18 , i i i f l ar is, 03 . 146 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE held Wealth in her arms . Sometimes she was aecom

an ie d p by a winged youth named Favor, to denote how 1 speedily her favors may ﬂy away from us ; or by a hi f winged Cupid, w ch has been thought to signi y that, i in Love, Beauty has a less permanent nﬂuence than Fortune? l Her numerous titles were usually comp imentary, as di Golden or Royal Fortune, but she was srespectft spoken of by Horace, Ovid, and other writers, by whom

d e h htin she was characterized as unjust, ﬁckle, and g g hi i in misc ef . One reproachful epithet appl ed to her viscosa i us was , tenacious or st cky, beca e men are ? caught in her toils like birds in quicklime ’ Ban ie r The Abbe , in his Mythology and Fables of i the Ancients, thus moral zes regarding Fortune, good and bad

’ As m e n h e a w h h l e r h oo s t n o av l ays ig ly va u d ea t ly g d , is n o r For un Fo o s %who h s n ste a wo de r that the y ad e d t e. l t u i d of ac kn owle dgin g an in tell ige n t Pr ovide n ce that distribute s che s an d e arth oo s rom e s w s w se hou h ri ly g d , f vi w al ay i , t g r an d ac e e on the r e ch o f h um n d sco e r ad da k pl d b y d a a i v y, re sse d he r v o ws t o an m a n r e n h a c e with o d t i i gi a y B i g, t t a t d ut de sign an d fro m t he im pulse of un avoidable n e ce ssity ; for ’ t is e on ue st on t hat in the Pa n s ste m For un e was b y d q i , ga y , t h h n e se but e s n . c cor din s e was on oun e n ot i g l D ti y A gly c f d d,

1 l t r uch ius H stor o the Heathe n God s. 1671 . . Ga P , i y f 2 A t od s n d d s . n t so n A M . H s or o the G a God es es D a ie l Wa , . , i y f 3 ’ Plut ar ch s Roma n Que stion s.

148 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE f l morning to prepare a sacriﬁcial o fering, and he himse f hastened to Tusculum , but found on the altar of the sanct uary nothing but warm ashes ; and near by stood

n an old man clothed in black, holdi g in one hand a glass plate containing incense, and in the other an ear thenware vessel full of sacriﬁcial wine? Some verses containing un comphme n tary allusions to the character of Fortune were formerly to be seen on the wall of a chamber in Wressell Castle, Yorkshire, a building of the latter part of the fourteenth century, which was destroyed by ﬁr e in 1796

The Pr ove rbis in the syde of the utt e r chambe r above of r n r s ll the Hon s in th e Ga dy g at W e y .

o h n rtun e t hou a N t y ge t o fo pply, For h e r ftis an shithe as d oth an tas gy v y f y, Th m or h ou e th e of he r ftis m o u ure e e t r e ce yv gy ste n s , h r T e m o e t o the aproche the disple asur e .

The n in bl n d e ortun e u n o h ru t y f p t t t y t s e . For he r br ht n ss son e r e th ru ig e ce yve st e . For tun e is f kill ort un e i bl n d e y , f s y . He r rawar d e s be e k l n d un k f i l a yn d e .

’ Forsake th e or o f ort un e s f ckill n e s gl y f ( ) y , Of wh om c o m th e orld l or an d e m uch un k n n s y w ly g y y t y d e , Put th t r ust an d in h m se t t t h m n d e y y y y , ? Whiche whe n for t un e faylithe wil l n e vyr be un kyn d e

Among most civilized nations of the present day th e

n Goddess Fortu e is not openly worshiped, although

1 Rosch e r Lex c d r h schen a nd romi c t l on e r ec s he n M ho o ie . 1 2 . , i g i i y g , p 5 3 1 The An t ua r a n Re ertor ol . i . . 2 n n v v 56 . Lo d o 1 784 . iq i p y, p , FORTUNE AND LUCK 149

s hi the Japanese have their seven God of Luck, w ch are comparatively modern deities, brought together from

s t i variou sources, including their own primi ive Sh nto

Taouism ? religion , Buddhism, and the of China The Lamas of Tibet perform each year a pecul iar scapegoat rite called the Chase of the Demon of 111 luck . One of their number, in fantastic garb and with

- grotesquely painted face, sits in the market place for a i week previously, and on the day of the ceremony th s

- n worthy, who is known as a ghost ki g, wanders about ’ shaking a black yak s tail over the heads of the people, whereby their ill -luck is in some mystic way tr ans ferred to him?

TEM L ES OF F ORT NE IV. P U

Temples in honor of the Goddess Tyche were built i at Elis, Cor nth, and in other Grecian cities ; and in

A D i a the second century . . the emine nt ph l nthropist, t Herodes At icus, erected for her a temple in Athens, ? the ruins of which are believed still to exist l The western suburb of Syracuse, in Sicily, was cal ed

T . m , after a temple of Tyche which adorned it Among the Italians t he worship of Fortune became so popular that her temples outnumbered all others .

1 B l n in s a n e s as H. hambe r Th J a e . i C li , g p 2 T 12. L . Aust n e Wa e ll B. A . The B ud h sm o bet . 5 i dd , , d i f i , D 3 M ythology a n d M on umen ts of A n cie n t A the n s. 150 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE We have buil t a thousand temples to Fortune and ” not one to Reason , remarked Fronto, the worthy tutor

r of the Emperor Marcus Au e hus. Of all these pagan di e ﬁces in Rome, but a single one now remains, the il Of temple of Fortuna Vir is, now the church Santa ? Maria Egiziaca It is a small Ionic tetrastyle b uil ding Of httl on the left bank the Tiber, a e north of the

- n so called Temple of the Su . But the most famous

It ah an temple of Fortune was at Preneste, an ancient

Latin town, now called Palestrina . Here oracles were consulted and fugitives found a place of refuge . In Great Britain there still exist a number of altars

n occu in honor of Fortu e, which date from the Roman

ation . p One of these, on the line of the wall of Anto

n ni us in Scotland, was erected by soldiers of the second

i . and sixth leg ons Another altar, dedicated to the same goddess, was found at the headquarters of the sixth legion at Eboracum, the modern city of York, and is 2 still to be seen at the museum there The inscription on this altar was Oopied by the writer during a recent v s i it to York, and reads as follows

DEZE FORTUNE S OSIA I UNCINA

Q . ANTONI IS AURICI

LEG . AUG.

1 Rod o o Lan cian i a a n an d Chr st a n Rome . lf , P g i i 2 Ro an t S Thom as r ht The Ce t the m an d he axon . W ig , l , ,

152 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE- SHOE

- r deeply rooted love for the supernatural, and their cha acter exhibits a peculiar blending of superstition and religion . Among the mixed colored races in Missouri,

m Of for exa ple, we ﬁnd a bewildering jumble African

cre d ulit 1e s Voodoo , the traditions of the American “ di re h ious in In an, and g fanaticism . Thus, Voodoo ” Tales, by Mary A . Owen, we read of an old crone who kept her medicine-pipe and eagle-bone whistle alongside of her books of devotion, carried a rosary ’ i ’ and rabbit s foot in the same pocket, and wore a sa nt s i - toe dangl ng on her bosom, and a luck ball under her right arm . It has been well said that only those whose minds are predisposed to entertain idle fancies are wont to regard misfortune as a natural sequence of the legion of alleged evil omens . Yet we know that in all ages and countries such notions have prevailed . The ancient Chaldeans made use of magic formulae to ward off ill luck, and Tacitus relates that the most trivial events were regarded as portentous by the Roman people . What a contrast to the cre d uhty of a superstitious age is afforded by the often quoted remark of Cato the

in Censor, who refused to regard it as ominous when formed that his boots had been gnawed by rats %“ If ” “ the boots had gnawed the rats, he said, it might have ” portended e vil . l n There is a deal of phi osophy in the Irish sayi g, FORTUNE AND LUCK 153 Every man has bad luck awaiting him some t ime or other, but leave the bad luck to the last ; perhaps it may never come . In attributing the sundry and divers misfortunes of our lives to bad luck, we surely ignore the fact that these same unwelcome experiences are often the logical mi sequences of our own shortco ngs, and that the ﬁckle goddess cannot with fairness be made always to mas que rad e as our scapegoat . THE FOLK— LORE OF COMMON SALT 1

e st s ike sa t shou d be use d s ar n . J , l l , l p i gly

S imilitudes of Democr itus.

I . O RIGIN AND H ISTORY

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 l ll known to the antedi uvians, there is sti abundant proof that it was highly esteemed as a seasoner of food long before the Christian era . In a Greek translation of a curious fragment of the writings of the semi-fabul ous t n ician San ch on iath on author, , who is said to have hve d before the Trojan war, the discovery of the uses of salt is attributed to certain immediate descendants of ? Noah , one of whom was his son Shem From the mythical lore of Finland we learn that

Ukko, the mighty god of the sky, struck ﬁre in the di heavens, a spark from which descen ng was received by the waves and became salt . The Chinese worship

1 Re ad at the An n ua M e e t n of h - l i g t e Am e rican FOlk Lore Soc ie ty, w Yo rk D m Ne , e ce be r 29, 1896 . 2 ’ Ban ie r M tho o . L n n s y l gy o d o , 1 739 .

156 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE- SHOE tain that the use of salt as a relish was known to the Jewish people at a comparatively early period of their history . For in the sixth chapter of the Book Of Job “ occurs this passage : Can that which is unsavoury be eaten without salt ? In Eastern countries it is a time-honored custom to place salt before strangers as a token and pledge of

- “ friendship and good will . The phrase to eat some ’ ’ One s salt formerly signiﬁed being in that person s service, and in this sense it is used in the Book of Ezra, 14 iv . , where the expression, we have maintenance ’ ” i a from the k ng s palace, me ns literally, we are salted ” Of l hi l with the salt the pa ace, w ch imp ies being in the

in service of the king . And from the idea of being the s employment of a master, and eating his salt, the phra e in question came to denote faithfulness and loyalty? As an instance of the superstitious reverence with i wh ch salt is regarded in the East, it is related that n Yacoub ben Laith, who fou ded the dynasty of Persian

n affarid e s princes know as the S , was of very humble

n live hh ood origi , and in his youth gained a as a free hi t booter . Yet so c valrous was he that he never s ripped his victims of all their belongings, but always left them

something to begin life with anew . On one occasion this gallant robber had forcibly and ’ a a rin ce by stealth entered the p lace of p , and was about

1 li n M t olo ie d N u . B . Fr e dr ch Die S mbo lc a d h er at r . J i i , y y g THE FOLK- LORE OF COMM ON SALT 1 57

t depar ing with considerable spoil, when he stumbled over an object which his sense of taste revealed to be a lump

n t of salt . Havi g thus involuntarily par aken of a pledge ’ h s itaht his of o p y in another man s house, honor over came his greed of gain and he departed without his booty? s uahtie s Owing to its anti eptic and preservative q , salt was emblematic of dur ability and permanence ; hence the expression Covenant of Salt It was also a sym bol of wisdom, and in this sense was doubtless used by

St . Paul whe n he told the Colossians that their speech should be seasoned with salt .

Homer called salt divine, and Plato described it as a substance dear to the gods . Perhaps the belief in its divine attributes may have been a reason for the employment of salt as a sacrificial Ofi e rin g by the Hebrews, Greeks, and Romans, all of whom, moreover, regarded it as an indispensable relish . Plutarch said that without salt nothin g was savory or toothsome, and that this substance even imparted an additional flavor to wines, thus causing them to go down the throat merrily And the same writer re marked that, as bread and salt were commonly eaten together, therefore Ceres and Neptune were sometimes worshiped together in the same temple 2

1 ’ C alm e t s D ct on a r o the Ho i i y f ly Bible . 2 Ph e m on Ho an d The M o M s e n o P utarch. il ll , rals or . i c lla e Works f l 1 58 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE

S A LT NC ONGEN A L T O TC HES A ND D E LS II . U I WI VI Grimm remarks that salt is not found in witches’ ’ kitchens, nor at devils feasts, because the Roman Cath Oh c Church has taken upon herself the hallowing and

i . dedicat on of this substance Moreover, inasmuch as Christians recognize salt as a wholesome and essential article of diet, it seems plausible enough that they should regard it as unsuitable for the use of devils and wi witches, two classes of beings th whom they have no particul ar sympathy . Hence perhaps the familiar say “ ” ing that the Devil loveth no salt in his meat .

m n di h ve d Once upon a ti e, accordi g to tra tion , there wi a German peasant whose fe was a witch, and the

Devil invited them both to supper one ﬁne evening .

All the dishes lacked seasoning, and the peasant, in ’ m spite of his wife s re onstrances, kept asking for salt ; and when after a while it was brought, he remarked ” with fervor, Thank God, here is salt at last, where upon the whole scene vanished?

Rich alm us The abbot , who lived in the old German duchy of Franconia in the twelfth century, claimed, by the exercise of a special and extraordinary faculty, to be able to bafﬂe the machinations Of certain evil spirits who took special d e hght in playing impish tricks upon churchmen . They appear, indeed, to have sorely tried

1 Hors D i Fran k ur t 1818 e . t , cemon oma g . f ,

1 60 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE witch ’ s tub in order to spy upon the proceedings at a meeting of the uncanny sisterhood .

Shortly thereafter the Witch appeared, saddled the tub, and rode it to the place of rendezvous, and on arriving there the man contrived to empty a quantity of salt into the tub . After the revels he was conveyed homewards his in the same manner, and showed the salt to neigh bors as proof positive that he had really been present

. S m at the meeting ometi es, however, salt is used in

Hungary as a protection against witches . The thresh

of d old a new house is sprinkled with it, and the oor hi m h o nges are s eared with gar , so that no witch may enter? The peasants of Russian Esthonia are aware of the potency of salt against witches and their craft . They ’ h - t be e ve that on St . John s Eve witch but er is mali ciously smeared on the doors of their farm-buildings in order to spread sickness among the cattle . When,

x therefore, an Esthonian farmer ﬁnds this obno ious - l butter on his barn door or e sewhere, he loads his gun ? with salt and shoots the witch-germs away

m ah n an t t The Hindus have a theory that g spiri s, or B huts , are especially prone to molest women and chil dren immediately after the latter have eaten confection h ery and other sweet d e cacie s.

1 ‘ D r . He n rich von Wlisl ocki o ks aube un d reli s i , V l gl gio er Brauch d er M a a 1 1 gy r, p . 5 . 2 W. M n n a har d t e rman sche M t n . B r n , G i y he e li , 1858 . THE FOLK— LORE OF COMM ON SALT 1 61

is Indeed, so general this belief that vendors of sweetmeats among school-children provide their youth ful customers each with a pin ch of salt to remove the ff sweet taste from their mouths, and thus a ord a safe ? guard against the ever-watchful B huts

L 111 . THE ATIN WORD SAL l Owing to the importance of salt as a re ish, its Latin name sa l came to be used metaphorically as sign ifyin g a savory mental morsel, and, in a general sense, wit or sarcasm ? It was formerly maintained by some etymol ogist s that this word had a threefold meaning accord

. m ascuh n e ing to its gender Thus, when , it has the

t n the se a above signiﬁca ion, but when femi ine it means , and only when neuter does it stand for common salt The characteriz ation of Greece as the salt of nations i is attributed to Livy, and this is probably the orig n “ n of the phrase Attic salt, meaning delicate, reﬁ ed cum r an o sa lis i wit . The phrase g may sign fy the grain of common sense with which one should receive i al a seem ngly exaggerated report . It may so mean moderation, even as salt is used sparingly as a seasoner of food . S ol sal Among the ancients, as with ourselves, and , the Sun and salt, were known to be two things essen tial to the maintenance of hfe .

1 W. Crooke B . A . . 14 , , p 7. 2 A e xan d r Ad am L . D . n An u t . l e , L , Roma tiq i ies 162 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE

S f l s oldiers, o ficia , and working people were paid either 1 wholly or in part in salt, which was in such general use for this purpose that any sum of money paid for labor sa lar ium or service of whatever kind was termed a , or ’ O salary, that is, the wherewithal to btain one s salt? Phn y remarked that salt was essential for the com l e t e hfe t p enjoyment of , and in confirma ion of this statement he commented on the fact that the word sale s was employed to express the pleasures of the ff mind, or a keen appreciation of witty e usions, and, therefore, was associated with the idea of good fellow ship and mirth ? A certain mystic significance has been attributed to ”

t . the three let ers composing the word sal Thus, the letter S, standing alone, represents or suggests two cir t i cles united together, the sun and the moon . It yp o u ﬁes, m reover, the union of things divine and m ndane,

as even salt partakes of the attributes of each . A , alpha, signiﬁes the beginning of all things ; while L is hi emblematic of somet ng celestial and glorious . S and

L represent solar and lunar inﬂuences respectively, and the trio of letters stand for an essential substance pro vid e d by God for the beneﬁt of his people . In a curi

ubhshe d 1770 ous treatise on salt, originally p in , the

1 n Hall o 1 742. n Lex con . Le a d Gr osses U iversa l i ipzig , 2 R T a v s in n a . Bo o F . . r e Ch John rr w, . S , l i 2 t k xxx . h . 41 . Natura l His ory, boo i c

1 64 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE—SHOE

S A LT EM L O ED T O C ONF M A A H IV . P Y IR N O T

t In the records of the Presby ery of Edinburgh, under 20 1586 date of September , , is to be found the fol lowing descript ion of an oath which Scotch merchants were required to take when on their way to the Baltic

C e rt an m e rchan t is passin g to Dan ske rn e ( De n mark) an d cumin n e r Elsin n ur e ch s n out an d uh e n h e ccom e g i , u i g q t y a pt d for the m e n of th e t oill of the oo s an d h t d e o sit ioun pay t g d , t a p f an e o he in or m e o ow n viz : The r e se n an d Offe o t f f ll i g, i p t r br e id an d sa lt t o the d e on e r of t he o he he r e o he la is p t , w n y 1 on is his on c n an d sw ir i h is h an d an d d e p c s ie ce e s.

Gyp sies hke wise sometimes use bread and salt to con

ﬁrm the solemnity of an oath . An example of this is h 1 1 1 Pe st e r ul 88 . recorded in the Lloyd of J y , A member of a gyp sy band in western Hungary had been m robbed of a sum of money, and so infor ed his chief, who summoned the elders of the camp to a council . On an upright cross formed of t wo poles was placed a l h piece of bread sprink ed with salt, and upon t is each gypsy was required to swear that he was not the thief .

The real culprit, refusing to take so solemn an oath, was thus discovered . Among the Jews the covenant of salt is the most sacred possible . Even at the present time, Arabian

1 Ed n bur h M onth M a a n e un e 18 17. i g ly g zi , J , THE FOLK— LORE OF COMMON SALT 165 prin ces are wont to signify their ratiﬁcation of an alli ance by sprinkling salt upon bread, meanwhile exclaim ing, I am the friend of thy friends, and the enemy of ” thine enemies . SO likewise there is a common form of request among the Arabs as follows : For the sake of the bread and salt which are between us, do this or ” 1 that .

In the East, at the present day, compacts between tribes are still confirmed by salt, and the most solemn t u pledges are ra ified by this substance . D ring the Indian mutiny of 1857 a chief motive of self-restraint among the Sepoys was the fact that they had sworn by ? their salt to be loyal to the English queen The antiquity of the practice of usin g salt in c on fir mation of an oath is shown in the following passage

Od e r l from an of the Greek ly ic poet Archi ochus, who ﬂourished during the early part of the seventh cen

o ha t brok n t h o mn oa h an d has s r e he sa t an d th e Th u s e e s le t , t di g ac d t l

t able .

In the ye ar 1731 the Protestant miners and peasants ” inhabiting the salt exchequer lands, prior to their

r banishment f om the country by Leopold, Archbishop Of ll Salzburg, held a meeting in the picturesque vi age of Schwarzach , and solemnly ratiﬁed their league by

1 ’ h l r r ux . Par s 1 735 . C e va ie d A vie , M emoir i , 2 . . Man e A . a t an d Other C on d men ts . 90 . J J l y, M . , S l i , p 1 66 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE the ancient custom of dipping their ﬁngers in salt . hi a The table at w ch this ceremony took pl ce, and a picture representing the event, are still shown at the l ? Wal ner Inn, where the meeting was held

S A LT -S L L NG A S AN OM EN V . PI I

The widespread notion that the spillin g of salt pro duces 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

n b h f painti g . But it appears more probable that the e e is due to the sacred character of sal t in early times . Any one having the misfortune to Spill salt was formerly all supposed to incur the anger of good spirits, and to be rendered susceptible to the malevolent inﬂuences of ? Of demons When, in oriental lands, salt was fered to h os it aht guests as a token of p y, it was accounted a misfortune if any particles were scattered while being so presented, and in such cases a quarrel or dispute was ? anticipate d 1627 al Bishop Hall wrote, in , that when s t fell i towards a superstit ous guest at dinner, he was wont hi to ex bit signs of mental agitation, and refused to be comforted until one of the waiters had poured wine in

1 B Kar ae d ke r The East A . 1 l e , ern lp s, p 24 . 1895 . 2 S ectator vol . 66 . 1891 . p , 1 ’ Gen t ema n s M a a n e art . 1833. l g zi , p i

1 68 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE

“ the modern Sicilian, in such a case, invokes the Mother ” of Light . Among the Greeks it was customary to present salt to the gods as a thank-offering at the beginning of

. u ui ll every meal Lo is Fig er, in Les mervei es de ’ ” l in d ust rie h h , places these t ree appenings in the cate gory of ominous mishaps in a Grecian household : (1) the omission of a salt-cellar from among the furnishings of a dinner-table (2) the falling asleep of one of the

- guests at a banquet, before the removal of the salt cellar to make place for the dessert ; (3) the overturning of

. v this important vessel It seems e ident, therefore, that the origin of the belief in the ominous character of salt-spilling is of far greater antiquity than is popul arly supposed ; and Leonardo da Vinci, in portraying Judas - l as upsetting a salt cel ar, probably had in mind the already well-known portentous signiﬁcance of such an act . But some Observers have failed to discover any tr ace of a salt -cellar in the original Cen a colo on the refectory wall of the Milanese convent . In the well

M or h e n known engraving by Raphael g , however, the

- overthrown salt cellar is clearly delineated, and the

Spill ed salt is seen issuing from it . An animated dis c ussion on this moot-point enlivened the columns of

Notes and Queries some years ago . The following passage is to be found in a work e n ” Hie ro l hica titled g yp , a Joanne Valeriano b e in g a treatise on ancient svmbols THE FOLK- LORE OF COMMON SALT 1 69

o ui sal amicitiae m o um u d ur ation is ra . C or Ali q sy b l f it, g tia n h por a e n im solid iora fac it e t d iutissim c con se rvat . U de os it ibus n e io cib os on solit um uo amicit iae firm itas p a t al s app i , q i i n ifi ur uar e l e ri ue om in osum ac pe r se ve ran t a s g ce t . Q p q i m n m r un c n i ri C on t ra h ab e n t si sal n e sa p of di o t ge t . ve ro i faust um si vin um atque id me rum e fl usum s t . Which has been rendered into English as follows r Salt was formerly a symbol of f iendship, because of

its lasting quality . For it makes substances more com pact and preserves them for a long time hence it w as l usual y presented to guests before other food, to signify the abiding str ength of friendship . Wherefore many Om consider it inous to spill salt on the table, and, on ll l the other hand, propitious to spi wine, especia ly if ” 1 unmixed with water . ’ In Gaul e s Magast rom an ce r overturnin g the salt is mentioned in a ﬁst of superstitious Omina ” di tions . Accor ng to a popular Norwegian belief, one will shed as many tears as may sufﬁce to dissolve the 2 quant ity of salt which he has spilled ; and in east i Yorkshire, also, every gra n of spilled salt represents a tear to be shed . Moreover, saltness has been thought hi to be an essential attribute of tears, and t s intimate connection between the two may have given rise to

1 Th e wr te r is n d e bt e d for this tran s at on t o ohn P. Ho k n son i i l i J p i ,

Esq . 2 Fe ix L e bre cht Z ur ol 1 l i , V kslcun d e . 877. 1 70 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE- SHOE some of the many superstitions connected with salt?

In Bucks County, Pennsylvania, in order to avert ill t ul luck af er salt has been spilled, one sho d not only toss a pinch of the spilled salt over the left shoulder, but should also crawl under a table and come out on the ? Opposite side In the British Apollo (1708) are these h n e s

’ We e l t e l you the r e ason Why spillin g o f Salt e m e d su h a Fau t I s e ste c l , ’ c i o h e r hin Be ause t d t v yt g se ason .

’ Th an tique s d id opin e ’ T was o f Fr e n d sh a s n i ip ig , o i t o ue s in d orum S se rv e d t g t s e c , An d thou ht Love d e ca e d g y , Wh e n the n e gl ige n t M aid L t t h - l um h e e salt c e l ar t ble be fore t e m .

In New England the gr avity of salt-spilling as an ’ O men, its deplorable severance of friendship s ties, and the di r u necessity for prompt reme al measu es, are all f lly recognized . And here the deft toss Of the spilled particles over

1 h ake s e are r e e rs o hi sub e c in se ve ra assa e s an am on S p f t t s j t l p g , d g the m the follo win g :

h h How cam e h e r e ye s so b rig t Not wi t sal t t e ars. ’ M i summer d Night s Drea m.

With te ars as sal t as se a .

2 H n r e y VI . 2 u n u st t on s e d te d b Fan n D . Be r e n . C rre t S p er i i , i y y g

1 72 THE M AGIC OF Tm : HORSM HOE and is pro ne to ente rtain oth e r super stitious beh e fs like

v An d tho se pre al ent in bar bar ous lan ds . although id olatrv an d fetich -worship do not ﬂourish in civﬂize d c ti s y e t m n ula e r t are a i ommuni e , a y pop r sup s itions k n in n at ur e to th e sentiment s which prompt the savage to bow down before image s of woo d or st o ne .

E N AL T A T TAB LE VI . H LPI G TO S

t rn co n t e g a an d i e e In the nor he u i s of En l nd, nd d

u n ra l ca m n t re q ite ge e lly in Ang i n co mu i ies, it is ckoned unl uckv t o be l e to sa ta an d t is e a he p d lt at ble, h id has

re ss o ar c found exp ion in the p pul ouplet, Help me to l m t e sa l . m a lt, he p me to sorrow In a s l volu e enti l d “ Th e e i l t Lo t ran a e Rul s of C vi i y ( ndon , sl t d “ ’ r r in ra ul ar f om the F ench , and quoted B nd s Pop ” n t e is th e s a : A iquiti s, following pa s ge

Som e ar e so ex ac t the y thin k it un c ivil t o h e lp an ybody h th r But in m ud t at sits by e m e ithe wit h sal t o r br a in s . y j g m en t that is a r dicu ous sc ru e an d our n e hbo r e sire s i l pl , if y ig d you to furn ish him ( w ith salt ) y ou m ust e it h e r ta ke out so me w th our n i e an d lav it u on hi s ate o r if th e be m ore i y k f p pl , y t han on e re se n t he m w th th e sa t t ha th e ma urn sh , p t i l t y y f i

In Russia there is a superst itious prejudice again st ’ hel ping one s neighbor to sal t at ta ble on account of th e a li bility to quarre ls there by incur re d . For in so doing

is g to a the i i l one thou ht h ve air of mply ng, We l, you THE FOLK— LORE OF COMM ON SALT 1 73

l a have received your a lowance of s lt, now go away .

if ff all But in pro ering the salt one smiles amicably, danger of a quarrel is happily averted, and the act is ‘ i r wholly relieved of its om nous cha acter . The simple expedient of a second help is commonly

r l f i th rega ded as equal y e fect ve for is purpose, but it is d ifﬁcult to imagine whence was derived the alleged

e i is r pot ncy of such an antidote, wh ch contra y to the Pythagorean theory of the divine character of unity and the diabolical att ributes of the number two . n In many la ds, however, it is only common courtesy to help a friend to salt at table ; but in Italy this deli cate attention was formerly thought to be a mark of mi ff undue fa liarity, and, when salt was o ered by one ff gentleman to the wife of another, it was a su icient 2 cause for jeal ousy and even quarrel .

SAL T AS A ROTEC T ON TO O N NF AN VII . P I Y U G I TS

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 chil d occurs under circumstances which pre

i of vent the administrat on the rite of baptism . The

Revue d es tra t on s o ul res t om e . 1 886 . di i p p a i , i 9 A Theologic al a n d Philosop hica l Tre atise of the Nature a n d Good n esse

S a t . m r n te d b Fe x K n st on for R chard Bo e at Lon d on 1612. of l I p i y li y g i yl , 174 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE

mother, therefore, exposes the baby in a casket, and is careful to place by its side salt and candles . The words of the ballad are :

’ The ba r n e she sw l d in n e n o ﬁn i i y li s e , In a ld e d caske t she a d it s n e gi l i y ,

M ckl e saut an d ht she a d t h r n i lig l i e e i , ’ ’ ause t in od s hous i ha l C ye G e t d n a be e n .

- . . di Mr William G Black, in his work on Folk Me

in cine, says that some districts of Scotland it was for i merly a custom , previous to bapt sm, to carry some salt ” around the child withershins, or backwards, a pro c e d ure which was believed to protect the child from evil during its ofte n tim m long journey from the house to the church where the ceremony was to be performed . In Marsala the relatives of a n e w -born child do n ot

th e sleep ﬁrst night, for fear of the appearance of witches . Indeed, a watch is often kept for many nights, ’ A or until the child s baptism . light burns in the room constantly, and an image of some saint is fastened upon - A the house door . rosary and a raveled napkin are t at ached to the image, and behind the door are placed a jug of salt and a broom . When a witch comes and ’ sees the saint s image and the rosary, she usually goes away at once ; but even if these talismans are wanting, ff the salt, napkin , and broom a ord adequate protection . For any Witch before entering must count the grains of

1 N r - am e s a e Fo k Lore . 33 . J pi , l , p

176 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE

So, too, in the baptismal ceremonies of the Church of dia England in me eval times, salt, over which an exorcism h ’ had been said, was placed in the c ild s mouth, and its ls — ears and nostri were touched with saliva, practices which became obsolete at about the time of the reign of II Henry VI .

An octagonal font of the ﬁfteenth century, in St . ’ ff Margaret s Church, Ipswich, Su olk, has upon one of its sides the ﬁgure of an angel bearing a scroll, on which appears a partiall y illegible inscription containin g ‘ the words S a l at S a liva .

Thomas Ady, in A Perfect Discovery of Witches

s (London, ays that holy water, properly conjured, i was used to keep the Dev l in awe, and to prevent his entering churches or dwellings . With such holy water Satanic inﬂuences were kept away from meat and drink, and from the very salt ” upon the table . i i In the H ghlands of Scotland, instead of us ng salt as an amulet for the protection of young babies, it was customary for watchers to remain constantly by the cradle until the christening . For it was believed that

off spiteful fairies were wont to carry healthy infants, leavin g in their stead puny specimens of their own e lﬁsh offsprin g ; and infants thus kidnapped were sometimes l - kept in fairyland for seven years . This we l known

1 Notes an d ue r e s 6th se r e s vol . ix . . 428 . Ma 1884 . Q i , i , p y, THE FOLK— LORE OF COMM ON SALT 177

ul i pop ar belief gave rise to the word changel ng, r hi which signiﬁes a st ange, stupid, ugly c ld left by the fairies in place of a beautiful or charming child ” 1 that they have stolen away . And inasmuch as baby elves were invariably stunted and of feeble intellect, all idiotic and d warﬁsh childr en were thought to be 2 n changeli gs .

From the n ce a ae r the un we e t n re t f y i g f , The re as th ou sl e st in t e n d e r swad lin ban p g d , An d he r base e l ﬁn bro od the r e for t he le ft ’ S uch m e n d o chaun elin es call so chaun e d b a r e s h 3 g g , g y f i i t e ft .

S ALT M A AL VIII . AS A GI C S UB S TANCE

The natives of Morocco regard salt as a talisman

l Ne a ol against evil , and a common amu et among the p 4 - m itan poor is a bit of rock salt suspended fro the neck . The peasants of the Hartz Mountain region in Germany believe that three grains of salt in a milk-pot will keep 5 witches away from the milk ; and to preserve butter

r r f om thei uncanny inﬂuences, it was a custom in the county of Aberdeen, Scotland, some years ago, to put 6 s . th alt on the lid of a churn In Normandy, also, e peasants are wont to throw a little salt into a vessel

1 Cen tury D iction a ry. 9 Fr an c s Grose o u ar S u erst t ons. i , P p l p i i 3 ’ n r F e ue Spe se s aeri Q en e . 4 Cl ara Erskin e C e m e n t Na es. l , p l 5 ’ t Grim m s Te uton ic M y hology.

- T L ol . vu. 188 . he Folk ore J ourn a l, v 9 1 78 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE- SHOE

n mi contai ing lk, in order to protect the cow who gave i the milk from the nﬂuences of witchcraft . Peculiar notions about the magical properties of salt are common among American negroes . Thus in some regions a new tenant will not move into a furnished house until all objects therein have been thoroughly

- 1 i s. salted, with a view to the destruct on of witch germ Another example of the supernatural att ributes ascribed to salt is the opinion current among uneducated people in some communities of its potency in casting a spell over obnoxious individuals. For this purpose it is suf ﬁcie n t either to sprinkle salt over the sleeping form 2 of an enemy, or on the grave of one of his ancestors . Another kind of salt-spell in vogue in the south of England consists in throwing a little salt into the ﬁre

hr on t ee successive Friday nights, while saying these words

It is n ot this sa t w sh to burn l I i , ’ I t is m y l ove r s h e ar t t o t urn ; That h e m a n e the r r e st n or ha y i ppy be , n i h m n U t l e c o e s a d sp e aks t o m e . On the third Friday night the disconsolate damsel ex 3 i peets her lover to appear . Every one is familiar w th i the old say ng, You can catch a bird with your

‘ 1 - No . xv . 1 8 Journ a o Ame r can Follc L e 2. l f i or , iii 9 9 The Wash n ton ost No ve mbe r 27 18 94 . i g P , , 3 W ll a m He n d r on N t on the Fo k-Lore o th i i e s , o es l f e Nor the rn C oun tr ies n l n of E g a d.

180 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE- SHOE dren and horses, and who whips and pinches the former 1 when they are naughty, but caresses them when good .

a In Mars la, west Sicily, a horse, mule, or donkey, on l entering a new stall, is thought to be iable to molesta

i . tion by fa ries As a precautionary measure, therefore, ’ i a h a l ttle salt is placed on the anim l s back, and t is is believed to insure freedom from lameness, or other evil 2 resul ting from fairy spite . Common salt has long enjoyed a reputation as a means of procuring dise n chantment . It was an ingredient of a salve against nocturnal goblin visitors used by the Saxons in Eng

- 3 land, and described in one of their ancient leech books while in the annals of folk-medicine are to be found numerous references to its reputed virtues as a magical i therapeutic agent . In Scotland, when a person is ail ng ff of some a ection whose nature is not apparent, as much salt as can be placed on a Sixpence is dissolved in water, and the solution is then applied three times to the ’ soles of the patient s feet, to the palms of his hands, and to his forehead . He is then expected to taste the mixture, a portion of which is thrown over the ﬁre while ’ ” 4 saying, Lord, preserve us frae a skaith .

1 ’ Ke ightl e y s Fa iry M ythology . 2 G use e P t re Usi e costum cred e n e e re ud d e l o o o S c an o i pp i , i, z p gi izi p p l i ili ,

889 . ol . . . 426 . a e rm o 1 v iii p P l , 3 ortcun n in S tarcra t e d t e d b Re v . Oswa d C ock Lee chd oms, W g, a nd f , i y l

Lo n d on 1865 . ayn e . ,

Re v Char e s Ro e rs LL. D . S cot a n d S oc a a n d D ome st c . . l g , , l , i l i THE FOLK— LORE OF COMM ON SALT 181

The Germans of Buffalo valley in central Pe n n syl vania believe that a boy may be cured of homesickness by placing salt in t he hems of his trousers and making 1 him look up the chimney . ' In India the natives rub salt and win e on the aﬂ e ct e d li part of the body as a cure for scorpion bites, be eving that the success of this treatment is due to the super natural virtue of the salt in scaring away the ﬁends who 2 caused the pain . An ancient Irish charm of great repute in cases of suspected fairy-stroke consisted in placing on a table three equal portions of salt in three

- parallel rows . The would be magician then encircles the salt with his arm and repeats the Lord ’ s Prayer

n thrice over each row . Then, taki g the hand of the

- fairy struck person , he says over it, By the power of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, let this disease depart and the spell of evil spirits be ” broken . Then follows a solemn adjuration and com mand addressed to the supposed demon , and the charm 3 is complete .

In Bavaria and the Ukraine, in order to ascertain

i vi m whether a ch ld has been the cti of bewitchment, the mother licks its forehead ; an d if her sense of taste

n reveals thereby a marked sali e ﬂavor, she is convinced 1 Journ o A - a mer can Fo k Lore No . 1 . 18 l f i l , 3 91 .

9 - Jam e s M . C am be Notes on the S r t Bas s o B e e t p ll, p i i i f li f and C us om. 3 La W d e A n c e n t Le e nd s M t c n d u o dy il , i g , ys i C harms, a S p erstition s f I r an e l d . 182 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE that her child has been under the inﬂuence of an evil 1 eye . In the Swiss canton of Bern a person is believed to be amply fortiﬁed against all kinds of spiritual enemies by the simple expedient of carrying a piece of fresh bread and a psalm -book in the right and left coat pock ets respectively, provided one is careful to have some

- rock salt either in each vest pocket, or inside a briar 2 wood cane upon which three crosses have been out . In Bohemia a mother seeks to protect her daughter from evil glances by placing a little bread and salt in her pocket ; and when a young girl goes out for a walk the mother sprinkles salt on the ground behind her, so 3 that she may not lose he r way . Holy water has been employed in the religious cere monies of many peoples as a means of purifying both persons and things, and also to keep away demons . Sprinkling and washing with it were im portant features of the Greek ritual . The holy water of the Roman Catholic Church is prepared by exorcising and blessin g salt and water di separately, after which the salt is ssolved in the water and a benediction pronounced upon the mixture . In

- 4 the Hawaiian ritual, sea water was sometimes preferred .

1 R d t ula o m i. evue es ra t ons o res t e v 4 . 1 8 1 . di i p p i , p . 3 9 2 Z eitschr ur e utsch M tholo ie un d S itt n n d B n iﬂf d e y g e lcu e , a d iv .

3 S itzun be r ht he n A lca d i d g ic e d er ka iser lic em e e r Wissen schafte n . 4 Abraham Forn aud e r A n A ccoun t o the o n e s a n Race vol . . , f P ly i , i

1 84 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE it places the donor entirely in the power of such a 1 person .

In upper Egypt, previous to the setting out of a w caravan, it is customary for the native omen to throw salt on burning coals, which are carried in earthen ves sels and set down before the different loads . While “ so doing they exclaim, May you be blessed in going ” i and coming, and such incantations they bel eve render ? inert all the machinations of evil spirits

M S EL LANEO S REM ARKS ON SA LT IX . I C U

Among the peasants of the Spanish province of An ” d alusia the word salt is synonymous with gracefulness

n and charm of manner, and no more endeari g or ﬂattering language can be used in addressing a woman, whether i - w fe or sweetheart, than to call her the salt box of my ” “ ” love . The phrase May you be well salted is also ff 3 current as an expression of a ectionate regard . Scotch ﬁshermen have a traditional custom of salting ” t r their nets for luck, and they also some imes th ow a ” little salt into the sea to blind the fairies . In the Isle of Man the interchange of salt is regarded as indispensable to every business transaction, while Manx beggars have even been known to refuse an alms ff 4 if pro ered without it .

3 ’ He n d e rson . 21 . Burkh ar d t s Nu . , p 7 bia 3 4 ’ n n H stor . M . . Sch e d e D as S ale . Wa d ro s J l i , l i y THE FOLK- LORE OF COMMON SALT 185

r In Sy acuse, Sicily, salt has won distinction as a sym bol of wisdom through a curious misinterpretation of the words se d es sap ie n tiae of the so-called Lauretane litany ; these words becoming in the mouths of the l sa le 6 sa ien za . people p , salt and wisdom

Salt and bread, representing the necessaries of life, are the ﬁrst articles taken into the dwelling of a newly married pair in Russia . And in Pomerania, at the close of a wedding breakfast, a servant carries about u a plate containing salt, upon which the g ests place presents of money ? In olden times bread and ‘salt were reckoned the di simplest and most in spensable articles of diet, and were offered to guests as a guarantee of hospitality and friendl iness . The universal reputation of salt as a symbol of good-will is shown in the proverbs and

n current sayings of ma y nations . Cicero, in his trea i tise on Friendsh p, wrote that age increased the value of t friendships, even as it improved the quality of cer ain wines ; and he added further that there was truth in the proverb, Many pecks of salt must be eaten together ” to bring friendship to perfection . In asmuch as salt is a necessary and wholesome article of diet, a generous use of it is reckoned beneﬁcial .

. . . S . his i Evan Marlett Boddy, F R C , in H story of

1 r Pit e. 3 M . . Schl e d e n D as S a . 71 . J i , lz, p 186 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE- SHOE 8 . 7 Salt, p , comments with some asperity on the cus tom, prevalent at the tables of English gentlefolk, of placing salt in the tiniest receptacles, as if it were a most expensive substance . He regards it as anything “ but edifying to see the host and his guests, in the

ﬁn ical most , grotesque manner, help themselves to the if almost inﬁnitesimal quantities of salt, as it were a mark of good breeding and delicacy . On the con trar y, he continues, such stupid customs of good soci ” e ty are truly indicative of mental weakness and profound ignorance . “ In a treatise on the Dignity and Utility of Salt,

Mar coun ille 1584 by Jean de Percheron , Paris, , this mineral is likened in value to the four elements recog n ize d by the ancients, earth, air, ﬁre, and water ; and

n i deed, on account of its importance for the maintenance of health in the animal economy, salt has been termed ” a ﬁfth element . So highly did the Thracians of old prize this commodity that they bartered slaves in ex S a le em l am change for it, whence originated the phrase p m a n i i c p um .

The Egyptian geographer, Cosmas, stated that a salt l’ currency was in use in Africa in t he sixth c e n t ury ; and Marco Polo wrote that salt was a common medium of exchange among certain Asiatic peoples in the thir

t e e n th . century In Tibet, for example, pieces of salt

1 L ur vol . x . . 805 . 18 4. The e isure Ho , liii p 9

1 88 THE M AGIC OF THE HORSE- SHOE which much resembled newly fallen snow . When

e fll ore sce n ce camels do not find this , they sometimes show their craving for its saline flavor by taking white m stones in their mouths, supposing them to be lu ps of 1 salt .

w its O ing to the universality of use, salt has been ” termed the cosmopolitan condiment . The craving to for this substance is not conﬁned man, but is shared

s by the lower animal , and its hygienic value for horses and cows is well known . Wild animals travel long dis tances over deserts and prairies, or through swamps and ” - n k . ju gles, to reach salt lic s h i It may be that t is natural craving for salt, wh ch is common to man and beast, may have suggested a custom of etiquette in Abyssinia . For when a native of that country desires to pay an especially delicate atten tion to a friend or guest, he produces a piece of rock

i his salt, and graciously permits the latter to l ck it with tongue ; a custom not a whit more ridicul ous than the ceremonious offerin g of snuff and the social sneeze of modern civilization . In certain port ions of the Dark Continent salt is

u is i esteemed a great l xury, and relished by native ch l dren quite as keenly as candy in more favored lands .

In the region of Accra, on the coast of Guinea, salt is said to ran k next to gold in value ; and according to

1 - k M n l 2. L e ut n a n t o on N. Pr e e al s o o a o . . . 12 i e C l e l j v y, g li , v i p THE FOLK— LORE OF COMM ON SALT 189

Ma n o i Bambarras g Park, among the Mand ngos and ,

r west Af ican tribes, whose members are unusually intel “ ’ li e n t g , the phrase, ﬂavoring one s food with salt, 1 implies the possession of wealth . Nam a uas t The q , inhabitants of the Hot entot coun try, share so little the sentiments of their neighbors regarding salt that they consider it a superﬂuous article having no value whatever . About the year 1830 there appeared in England a

l n volume by a certain Doctor Howard, with the fol owi g “ : curious title Salt, the forbidden fruit or food ; and the chief cause of diseases of the body and mind of man and of animals, as taught by the ancient Egyptian

in priests and wise men and by scripture, accordance ’ ” 2 with the author s experience of many years .

As may well be imagined from its title, this book treats of salt as a most obnoxious substance, abstinence from which as an article of diet is essential to the main t e n an ce of health .

The use of salt as an article of food was, moreover, thought to render one irascible and melancholic, and in ill ustration of this view may be quoted the following “ ” his passage from Euphues and England, by John 1580 Lyly, Maister of Arte ( )

In soo h e n e m e n I se ld om e c e e for e re of n e r t , g tl , at salt f a a g ,

1 J . . M an l e M . A . n J S a t a d t n . y, , l O her Cond ime ts 3 . . M an e . 13 . J J l y, p 1 90 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE- SHOE

d ou ve m e in o e n ha I n he n ll ou an if y gi t k t t wa t wit, t wi y e ch ol e r icke e o re I c a e fo r om e n b e he n e ve r mak b f t it ; w , t y

so oo sh wou e ve r b e h ou h se . f li , ld t g t wi I st aie d n ot o n for m n e n s e r b ut as e c e n e l g i a w , w ll qui k d by h e r form e r talke as de sirous t o cry quittan ce for he r pre se n t t on ue t hus : If t o e at st ore of sa l t c use o n e to re g , said , a f t ; an d to h e n o salt s n e s ac o f h e n d o ou c se av , ig iﬁ l k wit, t y au m e t o r e h e n n o sa lt ou are so c o s an d ma v l , t at ati g , y apti u ; ov n n o sa l t ou are so se e n n e e so m uch wit l i g , y wi , wh i d d is fﬁ c e n t for om n he n she in the r n e c an su i a w a , as w is ai warne ” 1 h e r t o co e o ut of it . m ,

t In a recent ar icle in the Journal of Hygiene, the writer affirms that the general belief in the necessity of the use of salt for the maintenance of health is mis chie v ous ; for many people, in their zeal to make the most of a good thing, are wont to eat salt as a seasoner of all kinds of food . Thus an abnormal craving for the saline flavor is acquired and the condiment is used u in excess, thereby und ly taxing the secretory organs, whereas in reality but a small quantity of salt is requi ” - “ site . Persons addicted to the so called salt habit have a perverted taste, and are naturally total failures as epicures ; for how can any one assume to be a dainty feeder who disguises the true flavor of every dish , and whose palate refuses to be tickled by the choicest mor sels, unless these smack strongly of salt But even in our times the use of salt as a relish is

1 ’ l Nar s ossar o . u. . e v 63 . Gl y, p 7

192 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE ize d as an infringement of that law of nature which forbids animal s to partake of mineral substances as food . History may, indeed, vouch for the antiquity of the custom, but can furnish no proof of its propriety .

Indeed, the writer alleges in the above work that salt

ir u is a most pernicious substance, and the d ect ca se of many ills .

The idea conveyed by the phrase, Enough is as good ” as a feast, applies in full force to the use of salt as a ’ condiment, for an excess of this substance in one s food certainly spoils its ﬂavor . According to one version of an - a Roum ian forest myth, a prince, while following the l - chase, came upon a beautifu laurel tree, whose branches were of a golden hue . This tree so pleased his fancy that he determined to have his dinner beneath its shade, ff t and gave orders to that e ect . Prepara ions were made accordingly ; but during the temporary absence of the cook, a fair maiden emerged from the tree and strewed t re a quan ity of salt upon the viands, after which she entered the tree, which closed over her . When the prince returned and began eating his dinner, he scolded the cook for using too much salt, and the cook quite naturally protested his innocence .

On the following day the same thing occurred, and the prince thereupon determined to keep watch, in order if possible to detect the culprit . On the third

r day, when the maiden came forth from the t ee on mis THE FOLK— LORE OF COMMON SALT 1 93

chief bent, the prince caught her and carried her away, and she became his loyal wife? This section may be appropriately concluded with the following translation of a Roman legend ill ust rat ing the value of common salt as an article of food 2

- The Va lue of S a lt . A Roma n F olk t a le .

The re was on ce n wh o h ad h e au h e r an d h e a ki g t r e d g t s, was ve ry an x ious t o kn ow which o f the m loved him m ost ; h e e he m in ar ous wa s an d wa s se e m e as th e tri d t v i y , it al y d if un au ht e r c am e u s h e s Ye h w yo ge st d g o t be t by t te t. t e as n e e r sat s e e cause h e was r e o sse sse th th e e a h v i ﬁ d, b p p d wi id t at h r n him m t e e lde o e s love d ost. On e d a h e hou h h e oul e e the m t e r on ce for y t g t w d s ttl a t all, s n e ch se ar e how m u h sh v hi by a ki g a p at ly c e lo e d m . S o h e c e t he e e s h e se an d s e he r h ow m ch she all d ld t by r lf, a k d u v him lo e d . “ A s m uch as the r e we e at was h e r r e an d h e b ad , ply ; “ sa w h n h m se She m us as I thou ht ov e m e th e id it i i lf, t, g , l m os of for r e a is t he r s n e ce ssar of our e x s e n ce t all b d ﬁ t y i t , w hou wh ch we c an n o e . She m e an s he r e ore h it t i t liv , t f , t at ” sh e o ve s m e so m uch sh o n o l e c uld t live with out m e . Th e n he c a e th e se con au h e r h e r se an d s t o ll d d d g t by lf, aid he r How m uch o m , d you love e ? An d sh a n e swe re A s m uch as w n e . d, i “ ” Tha is oo an swe r t oo s th e n t o h e t a g d , aid ki g ims lf. “ I i t s true sh e d oe s n ot se e m t o love m e quite so m uch as the e e s but st scarc e c an on e ho s h ld t ; ill, ly live wit ut wine, o t at ” he re n ot m uc h ff r n t is d i e e ce . 1 C n t m Re v ol o e or ar e w . p y i , v xxxi . 2 R. H. B R usk oman Le e n d . , g s 194 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE

Th e n h e c e the oun e s he se an d s to he r all d y g t by r lf, aid , ” A n d ou h ow m uch d o ou o e m e ? y , y l v

A n d sh e n swe r e A s m c sa . a d, u h as lt The n t he n s h c on e m e o son % ki g aid, W at a t ptibl c mpari She o n ly love s m e as much as t he c he ape st an d c om m on e st

h n th a c om e s to the e . Th s is as m uch as t o sa she t i g t tabl i y, ’ m e a h n ov I w h ou w . I doe s t l e t all . al ays t g t it as so will ” n n e ve r se e h e r agai . The n he o rde r e d that a win g of th e palace should be shut rom the r e s wh e re sh e sh oul be se r ve wi h e e r hin up f t, d d t v yt g e on n to he r con on in e but whe re sh e shoul e b l gi g diti lif , d liv

he r se r an d n e e r com e n e r him . by lf apa t, v a H r sh e he n on But hou h h r a h e e e e . e e liv d, t , all al t g f t r n c e she n ot re for him she n e so m uch e n fa i d did ca , pi d at b i g e wa rom him h she was worn out an d co k pt a y f , t at at last , uld e r n o on r b a it l ge . The room that h ad be en give n h e r had n o win dows on th e st e e t h she m h n ot h a e the m use m e n of se e n h r , t at ig t v a t i g w at was o n o n in the own but he oo e on an n n e r g i g t , t y l k d up i r - r He re she som e m e saw the coo om e out an d c ou t ya d . ti s k c wash ve get able s at t he foun tain . “ C oo c oo % she c e on e as she him ss k, k all d day, saw pa h us un r t h w n o w t de e i d . The c o o oo e u w oo -n a ur e ace h ch e k l k d p ith a g d t d f , w i gav h e r n co ur a m n e ge e t. “ ’ on t o u t h n c oo I s b e e r on e an d m se r D y i k, k , mu t v y l ly i able up h e re all alon e ? “ ” Ye s S n or n a he r e e I o e n h n I sh ou e , ig i , pli d ; ft t i k ld lik t o h e ou to e t out but I re n ot h n o f th e n lp y g ; da t i k it, ki g ” wou b so an r ld e g y . ’ No I d o n w n ou to d o n h n t o so e the n , t a t y a yt i g di b y ki g, n sw e re th e r n ce ss but ou ou r e d o o a d p i ; w ld y ally me a fav r, which would make m e very g rate ful inde e d ?

196 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE- SHOE h e nde d how gre at was the love of his youn ge st child for him ; o he se n t an d had he r ar m e n o e n e an d c l e he r t o s ap t t p d, a l d him e e t o o an o e . , n v r g away y m r

THE A LT- EL LA X . S C R

“ Arn obius Dis ut ation e s The rhetorician , in his work p ” contra Gentes, wrote that the pagans were wont to sanctify or hallow their tables by setting salt-cell ars thereon . For owing to the fact that salt was employed

ff n at every sacriﬁce as an o ering to the gods, and owi g i moreover to its reputed div ne attributes, receptacles containing salt were also held sacred .

- Indeed, the salt cellar partook of the nature of a holy vessel, associated with the temple in general , and more particularly with the altar? Pyt hagoras said that salt was the emblem of justice ; for as it preserves all things and prevents corruption , i u so just ce preserves whatever it animates, and witho t it all is corrupted . He therefore directed that a salt cellar should be placed upon the table at every meal, in order to remind men of this emblematic virtue of salt ? The Romans considered salt to be a sacred article of i food, and it was a matter of religious principle w th them to see that no other dish was placed upon the table before the salt was in position ? A shell served 1 S ch e d e n . 73 . l i , p 1 M Dac ie r The L e o tha oras . 60 . Lon d on 1 707 . . , if f Py g , p , 3 ’ ’ Pe n M e an Fran o s Bud d e us Tra te d e l athéisme e t d e la su er . J c i , i p stition . THE FOLK— LORE OF COMMON SALT 1 97 as a receptacle for salt on the table of the Roman peasant, but at the repast of the wealthy citizen the i - ll was l s lver salt ce ar, which usual y an heirloom, was placed in the middle of the table ; and the same cus

in i tom prevailed England in med ae val times . “ An ti uit at e s li as In a work entitled q Cu nari , com

l . 1 791 pi ed by the Rev Richard Warner, London , , are - l to be found, reprinted from an old paper rol , elaborate directions for the preparation of the banquet - table on the occasion of a great feast at the enthroning of George Neville as Chancellor of England and Arch

of i r bishop York in the s xth year of Edward the Fou th, 14 6 . A . D . 6 “ chie fe After the laying of the napkin, the ofﬁcials of the king’ s household charged with such duties were directed to bring salt, bread, and trenchers, and to “ set the salt right under the middest of the cloth of ” estate . Minute directions follow regarding the proper dis

of position the trenchers, knives, spoons, and bread, and their exact relations to the salt, which was treated with special deference throughout the ceremony .

The Hon . Horace Walpole published an account of the formalities observed at the “ setting ” of Queen ’ - Elizabeth s dinner table, as described by a German ft traveler who was present on such an occasion . A er

- the table cloth had been spread two gentlemen appeared, 198 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE- SHOE

- one bearing a rod and the other having a salt cellar, a plate, and bread . After kneeling three times with the r i utmost reverence, they placed these th ee art cles upon the table and withdrew . Later in the ceremony came an unmarried lady dressed in white silk, and a matron

t astin kn ife . carrying a g The former, having thrice prostrated herself, approached the table in the most ul gracef manner, and rubbed with bread and salt the plates provided for the guests . After this the yeomen of the guard, clad in scarlet, and each with a golden

- rose upon his back, entered bare headed, bringing a

- - course of four and twenty dishes . In the households m of the English nobility a si ilar custom prevailed . A rhythmical code of instructions to servants of the ﬁfteenth century required that the salt should always be the ﬁrst article placed on the festive board after the cloth was laid 1

Tu d ois m e tt r e pr e miere m e n t e n t ous lie ux e t e n t out hoste l La n a e e t a r es l e se l pp , p ous aul x a n vin e t u s v an d e C t e , p i , p i i , ’ m n Puis app ort e r cc qu on d e a d e .

“ the Co han In Haven of Health (Thomas g , Lon 1636 r don , ) are these verses, quoted f om an earlier author

l rim e on d e be t r im o ue r e on i S a p p i , p q p , u sa e Om n is m e n sa m ale pon it ur absq e l .

1 Thom as Wr ht A H stor o D omest c M an n ers in En and d ur n ig , i y f i gl i g M d A es the i dle g .

200 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE their gods were placed upon the table ; the former indi cating a cordial greeting, and the latter being a guaran tee of protection . The ancient Boke of Ke ruyn ge says : Than set your salt on the ryght syde where your sov e rayn e l s tt e shal y , and on ye lefte syde the salte set your h t re n c ours.

Mediaeval salt-cellars were often elaborate pieces of ’ “ ul silver . In Pa Lacroix s Manners, Customs, and Dress during the Middle Ages are ill ustrations of an enam

s - n cled silver alt cellar with six faci gs, representing the u labors of Herc les, which was made at Limoges for

i I . the French k ng, Francis , in the early part of the six h t e e n t . century At Corpus Christi College, Cambridge,

r England, is preserved an elegantly w ought silver and

- golden salt cellar which belonged to Matthew Parker, who was appointed Archbishop of Canterbury in 1558 ? “ 1 8 d r . 8 7 e s i In the Art Journal (vol xxxix . ) is a c p t tion of the state sal cellar of Mostyn Hall, Flintshire,

North Wales, which had been recently discovered in an ancient chest . This magniﬁcent piece of plate, which - 1586— 8 7 bears the London date mark , is eighteen and one half inches in height and of cylindrical form, sur a mounted by vase, and richly ornamented with groups of fruit, foliage, animals, and birds . In mediaeval England the chief salt-cell ar was some

1 ’ Cha mbe rs s Book of D ays. THE FOLK- LORE OF COMM ON SALT 201 times in the form of a silver ship, thus suggesting both the briny deep and the craft which sails thereon .

King Henry III . ordered twenty silver salts in the year 1243?

n In the room contai ing the crown jewels, in the i Tower of London, are to be seen eleven magn ﬁcent t - l golden sal cel ars, the oldest dating from the reign of

- - . so Elizabeth Of these the called state salt cellar, which is a model of the White Tower, was presented by the city of Exeter to King Charles II . , and was used at coronation banquets . Descriptions and ill ustr ations of old English salt cellars of different epochs are to be found in a volume li ” entitled Old Eng sh Plate, by Wilfred Joseph A 1 . . 886 d A . . an Cripps, M . , F S , London, ; in Old ” 1 888 . Plate, by J . H . Buck, New York, In the for

is ﬁ - ll mer work mention made of a magni cent salt ce ar, “ ” olifaun t in the form of an , the property of John,

arre n e s m 1347 Earl of W , and another, in the shape ” of a dog, belonging to Edmund Mortimer, Earl of 13 80. March, in From an early period until the close of the seven t e e n th a century, the rank of guests at banquet in wealthy households, as in the halls of country squires, in England, was indicated by the situation of their pla ces at table with reference to the massive silver

1 Emi T S . Ho t Ye d n . 1 ly l , Ol e ime , p 30. 202 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE

1 - centre pieces which contained the salt, sometimes called ” - - the salt vat or salt foot . ’ the b ar d s At the head of the table, which was called o “ ” e n d , and above the salt, sat the host and his more distinguished guests ; and during the reigns of Henry II V . and VIII . it was enjoined upon the ushers to see that no person occupied a higher place than he was entitled to . Probably no penalty was imposed upon guests who unwittingly selected a more honorable seat than their rank warranted, other than removal to a lower position . But in the less civilized era of the eleventh century, the laws of King Canute provided that any person sitting at a banquet above his p tion should be pelted out of his place by bones, at the discretion of the company, without the privilege of ” 2 taking offense .

- In a book called Strange Foot Post, with a Packet l ” fu l of Strange Petitions, by Nixon (London, the author says in reference to a poor scholar :

No w for his ar e is h the che e s e but , as f , it lig tly at ap t tabl , h e m us sit n e r the sa t h is an x om e in such ace s t u d l , t at a i pl ; he n h av n d r awn e his n e e sur un o e his n a n t i g k if l i ably, f ld d pki m an n e r a te r t w ce o r thr ce w n his e ar he h e it ly f i i ipi g b d, if av , ’ he m a r e ach t he r e a o n his n e s o n y b d k if p i t .

“ “ The Babees Book ( 1475) says : The salt also 1 Fo sbroke En c cl0 azd ia n t u t , y p of A iq i ies. 1 Le l Re a n ut a n es C ur a es s C ud Bartho . 58 3 . S . Fors th g i gi i p li , p J y , ’ The A n t ua r s ort o o Lo n d on 18 25 . iq y P f li . ,

204 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE- SHOE

e as e in his h al h e oul in th e m s o f th e r n n e r r se f t d l, w d, id t i di , i r om his own an d o n t o e c of he r a e s che e r u f , g i g a h t i t bl , f lly bid the m we lcom e ; an d whe n gue sts o f hon or an d high ran k e his own e he e e h m se t h e owe r e n d n ﬁll d tabl , s at d i lf at l ; a d whe n such gue sts ﬁlle d but half his b oard an d tho se of m e an e r e re e the o he r h he ou e his own e d g t alf, w ld tak s at be twe e n he m in th e m s of his on a e n e ar the sa lt h c t id t l g t bl , w i h grac ious c on side r ate acts did much t o gain the love that his f r him pe ople had o . And in comment ing on this passage a recent writer w remarks that his haughty ife, Lady Katherine, high t i ul l born and beau f and clever though she was, cou d dl t i l ” har y be imagined as si t ng below the sa t, out of consideration for the feelings of an inferior? In the houses of well-to-do farmers among the Scot tish peasantry in the latter part of the eighteenth cen tury, a linen cloth was sometimes spread over the upper di - portion of the nner table, where sat the farmer and

m . the members of his fa ily Quite commonly, however, a chalk-line divided this end of the board from the lower portion where the hired laborers were seated ; and in the more pretentious households the salt-dish served as a boundary ? ’ 63 . 11 . 7 In Nares Glossary, vol p . , under the head “ in g Above or Below the Salt, the writer comments on the invidious distinctions formerly made between

1 E abe th Hod e s S An n t En H ome c e sh ome s. liz g , i gli 2 o e rs vol . . . 233 . R g , i p THE FOLK— LORE OF COM M ON SALT 205 guests seated at the same table, and quotes as follows from Ben Jonson ’ s Cynthia’ s Revels in reference to a conceited fop

His fashion is n ot t o take kn owle dge of him that is bene ath im in he s h e n e e r n s o w h h clot v r d i k be l t e Salt . The Innholders Company stil l adheres to the custom of indicating rank and social position at table by means

- M e I . of a handsome salt cellar of the of James , to which is assigned the responsible function of dividing ' the Court from the Livery at the Livery dinners ; the latter occupying the seats corresponding to those of the ’ ? retainers in th e old-time baron s hall “ Among the Puritans in New England the salt-cellar ” -t was the focus of the old ime board . Our ancestors brought with them from beyond the sea, not only the ideas regarding table etiquette prevalent in the old i country, but also such tang ble vanities as silver plate . i Miss Al ce Morse Earle, in her book on the Customs ” and Fashions of Old New England, says that the “ standing salt ” was often the handsomest article of t i table furni ure, and mentions among the belong ngs of

in 1659 - Comfort Starr, of Boston, , a greate silver gilt

- double salt cellar . Early in the eighteenth century these ponderous silver vessels were superseded by the ” little trencher salts, of various patterns, which are still in use .

1 P. H. Di t chﬁe ld M . A . F. s. A . Old En s , , , gli h Customs. 1896. THE OMENS OF SNEEZ ING

He is a frie n d at sn e e zin g t im e t he m ost that can be got from him is n a God ble ss you I I talia p roverb.

N I . IN ANC IE T T IM ES

THE ancient Egyptians regarded the head as a cit adel 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 t at ributing to it auguries for good or evil, according to the position of the moon with reference to the signs ? of the zodiac The Greeks and Romans also, by whom the most t rivial occurrences of every-day life were thought to be omens of good fortune or the

n reverse, considered the phenomena of sneezi g as not the least important in this regard . Homer tells us in the Odyssey that the Princess Penelope, troubled by

1 M ar n cho k n ctatus C o . r am ti S oc , De S ter utatione Tra p iosas Amste d , 1 664 . 1 Job . Ge rhard us Me n sch n u o Ph lo o ca d e R tu S alutan d i e , Disq isiti i l gi i S tern ut n t a es. Kilon i, 1704.

208 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE- SHOE h the Soothsayer . Again, it happened once that w ile % enophon was addressing his soldiers, referring to the righteousness of their cause and the consequent divine favor which might be expected, some one chanced to sneeze . Pausing in his address, the great general remarked that Jupiter had been pleased to send them a happy omen, and it seemed therefore but right to make

f . an o fering to the gods Then, after all the company i i had joined in a hymn of thanksg v ng, the sacriﬁce was hi % s . made, and enophon continued with exhortation Among the an cients sneezing to the right was con sid e re d fortunate and to the left unlucky. In some ” Se t imius erotic verses with the title Acme and p , by B i l . C . 8 7 the Roman poet, Catu lus ( are these l nes, twice repeated

Love st oo d st e n n w th d e l ht li i g i ig , An d sn e e e d his aus e on t h r h z pic e ig t . The omens of sneezing were thought to be of especial ’ signiﬁcance in lovers affairs, and indeed the classic poets were wont to say of beautiful women that Love ali had sneezed at their birth . The It an poet, Propertius,

his t while asserting enduring affec ion for Cynthia, the

Hostius daughter of the poet , thus apostrophizes the “ i : - chief theme of his eulog es In thy new born days, l f my i e, did golden Love sneeze loud and clear a favor ” ing omen .

The Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans regarded the act THE OMENS OF SNEEZING 209

di w of sneezing as a kind of vinity or oracle, hich warned them on various occasions as to the course they shoul d ? pursue, and also foretold future good or evil Plutarch said that the familiar spirit or demon of Socrates was simply the sneezing either of the philoso

If n pher himself or of those about him . a y person in his company sneezed on his right hand, Socrates felt encouraged to proceed with the project or enterprise which he may have had in mind . But if the sneeze

be e . were on his left hand, abandoned the und rtaking If he himself sneezed when he was doubtful whether or

n not to do anythi g, he regarded it as evidence in the afﬁrmative but if he happened to sneeze after any

n di work was already e tered upon, he imme ately desisted ? therefrom The demon , we are told, always notiﬁed him by a slight sneeze whenever his wife %antippe was

e u about to have a scolding ﬁt, so that he was thus

n abled opportunely to absent himself . And in so doi g i Socrates appears to have g ven proof, were any needed, of his superior wisdom ; for %antippe had been known

- to upset the supper table in her anger, and that, too, when a guest was present . On a column in the garden of the House of the

ii i i Faun , at Pompe , there is a Latin nscription wh ch may be freely translated as foll ows :

1 En c clo ed ic m tho ue . ar s 1 788 . y p é diq P i , 2 U. S . L terar Ga e tte vol . iv . 18 26. i y z , 210 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE

c or oo uc t o he e an d e e ho ze Vi t ia, g d l k t wh rev r t u wilt, snee ? ple asan tly

dr Clement of Alexan ia, in a treatise on politeness, characterizes sneezing as effeminate and as a sign of intemperance . Probably the onl y Biblical reference to the subject

2 . 35 of sneezing is in Kings iv , where the son of the Shun amit e sneezed seven times and then revived at the i prayer of El sha . - his Hor Apollo, in treatise on Egyptian hieroglyphics, says that the inhabitants of ancient Egypt believed that the capacity for sneezing was in inverse ratio to the size of the spleen ; and they portrayed the dog as the personiﬁcation of sneezing and smelling, because they i bel eved that that animal had a very small spleen . On wi the other hand, they held that animals th large

S n l is pleens were u able to sneeze, smel , or laugh, that , ? O - to be pen, blithe, or frank hearted The function of the spleen in the animal economy is u - not f lly understood to day . If the above theory were ’ ul correct, we sho d expect that the removal of a dog s spleen woul d incite excessive sternutation and render more acute the sense of smell, whereas the only marked result of the Operation is a voracious appetite . The

1 Eu N R ii ul a r a n d ra ct ca . Lon stac e e v e o e B . A . om e o ill lf , , P p , P p P i l 1 8 d on , 88 .

2 — e r d M n l . . . 8 5 . G al asse y, The Natura l Ge esis, vo i pp 3 8

212 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE

Of e at Of times, the sneeze a on the eve a wedding was ‘ reckoned auspicious . In the writings Of the French

1524 O poet, Pierre de Ronsard ( the pinion is ex pressed that not to sneeze while regarding the sun is ’ a sign Of ill-luck ; and from Doctor Hartlie b s Book ” Of 1455 all Forbidden Arts, Unbelief, and Sorcery, , we learn that in Germany there was a popular belief that three sneezes indicated the presence Of four thieves around the house .

Jerome Cardan , the noted Italian philosopher and physician (1501 in speaking Of genii or familiar

O spirits, remarked that, in his pinion , sneezing was a

n l Of supernatural phe omenon, and, ike the sound ring ing in the ears, was premonitory of some event of 2 importance . Some idea Of the credulous notions on the subject Of sneezing which were prevalent in England during ’ Queen Elizabeth s reign may be Obtained fr om the fol lowing extracts from the Burghley Papers Lans 1 1 2 . N . downe MSS . ( O ) in the British Museum

If h an m an l w h n o he r a ou an m a t e r an d 1 . t at y ta k it a t b t y t sn e se t wise or iii t m e s l e t him an d r se f he se t j y , by by a i , y t, o r f he b e s an l e t him m ove h m se lf an d o s r h w y t d, y g t aig t ay

w th ou an st a s out his us n e ss for he h a ros e . i t y y ab b i , s ll p p r

1 ll m on s Cre u t e s. Wi ia J e , d li i 2 u n e n t . A Treat se o S r ts. Lon d on 1 705 . John Be a m o t , G , i f p i i ,

3 T l h An n ua Re ort o the Th rteen C lub o Ne w York an uar we ft l p f i f , J y,

r has a so con su te d the or n a m a n uscr t . 1894 . Th e wr ite l l igi l ip THE OMENS OF SNEEZING 213

Yf h e sn e se m ore than iii m e l him sta e for i 2. e t s jty s, y , it h h e sh a l s e d doubtful ow l p e .

3 . Yf man sn e se on e or ii me s l e t him roce e n o a j ty , p d ur th e r in an te r but l e t on e for sh com t o f y mat , all al , it all h n oug t .

4 . Yf two m e n d o sn e se o he on e n s n t oo b t at i ta t, y is a g d s n e an d l e t h e m o ou he r ur ose f h b e e he r y , t g ab t t i p p , y t at it it d h h at e r or an an e s r os e r . by w l d, t y all p p

5. To sn e se twise is oo s n e but t o sn e se on ce o r ii a g d y , j i n ll s n If on m tim e s s a y y e . e c o e sudde n ly in to an house i an d sn e se on e t m e t s oo o e n . y , y a g d t k n sn e s in t he n h m 6 . O e e ig t se ason ade by an y of the h ouse h o be t oke n t h o o uc t o th e house but f he m e ld y g d l k , y ak

t wo sn e se s t si n iﬁe th o m a e . , y g d g Tr e we t is h a h e h o n i h 7 . y t t w s e s t takit pte ( part) of t h e s n c on in h s on on h h e t e o e t e h ig iﬁ ati t i c diti , t at p s m p wit h r ot e .

8 . Yf ha an m an sn e se tw se ii n i ht e s o e he r is t t y y j g t g t , it t ok n hat o n e of th e h ouse sha d e or e se som e re at t a y t ll y , l g o o n e ss or n e ss sh h a on in th hous g d bad all pp e e .

9 . Yf m an o t o we in an h ouse an d sn e se on e t m e a g d ll y , e him we he r e but f h e sn e se tw se e him n ot l tt d ll t , y y , l tt

rr n e h e r l e t him we he re n . ta y, it d ll t i

10. Yf m an l e wa e in his e an d sn e se on e t m e a y a k b dd y , it n n is a sy e of so m e gre at sic kn e ss or hy d raun ce .

1 1 . Yf m an sl e a e in his e e an d sn e se on e t m e a p b dd y , b e t oke n t h r e at t r ou e the e h of som e e r son or it y g t bl , d at p x r m h n r n i h e t e e y d au ce n t e loss of sub st aun ce .

12. Yf a m an l e in his e e an d m e sn e se on e t m e y b dd ak a y , it is a oo s n e o h of h e a th an d ucre he sle a e g d y b t l l , but if p it is m oche e t t r b e .

1 3 . Yf a m an sn e se t w se hre e n h o e e oo y t ig ts t g th r, it is a g d h s n e a soe e r he o about t . y , w t v g 214 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE

Yf m an t r ave ll t he an d o e o e 14. a by ways c m int an Inn an d sn e se tw se l e t him e rt e out of the ho se o t o y , d pa u and g h n s r an oth e r or e lse he s all ot pro pe . Yf m an o or t e t o se e worke an d e h d of 15 . a g f h k lay an s it a n d h e n sn e se o n e t m e l e t b m e r e e n his worke t y , y d pa t , l avi g e h n h m an d se e worke e se he re an d so sh d o e b i d y , k l w , all w ll ; but yf he sn e se t wyse l e t bym take his worke and go n o furt he r . h an 1 6 . If an m an e h e h a e bar a n e w y , aft r aue m d a g y it o h e r for an h n an d he n sn e se on e t m e si n iﬁe th h t y t i g t y , it g t at n n his bargayn e will n ot co ti ue . Yf m n s t m e s on M on a m orn n out 1 7 . a a ri e be y a d y y g Of his e an d sn e se on e t m e t o e n h he h b dd y , y is a t k t at s all r os e r an d a n e h we e or h e som e o he o s p p g y all t at k, au t r j y om od it i and c e .

' 1 8 . B ut f h e sn e se tw se t c e n e o r r . y y , y is l a c nt a y

1 9 . Yf m an ose orse o r n h n e l s an d o n a l a h a yt i g , is st pp i g sic o ut o f his or e t o e e it d o sn e se on e t m e t is ( ) d s k , y , y a o e n h e sha h e a a n e but f he sn e se t w se h e sh al t k ll au it g y , y y l e e r h aue it a a n e n v g y .

20. Yf m an r e be t m e on Son sue se 11 a ys y a day and tymes, t is oo t ok n but he sn e se on e m s is an ll y a g d y , if ty , it y n t oky . Yf m h 21 . a an at t e ve ry be gin n in g Of din n e r o r suppe r be m n e t o e at an d sn e se t w se t oo t ok n but f i d d , y , y is a g d y , y

h e sn e se o n e m e t is an ll s n e . ti , y y y

22. Yf m an l e s c e in b e d an d m st rust s him se lfe an d a y i k y , sn e se on e t m e t is t ok n of d e athe h e ue ss tw se y , y a y , but if s y h a sc he s ll e ape .

' 23 . wom n e n e r c e f sh e us e on e t me t A a b i g v y si k , y s s y , y i s n e o f h h s e but she e s tw se s e a d e . a y alth, if su s y , sh ll y

216 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE

him . This consists in raising the arms above the head

s and revolving the closed fi ts one around the other . Of t The revolution the fists is the ques ion, Is it such ? ” m an one Then the ar s are thrown out, and the answer, presumably affirmative, is given by the crack

- 1 ing of the elbow joints . In Scotland even educated people have been known 2 Of to maintain that idiots are incapable sneezing, and hence, if this be true, the inference is clear that the act Of sternutation is p r im a fa cie evidence Of the l possession Of a certain degree Of intel igence . British nurses used to think that infants were under “ ” t . i a fairy spell un il they sneezed God sain the ba rn, e x clah e d an old Scotch nurse when her little charge “ ’ s . sneezed at length, it no a warlock i The Irish people also enterta n similar beliefs . Thus ’ in Lady Wilde s Ancient Cures, Charms, and Usages ” 41 of Ireland (p . ) is to be found the following de scription of a magical ceremony for the cure of a fairy stricken child . A good ﬁre is made, wherein is thrown a quantity of certain herbs prescribed by the fairy women ; and after a thick smoke has risen , the child is carried thrice around the ﬁre while an incantation is repeated and holy water is sprinkled about liberally .

Meantime all doors must be closed, lest some inquisitive

1 R. o rin o n D D T M a n H. C d t . . h n g , , e e l esia s. 3 Notes a n d uer e s l st se r e s vol . xii. Q i , i , THE OMENS OF SNEEZING 217 fairy enter and spy upon the proceedings ; and the magical rites must be continued un til the child sn e ezes

m e s t thr e e ti , for this looses the spell, and the li tle one is permanently redeemed from the power of witches . Among uncivilized peoples the sneeze Of a young i ch ld has a certain mystic signiﬁcance, and is inti

- mately associated with its prospective welfare or ill luck . im When, therefore, a Maori infant sneezes, its mother mediately recites a long charm Of words . If the sneeze Of occurs during a meal, it is thought to be prognostic

Of Of a visit, or some interesting piece news ; whereas in Tonga it is deemed an evil token . SO hi , too, among the New Zealanders, if a c ld sneeze Of ffi on the occasion receiving its name, the o ciating priest at Once holds to its ear the wooden image Of an idol and sings some mystic words . “ i In a note appended to his Mounta n Bard, the t Ettrick Shepherd says, regarding the supersti ions of Selkirkshire : When they sneeze in first stepping out Of bed in the morning, they are thence certified that Of strangers will be there in the course the day, in di ” 1 numbers correspon ng to the times they sneeze . It was a Flemish belief that a sneeze during a con 2 versation proved that what one said was the truth, a

1 R h r e Ro L e . C a s e rs L . D . F. . A . t n v S S co a a l a n d D st c . l g , , , l d , S oci ome i 9 A e xan d r e D e srousse aux M s o u a r s d la Fl n an l , aeur p p l i e e a dre fr caise . 218 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE- SHOE doctrine which must have commended itself to snuff takers . In Shetlandic and Welsh folk-lore the sneeze of a cat indicates cold north win ds in summer and snow in 1 winter ; and the Bohemians have an alleged infallible test for recognizing the Devil, for they believe that he 2 vi must perforce sneeze olently at sight of a cross . According to a Chinese superstition a sneeze on ’ New Year s Eve is ominous for the coming year ; and,

Off i Of to set this, the sneezer must visit three fam lies ff l di erent surnames, and beg from each a sma l tortoise 3 shaped cake, which must be eaten before midnight . u In T rkistan, when a person to whom a remark is

O addressed sneezes, it is an asseveration that the pinion or statement is correct, just as if the person accosted %” were to exclaim, That is true In the same country three sneezes are unlucky . When, also, any one hic n coughs, it is etiquette to say, You stole somethi g ” t m from me, and this phrase at such i es is supposed to 4 produce good luck . The Japanese attach signiﬁcance to the number Of

m s ti es a man sneezes . Thu , one sneeze indicates that l some one is praising him, whi e two betoken censure or m disparagement ; a triple sneeze is co monplace, and

1 ’ Gen t ema n s M a a n e vol . 252 . 237 . an uar 1882. l g zi , , p J y, 3 Wuttke . 243 . , p 3 h la e h a I n u rer Fe bruar 24 1898 . P i d lp i q i , y , 4 Eu e n e Schu e r Tur ta n . 2 . g yl , kis , p 9

220 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE—SHOE i l sins, and this petit on was fo lowed by a peculiar noise which sounded like an abortive sneeze “ Don’ t be i d ” ’ “ ’ fr t e t aun l . , zur, she said, es y a sneeze It s ” “ the oddest sneeze I ever heard, said the doctor ; why ’ ? SO can t you sneeze in the ordinary way I do, ” I “ ’t when can, she explained ; but now es got up to nine times running, and wherever to get nine sneezes ’ r n f om is moor I knaw . It appear ed that Grace was making trial of an in fal lible u cure for deafness, the necessary apparat s for which consisted of a piece of board and some stout pins . One of the latter is stuck into the board every ’ n fore ﬁn e rs morni g, the patient s g being crossed over ul t the pin, while the pious ejac a ion above mentioned is repeated simultaneously with a vigorous sneeze . On the next morning two pins must be stuck in the board, the petition and sneeze being once repeated ; on the following morning three pins, three prayers, and three sneezes, and so on up to nine times .

T HE D O TR NE F D EM O A A L OSS ES S ON IV . C I O NI C P I

The natural instinct Of the untutored savage is to regard the act Of sneezing as the m anifestation Of an attack by a demon . Certain African tribes, for instance , are said to believe that whoever sneezes is i possessed of an evil spirit, to whose mal cious agency is due the violence Of the paroxysm and its utter dis f regard O times and seasons . THE OMENS OF SNEEZING 221

“ Dr . Edward B . Tylor, in his Primitive Culture

ul in (vol . i . p . asserts that the Z us have faith the Of dl l agency kin y spirits as wel , and says that, when

: one of these people sneezes, he is wont to exclaim “ t ri I am now blessed ; the ances ral spi t is with me .

Let me hasten and praise it, for it is that which causes ” me to sneeze . Thereupon he praises the spirits of the dead, and asks for various blessings . But among most uncivilized peoples sneezing is placed in the cate

of di Of gory paroxysmal seases, and reckoned to be demoniac origin . Inasmuch as sneezing is Oft en one symptom of an n i cipient cold, which is a physical ailment, and as among savage tribes every physical ailment is regarded

Of as a case of demoniacal possession, the use charms and exorcisms to coun teract the efforts Of the evil 1 spirits seems a natural expedient .

When an American Indian falls sick, he believes his illness to be the work of some spiteful demon . There

h e fore, when gets well, he changes his name, so that the demon may not be able to recognize him again ?

Of - The chief aim the medicine man , in treating

ul Of r a patient, is the exp sion the evil spi it ; and this is the prime Object of the various superstitious cere

1 C orn h ll M a a n e vol . 76 . i g zi , 2 Le ur D r n M a s ct e b . D . G . Brin t on at the Lowe n st tute Bost o s y , ll I i , , , No e mb 18 v e r 9, 96 . 222 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE- SHOE monies and incantations which are a prominent fea 1 ture in medical practice among savages . The medi cine-man strives to drive away the demon by frightful sounds and gesticulations, and by hideous grimaces and l i contortions . Sometimes he makes a smal image typ fy ing the spirit of sickness, and this image is then maliciously broken in pieces ? The natives Of West Africa believe that the mere mention of unpleasant names sufﬁces to frighten away the demons who cause sickness ; and these spirits may moreover be deceived by simply changing the name Of

In f . O ui a sick child the province Tonq n, a French possession in southeastern Asia, hateful names given to ailing children are likewise thought to terrify the evil spirits ; but when the little patients are con vale s ? cent, pleasanter names are substituted i The Ind ans of Nootka Sound, Vancouver Island, attribute physical ail ments either to the absence or Of ul Of irregular conduct the so , or to the agency spirits, and medical practice is governed accordingly ; therefore the Okan ogo n s of the State Of Washington subject patients affected with serious illnesses to the

- 4 magical treatment Of the medicine man . The islanders Of the South Paciﬁc have their own

1 I n n H n T Ame r ca n . 41 . El ah M . ai e s he a 6 ij , i di , p 2 Br n t n M ths o the New Wor . 30 . D . G . o 7 i , y f ld , p 3 A n d re e Ethn o ra h sche a ra l e en . 1 77 . , g p i P l l , p 1‘ He rbe r t S e n ce r r n c es o S oc o o vol . . . 186 . p , P i ip l f i l gy, iii p

224 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE- SHOE when they happen to sneeze either during the per form an ce of a religious ceremony or at certain other ” times speciﬁed in the Shastra, or holy books of the l Hin dus . Evil spirits were be ieved to enter the body

cars l through the , as wel as by the nose or mouth, and the object Of touching the ear was to pre vent their gaining admission there .

In reference to this subject, Gerald Massey says, in

- . . 83 85 the Natural Genesis (vol i pp . )

S n e e z n n ot on oro o m of re hin i g is ly a vig us f r b at g, but it

is n o un r he n ce n s re or of e x or n r or n . i v l ta y ; i pi d, tra di a y igi e rt sn e e ze he n on e is an d n ou m A h a y , w ill fai t, w ld i ply a u e n cce ss on of the bre h n owe r wh ch was n w r s dd a i at i g p , i i a dly n r n The oo s r n r in spir in g a d outwa dly e x pe lli g . g d pi it e te s

an d the s r e s c s out the s e n m u s on . bad pi it d part , a t by udd i p l i The e xp ul sion an d r e pudiation implie d in sn e e zin g is ye t glan ce d at in the saying that such a thing is n ot t o be ” n s e e ze d at.

The natives Of Turkistan consider yawning to be a reprehensible act, originating from an evil place in ’ Of one s heart, and indicative a state of preparedness

t he Of . for reception demons When, therefore, they w ya n , the hand is placed, palm outwards, before the

O . pen mouth , thus barring out the demons l l The once popular opinion , which is sti l met with to day, that the efﬁcacy of a medicine is proportionate to

1 chu e r Tur tan . 2 S yl , kis , p 9 . THE OM ENS OF SNEEZING 225

Of its harshness of ﬂavor, is probably a relic the ancient theory which attributed illnesses to possession by evil ’ spirits . When one s body was believed to be the abode of such a spirit, the natural desire was to drive him out the unwelcome visitor, and to force to seek some other habitation . Nowadays we have so far abandoned this theory that, while we may have faith e Of in the virtu s bitter herbs, we are ready to welcome also the palatable remedies Of the modern pharmaco p osia but until comparatively recent times the science

Of i n therapeut cs was dominated by superstitio , and physicians prescribed remedies composed of the most repul sive and uncanny ingredients . In T ibe t antiseptics are employed in surgical opera tions, the rationale of their use in that country being th e preservation Of the wound from evil spirl t s ; and when smallpox rages in the neighborhood of the city Of Of Of Leh, capital the province Ladakh , the country people seek to ward Off the epidemic by placing thorns on their bridges and at their boundary lines . l This practice is strikingly analogous in principle to some Of the superstitious uses Of iron and steel in the Of i form sharp instruments, of which ment on has been made elsewhere in this volume . The aboriginal Tibetans ascribe ill nesses to the spite O of demons, and hence a chief bject of their religious

1 sabe a L . B sho Amon the T betan s . 104 . I ll i p, g i , p 226 THE M AGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE rites is the paciﬁcation Of these malignant beings by the sacriﬁce of a cow, pig, goat, or other animal . l Throughout Christendom it is customary for those present to invoke the divin e blessing upon a person who sneezes, and the Moslem, under like circumstances, l f prays to A lah for aid against the powers O evil . In either case the underlying idea appears to be the same,

di . namely, the doctrine of inva ng spirits In ancient Egypt illnesses were thought to be caused by demons who had somehow entered the patient’ s body and taken up their abode there ; and the Chal dean physicians, actuated by the same belief, were wont to prescribe the most nauseating medicines in order to thoroughly disgust the demon in possession, and thus enforce his departure ? This doctrine Of spiritual possession was formerly even supposed to be warranted by Scripture, and espe ciall Of 141st : 0 y by a verse the Psalm Set a watch,

Lord, before my mouth ; keep the door of my lips . This passage was interpreted as an entreaty for preser S vation from evil pirits, who were likely to enter the 3 l body through the mouth, especial y during the acts of

n . yawning, sneezi g, talking, and eating The Hindus i consider yawning as dangerous for th s reason, and

1 R . . . e v A Graham M . A . On the Thresho d o Three C osed Land s J , , l f l ,

6 . p . 7 2 G . M as e ro Th D t n e awn o C v l a o . 1894 . p , f i i iz i 8 P E. E an s u r ofe ssor P. v o ar S c e n ce M on th Nove mbe r 1895. , P p l i ly, ,

228 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE

Of Of r t o formed clay the model a man, and desi ing animate the lifeless ﬁgure, was borne to heaven by

l ce the Goddess Minerva, where he ﬁ led a reed with l ’ l e stia ﬁr e stolen from a wheel of the Sun s chariot .

Returning then to earth, he applied the magical reed to the nostrils of the image, which thereupon became

l . a iving man , and began its existence by sneezing

Prometheus, delighted with his success, uttered a fer Of vent wish for the welfare his newly formed creature . The latter thenceforward always repeated aloud the same benediction whenever he heard any one sneeze, u t and enjoined pon his children the same prac ice, mi which was thus trans tted to succeeding generations .

Famian us 15 2 Strada, the Italian Jesuit historian ( 7 ” Prolusion e s Acad e m icae in his , relates that one day, when Cicero was present at a performance of

O the Roman pera, he began to sneeze, whereupon the Of wi entire audience, irrespective rank, arose and th one %” accord cried out, God bless you or, as the common “ % phrase was, May Jupiter be with thee Whereat

Fabalus three young men named Fannins, , and Lem n iscus Of , who were lounging in one the boxes, began an animated discussion in regard to the antiquity Of

all l i this custom, which be ieved to have orig nated with Prometheus ? i sn e e z Even in the t me of Aristotle, salutation after

1 Th t d l . 18 . e Ca holic Worl , vo iii . 66 THE OMENS OF SNEEZING 229

1 ing was considered an ancient custom ; and references f to it are to be found in the writings O Roman authors . Pliny narrates in his Natural History that the

a Emperor Tiberius C esar, who was known as one of

m Of scru u the most elancholy and unsociable men, p lously exacted a benediction from his attendants when in ever he sneezed, whether his palace or while driving in his chariot ; and Apuleius, the platonic philosopher

Of r his the second centu y, alludes to the subject in ’ ” story Of The Full er s Wife . Although the fact of the existence Of this custom centuries before the Christian era is beyond cavil, yet a very general popul ar belief att ributes its origin to a i . Si on io much later period The Italian h storian, Carlo g , voices this belief in his statement that the practice

‘ r on tiﬁcat e Of began in the sixth century, du ing the p

Gregory the Great . At this period a virulent pestil ence raged in Italy, which proved fatal to those who sneezed .

The Pope, therefore, ordered prayers to be said against ? it, accompanied by certain signs of the cross And the people were wont also to say to those who sneezed, 3 God help ye a revival Of a custom dating back to prehistoric times . 1230— 98 Again, Jacobus de Voragine ( ) wrote as

1 ’ Bra d s A n n Pop ular tiquities of Great Brita in . 1 En c clo ce d ia o A rts an d S cien ces. h ad e h a 1 798 . y p f P il lp i , 3 M xio e d r o e The Treasurie o Auncien t a n d M od ern e T me s. 1613 . P , f i 230 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE- SHOE li follows in the Golden Legend, a popular re gious work of the Middl e Ages

For a r ight gr e te and gre von s m al adye : for as the Rom ayn s had in t he e n on l ve d sobre l in con t n e n ce an d te r l t y y and y , af at Este r ha d r e ce yvd the yr Savy our ; afte r the y disorde re d

he m in e t n in d r n k n in a e s an d in l e che r e . A n d t y g, y y g, pl y , y t he r e fore o ur Lor d was me n ye d aye n st th e m an d se n t th e m r e e e st el e n ce h ch was c e the Bot ch e of im e d m e a g t p , w i all d p y y , an d h w as c e an d sod a n e an d c use e l e t o t at ru ll y , a d p p dye in o n the e in l e in in l e e in e a e an d g y g by way , p y g, y g att t bl , k n n h n h r s n l h In h in spe y g o e wit a ot e od e y y t e y de ye d . t is man e re somtyme sn e syn g the y de ye d ; so th at wh an an y pe r on e was e r sn e s n n on e he h we r e a to s h d y g, a t y t at by s id bym,

od he l e ou or Cr st he l e an d e t e n u e h th e cust om e . G p y , y p , y d r t An d a so wh n he sn e se th or a e th h e a e h t o ore his l a g p , m k t f h n f h l i m An t face t e sig e o t e crosse and b e ss th by . d ye r m e ndu e th this cust o e .

The Icelander, when he sneezes, says, God help %” me and to another person who sneezes he says, “ God help you In Icelandic tradition the custom dates from a remote period, when the Black Pest raged l Of i viru ently in portions the country, and the mortal ty therefrom was great . At length the scourge reached a certain farm where lived a brother and sister, and they Observed that the members Of the household who suc cumbe d to the disease were ﬁrst attacked by a violent paroxysm of sneezing ; therefore they were wont to ex “ ” claim God help me % when they themselves sneezed .

232 THE M AGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE

English explorers that the custom Of salutation aft er sneezing was common in the remotest portions Of

Africa and in the far East . Speke and Grant were unable to discover any trace Of religion among the

t Of na ives equatorial Africa, except in their practice of uttering an Arabic ejaculation or prayer whenever a person sneezed?

The Portuguese traveler, Godinho, wrote that when

Of Mon om ot a a ever the emperor p sneezed, acclamations were universal throughout his realm and in Guinea in the last century, whenever a person of rank sneezed, every one present knelt down , clapped their hands, and f Wished him every blessing . The courtiers O the king Of Sennaar in Nubia are wont on the occasion of a royal sneeze to turn their backs on their sovereign while vigorously slapping the right hip ? Among the

i s m Zulu tr bes, sneezing is viewed as a favorable y p tom in a sick person, and the natives are accustomed to return thanks after it . In Madagascar, when a

div child sneezes, its mother invokes the ine blessing, conformably to Eur opean usage ; and in Persia the sneezer is the recipient Of congratulations and good wishes . “ - Of In the Zend Avesta, or sacred writings the “ : Persian religion, is the injunction And whensoever

1 l T Ba r v o . 43 . 18 75 . emp le , 2 D iction n a ire d es scien ces occultes. THE OMENS OF SNEEZING 233 i it be that thou hearest a sneeze g ven by thy neighbor, A hun auar A shim Vuhu thou shalt say unto him, , and ” 1 . if so shall it be well with thee In Egypt, a man ” % all sneeze, he says, Praise be to God and present, with the exception of servants, rejoin, God have mercy upon you 1 2 f The Omahas, Dakotas, and other Sioux tribes O American Indians attach a peculiar importance to if . Of sneezing Thus, one their number sneeze once, he believes that his name has been call ed either by his son, his wife, or some intimate friend . Hence he “ % w at once exclaims, My son But if he sneeze t ice, ” 3 he says, My son and his mother In France the rul es Of etiquette formerly required that a gentleman who sneezed in the presence Of Off another should take his hat, and on the subsidence Of the paroxysm he was expected formally to return the salutes Of all present . The salutation of sneezers by removal of the hat was customary in England also .

l Of 1627 Joseph Hal , who was Bishop Exeter in wrote that when a superstitious man sneezed he did not reckon among his friends those present who failed to uncover . The Italians are wont to salute the sneezer with the

1 - H n B oo o L r r u t . W ll am . Wa sh a d le te a C r o s i i S l , y f i y i si ie 2 L n T M n t E ar W l a m a e he od e E a n s. d w d i li , r gyp i “ ” 3 am e s O e n D orse A Stud Of S ouan C ult s E ven th A n n ua J w y, y i , le l

Re ort o the Bureau Ethn o o Wash n t on D . C . p f of l gy, i g , 234 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE ‘ Viva F e licittt ejaculation , or ; and it has been reasoned that the latter expression may have been sometimes employed under like circumstances by the ancient

t Of Romans, because an adver isement on the walls Pompeii concludes by wishing the people Godspeed with the single word F e licita s

O w S , too, in Ireland the sneezer is greeted ith fervent “ t Of benedic ions, such as, The blessing God and the holy Mary be upon you %” for such invocations are thought to counteract the machinations of evil -disposed fairies? The Siamese have a unique theory of their own on

i . f th s subject They believe that the Supreme. Judge O the spiritual world is continually turning over the pages of a book containing an account of the life and doings Of every hum an being ; and when he comes to the t u page rela ing to any individ al, the latter never fails to sneeze . In this way the Siamese endeavor to give a plausible reason for the prevalence of sneezing among men , and also for the accompanying salutation . In O i Siam and Laos the rd nary expression is, May the ” 2 judgment be favorable to you . In the Netherlands a person who sneezes is believed l thereby to place himse f in the power of a witch, unless some On e invokes a divine blessing ; and such notions

’ 1 d e s A n n t ur s Charms a n d a e o I Lad y Wil cie C e , , Us g s f re lan d . 2 ’ l A b B r m D ct on n a re d e toutes le s r on s. M . b é e rt a , i i i eligi

236 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE salutation after sneezing among nations remote from each other, and its prevalence from time immemorial alike in the most cultured communities and among

i iz unciv l ed races, have been thought to furnish striking

i Of n evidence of the essent al similarity huma minds, whatever their environment .

L E END S RELAT VI . G ING TO S NEEZ ING

In the traditional lore Of ancient Picardy is the fol lowing legend In the vicinity Of Englebelm er nocturnal wayfarers were Often surprised at hearing repeated sneezes by the Of roadside, and the young people the neighboring vil lages made frequent attempts to ascertain the origin of

wi i . the mysterious sounds, but thout ava l The mis chie vous spir it or lutin took pleasure in seeing them run about in a vain search while he himself remained invisible . Finally people became accustomed to hear ing these phantom sneezes, and, as no harm had ever

l th e i resu ted to any one, with contempt bred of famil ar i f ity they gave l ttle heed to the spiritual mani estations, and were content with merely crossing themselves de v outly . One ﬁne moonlight evening in summer a peasant

A tchi a t chi returning from market heard the usual , ,

but . pursued his way with equanimity However, the lutin him pursued for about a mile, sneezing repeat THE OMENS OF SNEEZING 237 l d . e y At length the peasant impatiently exclaimed, “ May the good Lord bless you and your cold in the head %” Scarcely had he spoken when there appeared before him the apparition Of a man clad in a long “ ” . : white garment Thank you, my friend, said he you have just released me from the spell under which

I have long rested . In consequence of my sins, God condemned me to wander about this village sneezing without rest from eve till morn, until some charitable l person shou d deliver me by saying a benediction . For at least ﬁve hundred years I have thus roamed about, and you are the ﬁrst one who has said to me ’ God bless you . Fortunately it occurred to me to follow you, and thus I have been set free . I thank

- G . you . ood by Thereafter the mysterious sounds were no longer Of heard ; and thus, in the belief the peasants of Pic Of ? ardy, arose the custom salutation after sneezing

Of Under a bridge near the town Paderborn , in l Prussia, there ives a poor soul who does nothing but sneeze at frequent in tervals . If a wagon happens to pass over the bridge at the moment when a sneeze is ” heard, and the driver fails to say God help thee, the vehicle will surely be overturned, and the driver will become poor and break his leg . Tradition says that a godless fellow who died long

1 H r 1 8 E. e n r Car n a Litterature ora e d e la car e a s 8 3 . y y, l Pi di . P i , 238 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE

Of Of ago incessant sneezing, during an epidemic the urte mbe r plague at Wurmlingen in W g, was condemned on account Of his sins to wander about the neighbor

ll at . hood, sti sneezing intervals One day, while one Of the villagers was crossing a bridge over some mead ows near the town , he heard some one underneath w “ sneeze t ice, and each time he piously responded, God % help thee When, however, he heard a third sneeze, i “ the v llager thought to himself, That fellow may keep on sneezing for a long time and make a fool of me . “ ” SO % he cried out angrily, May the Devil help you Thereupon a voice from under the bridge exclaimed t f l “ %’ pi i u ly, If you had only said, God help thee a i th rd time, I should have been freed from the spell ” 1 which binds me .

1 Er t M e r D S a en S t . n s ie , eutsche g , it en un d Gebrauche a us S chwaben

240 THE M AGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE fewer in number than the fortunate ones, and they also

Of - differed in the degree their ill luck . Thus, while l some were marked y ominous, others merely threatened

Of u misfortune, and still others were mixed aug ry, partly good and partly evil . There were certain days upon which absolute idl eness was enjoined upon the

' people , when they were expected to sit quietly at home, indulging in d ol ce fa r n ien te ?

The poet Hesiod, who is believed to have ﬂourished

B . C . Of about one thousand years , in the third book ” his poem, Works and Days, which is indeed a kind Of m i i metrical al anac, dist ngu shes lucky days from others, and gives advice to farmers regarding the most favorable days for the various Operations of agriculture . Thus he recommends the eleventh Of the month as l excellent for reaping corn , and the twe fth for shearing

un sheep . But the thirteenth was an lucky day for

. Of sowing, though favorable for planting The ﬁfth u each month was an especially unfort nate day, while the thirtieth was the most propitious of all . Some Of the most intelligent and learned Greeks were very punctilious in their Observance Of Egyptian 1 — 4 85 A . D . 4 2 days . The philosopher Proclus ( ) was said to be even more scrupulous in this regard than the 2 4 A D . 0 Egyptians themselves . And Plotinus ( . hi l another eminent Grecian p losopher, be ieved with the

1 Ad o Erm an L e in A n c en t E t . 351 . lf , if i gyp , p DAYS OF GOOD AND EVIL OM EN 241

Of astrologers a later day, that the positions of the planets in the heavens exerted an inﬂuence over human affairs? Of 334 In an ancient calendar the year , in the reign

Of - i Constantine the Great, twenty six Egypt an days ? were designated At an early period, however, the chur ch authorities forbade the superstitious Observance

Of these days . Some Of the most eminent early writers of the Chris tian Church, St . Ambrose, St . Augustine, and St . Chry sost om in re va , were earnest their denunciation of the p lent custom Of regulating the affairs Of life by reference to the supposed omens Of the calendar . The fourth Of 398 council Carthage, in , censured such practices ;

Of Of and the synod Rouen , in the reign Clovis, anathematized those who placed faith in such relics of paganism ? We learn On the authority Of Marco Polo that the

Of Of Larist an Brahmins the province , in southern

Persia, in the thirteenth century, were extremely puno t ilious in their choice Of suitable days for the perform Of ance any business matte rs . This famous traveler wrote that a Brahmin who contemplated making a purchase, for example, would measure the length of his

1 ’ F. Chabas le ca en d r e r d es ours t t n t t , l i j fas es e éfas es e d e l a n n ée egyp

t en ne . 1 24 i , p . 2 M . C ourt d e Ge be lin M on r m t l . i e v o v . ar s 1776 . , d p i i if, P i , 3 e an Ba t ste Th e r T d e u s ra t s s erst t on s. ar s 1679 . J p i i , i é p i i P i , 242 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE

wn n l o shadow in the early morni g sun ight, and if the Of ffi l shadow were the proper length, as o cia ly pre e scribed for that day, he would proceed to mak the purchase ; otherwise he would wait until the shadow conformed in length to a predetermined standard for that day Of the week . 1200 The Latin historian, Rolandino ( in the ” Of his un d e rt ak third book Chronicle, describes an ing which resulted disastrously because, as was alleged, ” it was rashly begun on an Egyptian day . There is frequent mention of these days in many ancient manu scripts in the Ambrosian Library at Milan? “ ” so- Of In a called Book Precedents, printed in 1616 fift - i , y three days are spec fied as being such as the Egyptians noted to be dangerous to begin or take t hi d any ng in han , or to take a journey or any such ” - thing . An ancient manuscript mentions t wenty eight days in the year “ which were revealed by the Angel

re Gabriel to good Joseph, which ever have been

fort un a t e marked to be very y dayes either to let blood,

m ar chan dize s cure wounds, use , sow seed, build houses, ” o urn or take j e e s. Astrologers formerly speciﬁed particular days when it was dangerous for physicians to bleed patients ; and especially to be avoided were the ﬁrst Monday in April, on which day Cain was born and his brother Abel slain ;

1 H i t l . 11 Lo n 1 stor a l t eraria vo . n d o 31. i i , , 7

244 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE The days on which the courts were not held were n e a sti n o ari called f (from and f ), because the three words could not then be legally spoken by the praetor .

But these days came to be regarded as unlucky, a fact rendered evident by an expression Of Horace . The Romans also classed as unfortunate the days imme diat e l l w Of y fol o ing the calends, nones, and ides each

. d ie s a tr i month Unlucky days were termed , because they were marked in the calendar with black charcoal, the lucky ones being indicated by means Of white chalk . There were also days which were thought

an especially favorable for martial operations, but the n ive rsary Of a national misfortune was considered very inauspicious . Thus after the defeat of the Romans by the Gauls under Bre n n us on the banks Of the river

1 B . l 6 390 . C Al ia, July , , that date was given a pro f minent place among the black days O the calendar . But not every general was inﬂuenced by such supe rsti tions . Lucullus, when an attempt was made to dis

t Of suade him from at acking Tigranes, king Armenia

(whom he defeated B . C . because upon that date t h e Cimbri had vanquished a Roman army, replied, “ ” 1 I l o od O wi l make it a day of g men for the Romans . d The Roman la ies, we are told, gave less heed to the unlucky days Of their own calendar than to the works

1 M on s e ur Dan e t A D ct on ar o Gre ek and Roma n A n t u t es Lon i , i i y f iq i i . n d o , 1 700 . DAYS OF GOOD AND EVIL OMEN 245

t Pe t osiris of Egyptian as rologers, among whom was

s their favorite authority, when they wi hed to ascertain the proper day, and even the hour, for the performance Of household and other duties? ii Od e . Horace (book ii . xi ) thus apostrophizes a tree, by whose fall he narrowly escaped being crushed at Sabin um : Thou cursed tree %whoever he w as that

did r ﬁrst planted thee it su ely on an unlucky day, and ” with a sacrilegious hand . Of The Latin writer, Macrobius, stated that when one ’ n un d in ce the or market days fell upon New Year s, it was considered very unfortunate . In such an event the t Emperor Augustus, who was very supersti ious, adopted the method of inserting an extra day in the previous year and subtracting one from that ensuing, thus pre serving the regularity Of the Julian style of reckoning ’ time . Ordinarily, however, New Year s Day was deemed

On auspicious, and that day, as now, people were accus t om e d to wish each other happiness and good fortune .

M ED E A L B EL EF IN D AY-FATA L T III . I V I I Y

The early Saxons in England were extremely cre d u lous in regard to the luck or m isfortune of particul ar

Of days of the month, and derived a legion prognostics, both good and evil, from the age of the moon . Thus, they considered the twelfth day Of the lunar month a

1 habas . 124 . C , p 246 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE l profitable one for sowing, getting married, trave ing, - hi and blood letting, but the t rteenth day was in bad il repute among the Saxons, an ev day for undertaking u any work . The fo rteenth was good for all purposes, for buying serfs, marrying, and putting children to school ; whereas the sixteenth was profitable for nothing - i but thieving . The twenty second was a proper t me for buying villains, or agricultural bondmen, and a boy born on that day would become a physician . The -fifth twenty was good for hunting, and a girl then born ” 1 r - would be Of a g eedy disposition and a wool teaser . In an English manuscript Of the twelfth century ’ ” Cham be rs s Of mentioned in Book Days, and known ’ as the Exeter Calendar, New Year s is set down as a

i re va D ie s m a l a . As an illustrat on of the credulity p lent in England in the ﬁfteenth century regarding the inﬂuences, meteorological and moral, of the occur rence Of important chur ch festivals on particular days

Of Of the week, a few lines from a manuscript the Harleian Collection in the British Museum are here quoted Lo rd in s all of ou warn l g y I , If the d ay t h at Chr ist was bor n Fe l u on a S un d a l p y, The w n t e r shal b e o od I sa i l g , y, But gr e at win d s al oft shall be Th summ e r sha be air an d e ll f d r y ,

1 E ard o cka n e M . A . L d ms t n n in Re v . d w C ee ch o Wor cu y , , , g, n n craft of Early E gla d .

248 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE- SHOE

In the dark ages, and also in early modern times, the

Of false doctrines astrology, an inheritance from the f % O . r ancients, dominated the actions men In all impo l - tant enterprises, as we l as in every day labors, it was deemed essential to make a beginning under the in ﬂu ence of a favorable planet . Nor did these beliefs pre vail exclusively among ignorant people, but were as

l Of Of s n obil we l a part the creed cholars, and of the

. i i ity and gentry Modern astronom cal d scoveries, and l especial y the Copernican system, availed to banish a vast amount of superstition regarding the malevolent f character O certain days . But neither science nor i relig on have yet been able wholly to eradicate it, as is evident from the ill -repute associated with the sixth day

Of t h e the week even at the present , a subject to be considered later .

I n Lose l e the y Manuscripts, edited by Alfred John 1836 Kempe , London, , is to be found a letter, some extracts from which may serve to illustrate the para mount inﬂuence Of astrology in England in the six t e e n th century . The letter is addressed to Mr . George

More, at Thorpe

A s for m y commin g t o you upon We n sd ay n e x t t11 n n o ss Thur ca t po ibly be w you till sday . On Fr a an d S ate r d a the s n e w be in th e h e r on yd y y ig ill a t, %h Sun M o n a an d Tue s a in the sto m ake ur n w day, d y d y , d i g t h tym e it wil be n o good de alin g w your or di n ary phisicke D AYS OF GOOD AND E VIL OM EN 249

We n sd a c om e S e ve n i ht th e n e ar e s an d r om h un til y g at t, f t at ’ In w h tym e for war ds for 15 or 1 6 days passin g go od . c tim e yf it will ple ase you t o l e t m e un de r st an d of your con ve n ie n t O ort un an d se ason I w n ot faill t o co e on re pp ity , ill m al g p 111 m s n e r se n tly W your e se g . ’ Your worship s assure d l ovin ge fr (ie )n d

M N PPE M . SI O TRI , . D

Se t e mb . 18 . 1581 . WINTON. p

The inﬂuence Of the position of the moon in deter

O mining the proper seasons for surgical perations, and

Of ll for the administration medicines, may be best i us d t rat e by a few extracts from ancient almanacs . An antique ill ustrated manuscript almanac for the y ear 1386 contains the following advice to physicians

In n e w m on e sal n ot b e a t n of bl od e for an are a l y i g , y m e n n s bod e s v o e d of bl od e an d hum os an d an a t n y y y , y by l y i g of bl od e sal yay m ore b e an oyd e d . And again

e s to n ow e n e t t m e e l e ct e t o ve m e d c n It k g rally, y ye y gy a y in e s whan ye m on e an d ye Lo rd asce n d yn g ar fr e e fr om al l e an d n ot l e t an d e s h e l t o be ware t o ill by it, it y y a m e d c n wh l e s e on in an s e ct S at n e or y y y m e es ill a p , wt

M ars.

1568 An almanac for the year , published by John Se curis lis Of , London , contains a t days in that year ’ favorable or otherwise for the preservation Of man s health . H E 250 THE MAGIC OF THE HORS Eﬂ S O

The second day Of Jan uary was therein declared to be wholly propitious . The twelfth was unfavorable, u Of hi owing to the f rious aspect Mars to the Sun , w ch

a d e was not, however, likely to c use bo ily sickn ss, but rather to inclin e the hear ts of some people to imagin e

was evil Of their rulers . The ﬁftee nth of April espe

ciall r e . a y to be d aded On that day, s ys the writer, ” God keep us from the fury Of Mar s . ’ s t In June evil pas ions were to s ir men s hearts, anger, hatred, and strife ; for in that month were no Of less than six quartile aspects the planets, one to another .

n ar e Ma y propitious days also mentioned, and in conclusion a ll days are declared to be favorable to a

m a good n . “ A New Alm an acke and Prognostication for the Yeare Of our Lord God 1569 (London) says that sur “ gical Operations must be performed on ly when the Moone or Lorde Of the ﬁrste house is in the zodiacal sign govern in g the particul ar member or organ which is t o be Operated upon . An d in an English almanac for the year 1571 we ﬁn d the following passa ge

’ NO part Of m an s bo dy ought t o be touche d with th e Chirur icall n s rum e n s or caut e rie c ua %or o e n c g i t t , a t l p t ial, e n th e S u n e or Moo n e or th e o of the Asce n e n is wh n , L rd d t, ’ m n ha r of m n s od in th e sa e sig e t t ule th th at part a b y.

252 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE c o n e s co e x ce e d e s h e at e he re ore h ave we ust c us ld sig , ld ; t f j a e in purgin g of hum our s t o c on side r the m otion o f t he M oon e h r ou h e e r n e Of t he Z o d iacke n ot o n in ur n f t g v y sig , ly p gi g o hum our s but l so in c ur n se se s an d in s re n h n , a i g di a t gt e in g t h e facultie s an d ve rt ue s.

Of In the Dialogue Dives and Pauper, printed

P n son 1493 by Richard y in , this subject is referred to as follows

A e h a e he e to d smal d e or use n ce Obse r v ll t at t k d y ay s, y an ce s in t he n e we oon e or in th e n e e e e re as e n of m , w y , s tti g m e te or d ryn k e by night on the be n ch e t o fe de alhold e ( or l gobe yn ) . 1643 The French traveler, Jean Chardin ( stated that in the year 1668 Cossacks invaded the northern provinces Of Persia ; and when the inhabitants appealed to the Persian government for aid, they received only the reply that no assistance could be sent them until the moon had passed out Of the sign Of the di Scorpion . The Persians formerly vided all the days

Of the year into three classes, preferable or lucky, mid 1 dl in g or indifferent, and unlucky or detested ones ; and th e Emperor Frederick the Great Of Prussia (1712 86) was governed in a his military Operations by the advice of astrologers, and always waited until they had indicated the fortunate moment for a start .

1 T n n t N t on s. Lon d on Dr . Ed ard achan he Chron o o o A c e a . C w S , l gy f i i ,

18 79. DAYS OF GOOD AND EVIL OMEN 253

“ The English Apollo, by Richard Saunders, student

an d t in the divine, laudable, celes ial sciences, London,

n in givi g advice to mariners, says that the good or bad position of the planets at the time of sailing has much inﬂuence over the fortunes Of a voyage .

The ancient sages, moreover, declared that the chief means of averting evil were, ﬁrst, the devout invoca l tion of Providence ; and, secondly, the carefu choice of a proper tim e for sailing by Observation of the rul es

Of astrology. ’ In William Jon e s s Credulities Past and Present

n St . Augusti e is quoted as follows

NO m an shall ob se rve by t he days on what day he r e or on h h e e r n e c use G od cr e e t he t av l, w at r tu ; b a at d all se v e n a s wh ch r un in h e e t o t he n d o f h r d y i t e w k e t is wo ld . B ut wh he r soe v e r h e e s re t o o l e t him s n an d sa his it d i s g , i g y P a te r n ost e r h e n ow it an d c l u on his or an d e ss , if k , al p L d, bl h m se an d t r v e re e rom c r e un e r the ro e c on of i lf, a l f f a , d p t ti

God hou the sor ce r e s of th e e vi . , wit t i D l

RE A IV . P V LENCE OF S IM ILA R B EL IEFS IN M OD ERN TIM ES

- i in h Among the Chinese of to day, as w th the ab it an t s Of ancient Babylon, the days which are deemed

i s favorable or otherw se for bu iness transactions, farm l b ing operations, or for traveling are sti l determined y

in O astrologers, and are indicated an fﬁcial almanac 254 THE M AGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE published annually at Pekin by the Imperial Board Of Of Of Astronomers . The various tribes the island Mad agascar also are exceedingly superstitious in regard to ill - n the luck or luck attending certai days, and the lives Of children born at an unlucky time are sometimes sacriﬁced to save them from anticipated misfortune . Of Natives the Gold Coast of West Africa, in their

O i n divisions of the year, bserve a long time cons sti g “ ” Of m Of nineteen lucky days, and a short ti e seven equally propitious days . The seven days intervening between these two periods are considered unlucky, and during this time they undertake no voyages nor warlike

il l in enterprises . Somewhat sim ar ideas prevai Java

Of Of and Sumatra, and in many the smaller islands the

Malay Archipelago . The Cossacks of western Siberia, the natives Of the Baltic provinces Of the Russian Em

Of pire, and the Laplanders the far North, all adapt i their lives to the black and wh te days of their calendar . The peasantry Of West Sussex in England will not pe r mit their children to go blackberryin g on the tenth day Of October, on account of a belief that the Devil goes aﬁeld on that day, and bad luck would surely befall any one rash enough to eat fruit gathered under such circumstances . The same people believe that all cats

Of born in the month May are hypochondriacs, and have an unpleasant habit of bringing snakes and vipers into the house .

256 THE M AGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE

i n di lett ng blood, and to i cate the most favorable aspect

Of the moon for drawing teeth and cutting corns . He f Of pro fered counsel, moreover, as to the avoidance il i unlucky days for paring the na s, and the k ndest di t u i O Of zo acal sign for graf ing, inoc lat on, and pening

- bee hives . In enlightened England there are still to be found many people who believe that the relative positions of

in the sun , moon, and planets are prime factors deter mining the proper times and seasons for undertaking dk ’ 1898 terrestrial enterprises . Za iel s Almanac for states that natural astrology is making good progress TO towards becoming once more a recognized science . quote from the preface Of this publication :

As th e wh ole body of the oce an is n ot able t o ke e p down on e s n e r c e o f re e air wh ch us ss re orce i gl pa ti l f , i m t a u dly f its wa t o t he s r ace t o un e the t mos h e re so c an n o y u f it with a p , t t h e c ombin e d fo rc e s o f the pre j udice an d studie d con te m pt of “ ” all t he soi-d isa n t r e ally scie n tiﬁc m e n Of the e n d Of the c e n t ury pre v e n t the truth of a str ol ogia sa n a from soar in g ov e t he r u e e ffor t o crush o n t o o n the re ab i f til ts it d w , j i g at tm os he re of n tura sc e n ce to e n l h e n t he h um n m n a p a l i , ig t a i d in it s on war c our se an d e ffo t o o r hr ou h N u e d rt, s a t g at r ’ ” u o N ur d p t at e s Go .

One example may suﬂice to exhibit the character Of i the pred ctions given in this same work . Under the cap ” 1898 e tion , Voice of the Stars, August, , the writ r says DAYS OF GOOD AND EVIL OM EN 257 that the stationary positions Of Saturn and Uranus are likely to shake Spain (and perhaps Tuscany) physicall y

10 h 1 1 h in and politically about the t or t st s. There will be strained diplomatic relations between the United

States and Spain ; for Mars in the sign Gemini, and

fri t Saturn in Sagittarius, must create c ion and disturb an ce s in both countries . The Jewish current beliefs in the influence of certain days and seasons appear to have been mostly derived from the Romans of Old . Even nowadays among the Jews no marriages are solemnized during the interval Of fifty days between the Feast Of the Passover and Pentecost ; and formerly the favorite wedding-days were those Of the new or full moon? In Siam the eighth and fifteenth days Of the moon are Observed as hi di sacred, and devoted to wors p and rest from or nary labor . Sportsmen are forbidden to hunt or fish on

n these days . The Siamese astrologers i dicate the prob able character of any year by associating it with some

is animal, upon whose back the New Year represented as being mounted ?

1 sra e Abraham s M . A . J ew sh L e in the M id d e A es . 184 . I l , , i if l g , p 2 Bowr n S am vol . . . 158 . i g, i , i p 258 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE

THE S TH D A Y OF THE EEK V . IX W

Let us n ow consider the subject Of Friday as an al

- l e ge d d ie s m a la . The seven week days were Originally f named a ter Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, the Sun, Mercury, i Venus, and the Moon, in the order g ven , and these names are found in the early Christian calendars . The

Teutonic nations, however, adopted corresponding names

t T r in the Northern my hology, the Sun and Moon , y , Of the Norse God War, Wodan, Thor, Freyja, and Saturn ; and our early Saxon ancestors worshiped images re pre sentin g all these deities until Christianity supplanted paganism in Britain . It has been suggested that our t Of Friday may have been named af er Frigga, the wife Odin and the principal goddess of the ancient Scandi n avian s. But it is much more probable that the day d Of erives its name from Freyja, the Goddess Love, a deity corresponding to the Roman Venus and the Gre f cian . O Aphrodite Freyja, the most easily propitiated i the goddesses, was wont to l sten favorably to all who l - invoked her aid, and was especial y tender hearted to

o . disc nsolate lovers She dwelt in a magniﬁcent palace, and journeyed about in a car drawn by two cats? ’ It has been hinted that Freyja s character was not ’ r ill - i reproachable, and that thence arose Friday s repute, but such an hypothesis is wholly untenable . 1 ’ A M all e t s Northern n t iquitie s.

260 THE M AGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE

n d ation d u comm a Vendredi, the following events are ’ alleged to have occurred on a Friday Adam s creation, Of his sin and expulsion from Eden, the murder Abel, ’ Of Christ s crucifixion, the stoning Stephen, the massa cre of the Innocents by Herod, the crucifixion of Peter, Of the beheading of Paul and that John the Baptist, and the flight Of the children Of Israel through the

Of Red Sea ; also the Deluge, the Confusion Tongues

Of i i Of at the Tower Babel, and the inﬂ ct on the Plagues upon the land Of Egypt? The following extract from a translation of a Saxon manuscript Of about the year 1 120 may serve to illus

Of trate the credulity that epoch in England, and the Odium attaching to Friday

hoe e r is or n on S un or a l e h W v b day its night, sh ll iv wit n h n s m If h is orn n n out an x ie ty a d b e a d o e . e b o M o day or it s n h h e sh be e of m e n be h e a c or be he c e r c ig t, all kill d , l i l i . If on Tue s or it s n h he sh al c or ru in his e an d day ig t, l be pt lif , n If h orn n n si ful an d pe rve r se . e be b o We d e sday or its n h h e sha b e r e c e e an d e s an d sh ow u ig t, ll ve y p a abl a y all gr p w n If h r n n F e ll a d be a love r o f good . e be bo o rid ay or it s n ht h e sha be c cur se of m e n an d cr an d ig , ll a d , silly afty lo at hsom e t o all m e n an d sh all e ve r be thin kin g e vil in his h e ar an d sha be a e an d re o ar an d sh a l n ot t, ll thi f a g at c w d, l v n r h an t o m i - If h i rn on r a li e lo ge t d age . e s bo Satu d y or its n h his e e s sh a b e r e n o n e h e sha be an a e rm n ig t, d d ll w d, ll ld a , whe th e r he b e m an o r wom an ; man y thin gs sh all happe n 2 n o him an d h e sh e on u t , all liv l g .

1 — 2 M us n e om i 1 888 8 9 . é t e v . Cocka n e vol . . . 1 . l i , y , iii p 63 DAYS OF GOOD AND EVIL OMEN 261

Although the superstitions Of the dark ages may seem to us so childish, it may yet be afﬁrmed with reason that, in proportion to the enlightenment of the d - times, the beliefs then current regar ing day fatality were no more absurd than those Of our own era . In “ ” the Reliques of Ancient English Poetry, by Thomas

. D . l i Percy, D , is to be found the fol ow ng excellent way to get a fayrie

F r s e t ro s u r e ch rist all or e n ce asse i t, g a b ad q a V i gl , in n th an d r a h hr n Th le g b e dt t e e i ch e s. e n l ay t h at glasse o r chri st all in the oo of h e h e n thr e e We d n e sd a e s or bl d a w it , y hr Fr id a The n a e it u n t e e ye s. t k o t a d wash it with h oly aq ; n m Th e n hr a d fu igat e it . take t e e h azle sticks or wan d s Of an ye are groth ; pill th e m fa yr e an d white ; an d m ake th e m so ’ ’ on e as ou wr e th e s ir it t s n a e or fa rie s n m e wh ch l g y it p m , y a , i you call thr e e t im e s on e ve ry st ick be in g m ade ﬂatt on on e

e . Th e n ur h e m un e r som e h wh e r e a ou su ose sid b y t d ill , t y pp fa rie s h aun the e dn e s e ore ou c h e r an d t he y t, W day b f y all ; Fr id a e foll o win e a e h e m u e an d e h t o r h r e e or y g t k t pp at ig , t t e n Of the cl ocke which be good pl an e t t s an d h our e s for t hat t urn e ; but wh e n you c all b e in cle an e life an d t urn t hy face owar s t he e ast an d h e n ou h e he r n he r h t d , w y av bi d in t at 1 s n n to e a d glasse .

i Whiston, the translator of Josephus, publ cly pro claimed in London that the com e t . of 1712 would be

r 14 visible on Octobe of that year, and that on the Friday morning ensuing the world would be destroyed

1 ’ Po u ar Su e rst t on s Gen t eman s M a a n e L brar vol . . p l p i i , l g zi i y, i 262 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE

ul by ﬁre . In the res ting panic, many people embarked in boats on the Thames, believing the water to be the safer element, on that particular Friday at least . “ Mr. Charles Godfrey Leland, in his Etruscan Roman ” m e dimval Remains, says that in certain manuscripts the Goddess Venus was represented as the Queen Of

Hearts and a dealer of lucky cards . Therefore Friday, D ie s Ve n eris the , was sometimes considered a lucky

. O day, especially for matrimony This pinion ﬁnds

Of favor in Glasgow, where a large proportion marriages take place on this day ; whereas, in the midland coun

Of . Of n ties England, less than two per cent the weddi gs occur on the sixth day Of the week? References to the popular sentiment regarding Friday are frequent in the works Of English writers . Sir “ Of Thomas Overbury, in his description a faire and ” “ l - : happy Mi k mayd, says Her dreams are so chaste ’ that shee dare tell them ; only a Frid aie s dream is all : l her superstition that she con ce a e s for feare Of anger .

Of Again, in the play Sir John Oldcastle is this passage Friday, quotha, a dismal day, Candlemas ” 2 ’ “ Day this year was Friday . And in Scott s Mar mion is the following

The H h a n d e r hose r ig l , w e d claym ore ’ Th e battl e t ur n e on M a d s sh r d l a o e ,

1 W l am Jon e s C re u t es ast a n d esen t . i li , d li i P Pr 2 T. F This lto n D e r B . e r t sh o u r C ustoms. y , i i P p la

264 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE

Of Mahomet for the holding the Moslem Assembly, it l hi was not wholly devoted to re igious wors p, and at the conclusion of public prayers business was transacted as on any other week- day? Among Mohammedans Friday is considered the most lucky of days ; and it is also the most popular for commencing any enterprise

Of importance, whether building a house, planting a garden , embarking on a voyage, contracting a marriage, or making a garment ? One reason for Mahomet’ s choice of Friday as the day for public prayers was probably because this day was consecrated by the people of many nations to Ali lat, the celestial Venus or Urania, whom the ancient Arabs worshiped ? Mahomet said that whoever bathed on Friday and walked to the public religious service, t aking a seat near the I m am or Kha lifa h (the leader

Of v a Moslem tribe), and listened attenti ely to the sermon , avoiding meanwhile frivolous conversation , ’ would Obtain the reward Of a whole year s prayers at night for every step which he took between his home and the place of this assembly ? The Moslems among the peasants inhabiting the frontier region between Afghanistan and Hindostan have a special reverence for Friday ; for they believe

1 i ll M . r W m u r . T L S a M K. . I . h e a home t i i i , C S , e if of 2 Joh n J. o o S tu es in M ohamme d an ism . 1 03 . P l , di , p 3 ’ M r n n n l ut . . l A bé B t ran d D c t a re u ver se d e to e s les re on s b e , i io i i ligi

Th A . A n m. o Hu h s B D . M . R. . D ct o ar o Is a m as Pat r ck e . S i g , , , i i y f l DAYS OF GOOD AND EVIL OM EN 265 that on that day God rested, after having created the l world . On Friday eve, according to their be ief, the spirits Of the departed are wont to revisit their former di abodes, and hence the custom prevails of sen ng deli cacies to the mosque at such times? Friday was the most popular day for weddings among

ae t the Jews in medi val times, and its selec ion appears to

Of have been due to expediency, because its nearness to i the Jewish Sabbath, and the conven ence of associating the marriage ceremony with the services in the syna gogue on the latter day . The bridal pair fasted on the d morning of the we ding, and ashes were sprinkled over their heads during the ceremony ?

Of According to the teachings the Talmud, a second soul was believed to enter men ’ s bodies every Friday evening and to remain throughout the following day, its presence being indicated by an increased appetite for food ? di ’ On Friday, says an old tra tion, is held the Witches ul ul Sabbath or Assembly, and one sho d be caref not to Of speak these creatures on that day, for their hearing i w is then especially acute, and d srespectful remarks ill render one liable to incur their spite . l In the popu ar belief of the Swabians, Friday is the

1 S . S . Thorburn , B an n u. 2 l A r r M . A . L i n A s ae b ah m s M d e es . 186 a J ew sh e i the . I , , i f i dl g , p 3 Ge r a d M sse The Natura n s s vol . . . 2 8 . l a y, l Ge e i , ii p 9 266 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE- SHOE day when the witches celebrate their joint festival i u w th the Devil on the Heuberg, near Rotenb rg, and afterward scour the country, intent on working all manner of mischief upon the people and their cattle?

n Accordi g to a Scotch superstition, however, witches were supposed to hold their weekly meetings on Satur

in . days, unfrequented places The formal proceedings on these occasions included an address by the Devil, Of and the holding a court, wherein each witch was expected to give a detailed statement Of her doings ; and those who had been idle were given a beating with their own broomsticks, the diligent being rewarded by

f . gifts O enchanted bones A dance followed, the Devil

n - ? playing O the bag pipes, and leading the music The Irish are careful not to mention fairies by name either on Wednesdays or Fridays, for these invisible creatures are unusually alert on these two days .

On Fridays especially, their power for evil is very l strong . On that day, therefore, a carefu watch is kept over the childr en and cattle ; a lighted wisp of straw is ’ waved about the baby s head, and a quenched coal is placed under the cradl e and churn . And if the horses are more than usually restive in their stalls, it is a sure sign that the fairies are riding them ; therefore the

1 M or t B usch Deutscher Vo ks aube . i z , l gl 2 Ro e rs vol . . . 278 . g , iii p

268 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE

the In Hesse Frau Holle, the modern Freyja, is spe Of m cial guardian and protectress newly arried people, and so tenacious has been this Old belief in the minds Of the Hessian peasants that the day Of Venus is still in high favor among them as the most propitious for weddings ? is In some places it unlucky to receive any news, whether good or bad, on a Friday ; and, according to “ a Shropshire saying, if you hear anything new on a l Friday, it gives you another wrink e on your face, and ” 2 adds another year to your age . Indeed, the term “ Friday-faced was used to denote a gloomy or de

e ct e d j visage, as in the following quotation

’ M r r o ut on him % h r - ac s e is % a y, up w at a f iday f d lav it I ? thin k in m y con scie n ce his face n e ve r ke e ps h oliday In Servia children born on Friday are thought to be invulnerable to the assaults Of the whole army of bags and sorc erers . In Germany Friday is reckoned the Of - most fateful all the week days, whether for good or evil . The beliefs vary in d iﬂe re n t portions Of the em pire, but there is a universal prejudice against setting

n e w out on a journey, moving into a house, or chang ing servants on this day . In eastern Prussia, whoever bakes on a Friday will get but little bread but Sunday

1 W lh e l m Kolbe Hess sche Vo ks-S tten un rau i , i l i d G e b che .

2 - S hro sh re Fo k Lore . 260. p i l , p 3 ” ’ Be u n . W e d Ha k n s s E ama l . . . ily g il , w i glish Dr , v o iii p 356 DAYS OF GOOD AND EVIL OMEN 269 baptisms are thought to Offset the unlucky auspices Of m children born on Friday . The North German far ers consider Friday the best day on which to begin gather ing the harvest? In Olden times Friday was the most favorable day a for courtship and weddings in Germ ny, and, unless a bride ﬁrst entered her new home on that day, domestic i i str fe was l kely to ensue .

- If she wished to tame a bad tempered husband, her ﬁrst care was to prepare for him a soup made with the ’ - f rain water O a Friday s shower . The magic charm of words wherewith cattle were freed from the mange was spoken on a Friday morning ; and a hare which had been shot on the ﬁrst Friday in March was Of great therapeutic value, especially its eyes, which were dried and carried about as a sovereign remedy for defective vision . Only on a Friday did the church-bells strike the hour

S for the release of bewitched pirits, and the delivery of ? enchanted souls from their spells H . Oﬂe r di Doctor M , in his Volksme zin und Aber glauben in Oberbayern (p . says that Bavarian peasants still cherish many superstitions about the sixth Old day of the week, the day sacred to Freyja, the Ger

Of . man Goddess Love Moreover, wonderful amuletic

1 D r . Ad ol Wuttk D t h abe r la ube . Be r n 1869 . f e , er deu sc e Volks g li , 2 E. L . Rochho A td eutsches Bur e rle be n . 52 53 . lz , l g , pp , 270 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE—SHOE virtues are attributed to hens’ eggs laid during Good

Friday night, and whoever eats these eggs is thought l W to be thereby insured against bodi y harm . HO long this immunity holds good does not appear ; but prob ably until another Good Friday night egg is eaten . In farmers ’ households these precious eggs are therefore

- eagerly sought by the house mistress, who is wont to give them to her husband and the farm-hands ; or else she uses them as an ingredient Of the dough ﬁgures which ornament the Easter bread . In some districts Of Hungary the following peculiar custom is in vogue ’ - Whenever any one s name day happens on a Friday, that person selects a piece Of one of his cast-Off gar ments, rubs thereon a few drops of his own blood and f O . saliva, and then burns the fragment clothing By so doing he burns up also all the ill luck which else might have befallen him during the next year . In southeastern Transylvania a rag mystically dealt with as above is hung on a tree before sunrise on the d ay in question ; if it disappear before dawn Of the next t day, the person who thus supersti iously celebrates the occurrence Of his name-day on a Friday may laugh at ill luck for a year? i The Magyars beg n no work on a Friday, for it is boun d to miscarry ; neither do they give any milk out

1 Wlislo cki Aus d em l d Vo /csle ben er M a a . , gy ren , p 68 .

272 THE M AGIC OF THE HORSE- SHOE immunity is not attributable to any special veneration ’ for Freyja s day, but rather to a popular belief that theft s and other misdemeanors then committed are sure of speedy detection . Laughter is thought to Offend the goddess, and the proverb runs, He who laughs on ” Friday weeps on Saturday . In an anonymous manu script in the municipal library of Palermo appears a statement that whoever cuts out garments on a Tuesday or a Friday runs the risk Of making them too short and f O . losing the cloth Such clothing has little wear in it, for nothing begun on these days has any durability? The inhabitants Of ancient Gascony are no less m Of credulous, as is apparent fro the following bits

Friday lore . Any one rash enough to start on a journey on horseback runs especial risk of falling Off his horse, and of being drowned in attempting to ford

h as a stream . It even happened that newly baked loaves have been found tinged with blood in the oven . k However, Friday is a good day for ma ing vinegar, ’ and the casks ﬁlled at three O clock in the afternoon Of that day are found to be superior to others . This is

s because our Lord, while on the cro s, was given vinegar ’ O to drink, mingled with gall, at three clock on the ? afternoon Of Good Friday

1 use e tre Usi e costum cred en e e re ud d e l o o o S c Gi pp Pi , i, z p gi izi p p l i ili

a n o. 1889 .

2 - n F s B ad e C on tes o u a res d e la Gasco n e . Paris M . ran o Je a c i l , p p l i g ,

1886 . DAYS OF GOOD AND EVIL OM EN 273

In Normandy, also, Friday is the favorite day for putting water in wine or cider, for the people believe ? that on any other day the mixture woul d become sour di li Accor ng to a quaint Ita an belief, whoever is born

Of on a Friday will be sanguine temperament, passion

- ate, light hearted, and handsome . He will delight in music, both vocal and instrumental, and will have a

i . l king for ﬁne clothes Moreover, he will be voluble in ? speech, though of unstable character “ The Tyrolese have a saying, Whoever is born on

e a Friday must experi nce trouble, and they regard it as folly to marry on that day ? The French people share fully the general distrust of the sixth day Of the week . This is shown by statis

Of tics the Parisian theatres, where there are produced

On an average nearly two hundred new pieces annually, and for many years not one Of these has had its ﬁrst 4 performance on a Friday . In Alsace Wednesday and Friday are unlucky days and the former is never chosen for a wedding or bap f t wo t ism . O But the , Friday is the more undesirable,

Of and no business importance is done thereon , nor any journey undertaken . It is foremost among witch days, for evil spirits are then abroad, and their activity on a

1 ’ l M n D n n d su st t on s o u a res. M . Abbé e ct o a re es er ig , i i i p i i p p l i 2 G use e tr e I ve n er n e e tra on o o ar ta a n e . i pp Pi , l di ll dizi i p p l i i li 3 Bus h c o . cit . , p 4 A Wor o Won d ers e dite d b Al ban Po n t . ld f , y y y z 274 THE M AGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE

t l Friday is proverbial . These sen iments prevai in other i Of German d stricts, and are entertained by people cul

ti ation n . fﬁ v and lear ing Indeed, it may be a rmed truly that the possession Of intellectual force is by no means incompatible with a superstitious belief in the luck or f misfortune Of particul ar days . The credulousness O the great Napoleon in this regard is well known . Bis marck is said to have once written to his wife from i ll Of : Letzl ngen, a vi age Prussian Saxony I have not had such good luck in hunting to-day as I had three ” 1 — years ago ; but then it is a Friday . The French statesman, Gambetta, is reported to have arranged his journeyings and business affairs with reference to aus

icio us p hours, as determined by a professional reader

Of ds l car ; and President Fe ix Faure, we are told, is l similarly credu ous . Indeed, so prevalent are notions Of this kind in the French capital that tastefully orna “ m e n t e d cards with a list Of hours to be avoided ﬁnd a ready sale in the streets ?

. v Among the Slavonians St Prasco ia, the modern Of successor Venus and Freyja, is believed to visit the ’ peasants houses every Friday, and woe to the luck less woman whom she then ﬁnds engaged in certain

t . di occupa ions Local tra tion says that sewing, spin

n u ning, and weavi g on that day are sinf l, and are

1 M t Z e tschr t ur e utsche holo ie i . 14 . i iff d y g , v 7 2 H M 1 1 Boston e ra a 8 8 . ld, y , 9

276 THE M AGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE % ’ you wretch , you you ve brought a terrible punish ” ment on yourself from Mother Friday . Then they told her all that had taken place . She listened to

° “ it all, and then began imploring Mother Friday, % % ’ ff forgive me Pardon me, the guilty one I ll O er ’ 11 thee a taper, and I never let friend or foe dishonor thee, mother ? Well, what do you think During the night, back came Mother Friday, and took the dust out Of that ’ woman s eyes, so that she was able to get about again . ’ a It s a great sin to dishonor Mother Frid y, combing 1 and spinning ﬂax, forsooth u Professor Max M ller, in his Contributions to the

Of Science Mythology (New York and Bombay, cites a tradition Of the as yet little known mythology f O the Mordvinians, a Finnish race inhabiting the mid dle Volga provinces of Russia . A woman who had i been working all day long on a Friday, bak ng bread for some orphan children, was taken up in a dream to

sun the , and when she was nearly exhausted, owing to

ff Of the e ects the heat, and to the rapidly increasing siz e of a piece of dough which she had put into her

' Chkai - mouth , she was accosted by , the large eyed

Mord vin e - sun god, who told her that she was being pun ished because she had baked bread for the orphans on a Friday . She was charged, moreover, to tell all

1 - R. R s on . A . R n T s. S . a t M uss a Fo k a e W. l , , i l l DAYS OF GOOD AND EVIL OMEN 277

“ wi the people so . But who ll be such a fool as to believe me ? asked the woman most disrespectfully . Thereupon Chkai placed his mark in scarlet and blue upon her forehead, an emblem which is thought to

Mord vin e bring luck . And after that the women were ul caref to bake no bread, nor to do any other work, on a Friday . It was a very early custom in England to appoint

Of Friday as the day for the execution criminals, and

r until recently the same was true in this count y, but ff ” through the persistent e orts of the Thirteen Club,

Of O Of New York, whose bject is the discouragement c Of ertain popular superstitions, the sixth day the week has been partially relieved Of the Odium of being ’ hangman s day in the United States . A writer of an inventive turn of mind has suggested that Friday ’ s unpopularity is partly owing to its being late in the week and money runs short to the poor . Of - Saturday being the close the week, and pay day as

i . well, there is no t me then to be superstitious Some modern writers have displayed a misguided zeal in the coll ection Of statistical evidence that Friday has been a most auspicious day in American history, and have cited among other events the surrender of Of li Burgoyne at Saratoga, and that Cornwal s at York

r ou . w town, as occu ring that day But ill such an argum ent appeal with success to English readers ? If 278 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE by general consent we should teach our children that Of Friday was the luckiest day the week, evidence in favor of this theory would no doubt rapidl y accum u n e w i u late, and the bel ef would soon be worth j st as l much as the O d one .

280 THE M AGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE

Of choice several pieces of bread, he always selects the best?

According to an early legend, the Teucri, or founders f O the Trojan race, on leaving the island of Crete to found a colony elsewhere, were instructed by an oracle to choose as a residence that place where they should

ﬁrst be attacked by the aborigines Of the country . On Of encamping for the night, a swarm mice appeared and gnawed the leathern thongs of their armor, and accord in gly they made that spot their home and erected a m 2 temple to Apollo S intheus, this title being derived from the word meaning a rat in the t c dialect . In ancient Troas mice were Objects of worship ; and

wr He raclid e s Pon ticus the Greek iter, , said that they were held especially sacred at Chrysa, a town famous

Of . Ham axit us for its temple Apollo At , too, mice were ? fed at the public expense Herodotus relates, on the f t B O . C . authority cer ain priests, that when in the year 699 Egypt was invaded by an Assyrian army under

Sennacherib, it was revealed in a vision to the Egyptian

S e tho n king, , that he should receive assistance from the gods . And on the eve of an expected battle the camp

ﬁe ld - of the Assyrians was attacked by a legion of mice, who destroyed their quivers and bows, so that, being

1 Fr . No e l D ct on n a re d e la a ble . , i i i f 2 ’ Dan e D cti n r o r e a n R n A 0 . t s o a G e k d oma n t t . L n n 1 i y f iqui ie s o d o , 7 0 1 An d r Lan u tom an d M t . e w g, C s y h SUPERSTITIOUS DEALINGS WITH ANIM AL S 281

dis without serviceable weapons, the invaders ﬂed in

on ui r Of may the ens ng morning . And in memo y this

Of Se th on fabulous event a stone statue King , bearing a

Of mouse in his hand, was erected in the temple Vulcan

: at Memphis, with this inscription Whoever looks on m hi . me, let revere the Gods i Cicero, in his treat se on Divination, while comment ing on the absurdity Of the prevalent belief in pro di ie s g , remarked that, if reliance were to be placed in O Of k n O mens this i d, he ught naturally to tremble for mi the safety of the Commonwealth, because ce had recently nibbled a copy of Plato’ s Republic ” in his library . Pliny wrote that rats foretold the Marsian 89 B . C . war, , by destroying silver shields and bucklers

Lavin ium at , an ancient city near Rome ; and that they Of also prognosticated the death the Roman general,

- - Carbo, by eating his hose garters and shoe strings at

Clusium, the modern Chiusi, in Etruria . The same “ ” Of writer, in the eighth book his Natural History, i devotes a short chapter to an enumerat on of instances, ul Of fab ous or historical, in which the inhabitants several cities Of the Roman Empir e were driven from

t l . their homes by noxious animals, rep i es, and insects

He states, on the authority of the Greek moralist, Theo 2 phrast us (B . 0 . 37 that the natives Of the island

G aros Of of y , one the Cyclades, were forced to abandon wi Of their homes o ng to the ravages rats and mice, which 282 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE i d devoured everyth ng they could ﬁnd, even inclu ing iron substances . When the Philistines took the ark Of the Lord from Of 1 the camp the Israelites, as recorded in Samuel iv . , a plague Of mice was sent to devastate their lands ; t whereupon the Philistines re urned the ark, together

- with a trespass offering, which included ﬁve golden i mice, as an atonement for the r sacrilegious act . In mediaeval legendary lore rats ﬁgure not un fre quently as avengers . The Polish king, Popiel II . , who 820 ascended the throne in the year , rendered himself

O his bnoxious to subjects by his immorality and tyranny, i and, accord ng to tradition, Heaven sent against him a

l Of . mu titude rats, which pursued him constantly The king and his family sought refuge in a castle Situated l on an island in the midd e of Lake Goplo, on the Prus sian frontier . But the rats ﬁnally invaded this strong hold and devoured the king and all belonging to him .

970 . Again , in the year , so runs the legend, Hatto II , u Archbishop of Mayence, who had made himself hatef l to his people on account Of his avarice and cruelty dur

Of ing a season famine, was informed by one of his servants that a vast multitude of rats were advancing along the roads leading to the palace . The bishop betook himself at once to a tower in the middl e Of the “ ” Rhine, near Bingen , still known as the Mouse Tower, where he sought safety from his pursuers . But the

284 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE ment Of vermin and insects as instruments Of ven

e an ce dl g ; and we need har y wonder that, conversely, people in Olden times shoul d avail themselves Of super natural methods in order to protect themselves or their property from the ravages Of these noxious creatures . In Mexico rats were anciently the Objects of super stitious regard, for they were credited with possessing a keen insight in to the characters Of all members Of a

ﬂa household, and were wont publicly to announce grant breaches Of morality on the part Of such members

n Of t by gnawi g various articles domes ic furniture, such as mats and baskets . It does not appear, however, that the rodents were sagacious enough to indicate the individual whose conduct had aroused their dis pleasure . The Mexicans had also a superstition that whoever partook of food which had been gnawed by rats would be falsely accused Of some wrong-doing?

S II . PIRITS A S SUM E THE FORM S O F B L A CK A NIM A LS

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 approval by ecclesiastical “ . his Of authority Reginald Scot, in Discovery Witch

1 Journa o A - l x me r can F L . . o k ore vo . . No 39 2 4 . 18 . l f i l , , p 7 97 SUPERSTITIOUS DEALINGS WITH ANIMALS 285

Of craft, says that, according to the testimony reliable r Of authors, spi its were wont to take the forms animals, and especially of horses, dogs, swine, goats, and hares .

i Of They also appeared in the gu se crows and owls, but took the most delight in the likenesses Of snakes and dragons . Bewitched animals were usually Of a black color . A black cat is the traditional companion or familiar of witches the world over, and the black dog is also associated with sorcery in the folk-lore of some lands . Among the Slavs the black demon Ce rn abog has this form, and the black hen is a common devil

- m a . i sy bol in medi eval witch lore The gyps es believe,

su e rn at ﬂ moreover, that black horses are gifted with a p ural sight, which enables them to see beings invisible ? to the eye Of man Black animals ﬁgure prominently

f . in many legends O the dark ages Thus the Devil, in the form of a black horse, disturbed a congregation which had gathered to listen to a sermon delivered by

St . Peter of Verona in the thirteenth century, but was ? put to ﬂight by the sign Of the cross Among birds the crow is considered an ominous creature in some o countries, and in northeast Scotland is always ass ” 3 i t e d . c a with the black airt The raven , too, is tra ’ d ition all y portentous, and is sometimes called the Devil s

1 l ’ Le an d s Gyp sy S orc ery . 2 ’ Br e we r s Diction ary of M iracles. 3 l o r N tes on the Fo k-Lore o the Northeast R v r re M . A . o e . Wa te G g , , l f o t an d f S co l . 286 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE bird ; its plumage is said to have been changed from white to black on account of its disobedience? In Swedish legend the magpie shares the evil reputation “ Of the raven and crow, and is characterized as a ’ mystic bird, a downright witches bird, belonging to ” 2 the Devil and the other powers Of the night .

Kir his Of The g , a nomadic people Turkestan , are very superstitious in regard to the magpie, and note with care the direction whence the sound Of its cry is i heard . If from the north, it portends ev l ; from the south, a remarkable occurrence ; from the east, it mi Of denotes the co ng guests ; and from the west, a journey ?

The Rev . Alexander Stewart, in his Nether Loch ” aber, deprecates as unreasonable the universal distrust of the magpie . It seems probably that this is due less to its color than to certain other characteristics ; for the magpie is a conﬁrmed mimic and kleptomaniac, and of exceeding slyness withal .

Apropos of crows as foreboders, whether of good or

Of evil, an amusing story is told a man who wished to test for himself the truth or falsity of a popular belief that seeing a couple Of crows in the early mornin g is a di sign Of good luck . He therefore rected his servant

1 Hul m e Na tura H stor Lor e a n d Le e n d . 241 . , l i y g , p 2 Tho r e . . 84 . p , ii p 2 h u r Turke tan . 30. Sc yle , s , p

288 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE

In the endeavor to justify the employm ent Of radical measures against vermin, some curious questions Of ’ n casuistry were involved . Rats and mice bei g God s t creatures, one ought not to take heir lives. But it ’ was considered entirely proper to drive them Off one s own domain, while recommending as preferable the l - l l f wel stocked ce lar of a neighbor . Formu ae O exor cism , or sentences containing warnings to depart, were t writ en on scraps of paper, which were then well

l lit r greased and rol ed into tle balls, or w apped about

- ? poisoned edibles, and placed in the rat holes Conjurations Of vermin were usually in the name Of f . O St Gertrude, the ﬁrst abbess Nivelle in Belgium , Of and also the patron saint travelers and cats, and protectress against the ravages of the smaller rodents .

The Spanish ecclesiastic, Martin Azpilcueta, sur s named Navarre, stated that when rats were exorci ed, it was customary to banish them formally from the territory Of Spain ; and the creatures would then pro oecd to the seashore and swim to some remote island, where they made their home .

The public records of Hameln , in the kingdom of 1284 Hannover, state that in the year a stranger, in t gay and fantastic at ire, visited the town and pro

- Of ri claimed himself a professional rat catcher, fe ng for a consideration to rid the place Of the vermin which

1 E. Ro an d Faun e o u a re d e la Fra n ce . ar s 18 77 . ll , p p l i P i , SUPERSTITIOUS DEALINGS WITH ANIM ALS 289

his infested it . The townsfolk having agreed to pro

his posal, the stranger began to play a tune upon pipe, whereupon the rats emerged in swarms from their

- hiding places and followed him to the river Weser, where they were all drowned . The people Of Hameln now repented Of their bargain and refused to pay the l d ful amount agreed upon , for the allege reason that the rats had been driven away by the aid of sorcery .

In revenge for this, the piper played the same tune

di r Of on the next day, and imme ately all the child en the town followed him to a cavern in the side Of a ll neighboring hi , called the Koppenberg . The piper and the children entered the cavern , which closed after them ; and in remembrance Of this tragic event several memorials are to be seen in Hameln . Indeed, some writers maintain that the legend has an historical foun dation, and such appears to have been the Opin ion of the townspeople, inasmuch as for years afterwards pub lic and legal documents were dated from the mournful occurrence . ld An O tradition says that mice originally fell upon

- the earth from the clouds during a thunder storm, and hence these animals are emblematic Of storms ; they are also mystical creatures, and have a relationship with

Donar, Wodan , and Frigg . In Bavaria profanity is

Of thought to increase the number mice in a dwelling, and their appearance in the fields in large numbers indi 290 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE ? cates war, pestilence, or famine Bohemian peasants are wont to make a certain provision for these e lfi sh rodents ; on Christmas Eve and on the first holiday

Of the year, whatever food remains from the midday meal is thrown upon the barn ﬂoor, and the follow : 0 ing sentence is repeated mice, eat these rem nants and leave the grain in peace %” On Christmas l k Eve, a so, peas are placed in heaps, shaped li e a cross, Of - in the four corners a mouse infested room, lest the vermin get the upper hand and the premises be overrun . In eastern Prussia, when the harvest is gathered, the last sheaf of corn is left standing in the

a ﬁeld, while the peas nts surround it and sing a hymn as an incantation against future devastation Of their

v lands by rats or mice . Or, when the corn is har ested, three inverted sheaves are ﬁxed upon the barn ﬂoor for a like purpose ?

According to a Bohemian legend, the mouse was

i l Of orig nal y a creation the Devil, at the time when Of Noah entered the Ark, attended by the members his family and followed by a numerous retinue Of animals . i The Dev l, so runs the tale, hated the patriarch for his wi piety, and th evil intent created the mouse, whom he

Of sent to gnaw a hole in the side the Ark, through which the water might enter . But God then created

1 Wu k . 1 1 t t e 8 . , p 2 Wut tk 276. e , p .

292 THE M AGIC OF THE HORSE- SHOE

w Vin ca called peri inkle, of the botanical genus , as a charm again st snakes and wild animals?

A RM S A A IV . C H G INST ANIMAL S As il lustrative 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

a serpents, various magic formul e inscribed upon strips of papyrus, which were rolled up and worn as talis

Of m ans . A specimen such an one is to be seen among the Egyptian manuscripts in the Louvre collection . The following is a translation of a portion of one of

aid these incantations, which invokes the of a god to protect the bearer against wild animals and reptiles

C om e t o m e O o o f o s r e far rom m e the o , L rd G d , d iv f li ns com n om th e e r h th e roc o e su n rom the r e i g fr a t , c dil s is i g f iv r, ? th e m outh of all bitin g r e ptile s coming out of the ir h ole s Pliny recommended a particular herb as an amulet against serpents and vipers . This herb, to which he gives no less than ﬁve Latin names, appears to be iden tical with the A n chusa Oﬁ cin a lis of modern pharma cO oeias ox - p , the bugloss or tongue of southern Europe, a plant now seldom used in therapeutics .

1 Le e ch Wortcun n in a n d S tarcra t e d t e d b h R d oms t e . Oswa , g, f , i y e v ld

Cockayn e . 2 Fran c s Le n orman t Cha d ean M a ic an d S orc . i , l g ery SUPERSTITIOUS DEALINGS WITH ANIMALS 293 The Grecians also were doubtless addicted to the

Of superstitious use charms against animals, although there is good authority for the statement that the citi zens of ancient Athens did not hesitate on occasion to

n accelerate the ﬂight of omi ous creatures, as cats and ” the like, by throwing stones or other handy missiles at them in the night, a method wholly mundane and natural ? And in this connection we may quote the

O . his pinion of the Rev Father Pierre Le Brun, in Histoire critique des pratiques superstitieuses (Am st e rd am , The learned writer remarks that, if it ’ were desired to drive a strange dog out of one s room , it would be quite unsuitable to begin with prayer and the use of holy water . One should rather ﬁrst Open

Or w the door and take hold of a stick, thro some food if t outside and these and other prac ical measures fail ,

had then recourse may be to supernatural expedients, provided these have ecclesiastical sanction .

savan t In a treatise against superstition by a French , 1650 Martin of Arles, published in , it was stated that the friars of the monastery of Ardennes were wont to

r boast that no rats could thrive in thei neighborhood, and that this fact was due to the merits of St . Ulric,

Bishop of Augsburg, some of whose relics were de in posited their church . In this monastery also it had been formerly customary to scat ter crumbs Of bread

1 Fran c s R u A o s rch lo Att . on on 1 . i , aeo gice icas L d , 635 294 THE M AGIC OF THE HORSE- SHOE which had been blessed, in places infested by vermin , and the monks believed that this procedure either caused the death of the animals or frightened them away . Thuringian houses are sometimes cleared of rats in the follo win g manner : Before sunrise on Good Friday

n Of morni g, the master the house, barefooted and in

- his shirt sleeves, goes through every room blowing on a ’ tiny whistle made out Of the thigh bone of a rat s hind leg? Another curious method of expelling vermin from a dwelling is in vogue in some portions of the

Austrian Empire . Before the dawn of a principal feast

Old day, one must take an shoe which has not been recently cleaned, and lay it on the ground at a place where two roads cross . NO word must meanwhile be P a tern oster re spoken aloud, but a is to be silently hi i pe at e d . The direction in w ch the shoe points ind cates the course to be taken by the rats in their ﬂight?

Of t In the vil lage Bechlin , a few miles nor h of Prague, troublesome mice are thus dealt with : Very early on an Easter Sunday morning, before the bells have rung

r an d for the ﬁ st Mass, the peasant matron collects

- fastens together all the house keys . Then she waits until the ﬁrst stroke of the bell for High Mass at noon , whereupon she proceeds to the cellar, meanwhile jin

1 rohm an n A o o S m n theus . 60. G , p ll i , p 2 n Aber aube n vol . . . 59 . Grohman , gl , i p

296 THE M AGIC OF THE HORSE- SHOE

- r un The mountain ash, or rowan tree (the Scotch o tr e e ) , is thought to have derived its name from the r un a a Latin word , an inc ntation , because of its employ ment in magical arts . Woe to the witch who is touched by a branch of this tree in the hand Of a christened man 1 Much has been written concerning the folk-lore Of the mountain ash, and it is indeed a powerful rival

- of the horse shoe in its talismanic virtues, though not

- as a luck bringer . But for the protection Of cattle from the incursions

Of - witches, not even the horse shoe may assume to usurp ’ f . O the rowan s prestige Branches this favorite tree, when hung over the stalls of cows or wreathed about their horns, are potent to avert the evil glances or

Of i . contact, whether witches or malicious fa ries And their efficacy is enhanced if the farmer is careful to repeat at regul ar intervals the following fervent peti tion

From che s an d z r s an d on - a e uz zar s Wit Wi a d , l g t il d B d , an d c re e n h n s h r un in he e - o om oo or pi g t i g t at dg b tt s, g d L d, de live r us %

am ie son J , in his Scottish Dictionary, remarks that this practice of twining the rowan about the horns Of cows bears a certain resemblance to an ancient custom

P a lilia of the Romans in their , or feast celebrated at

1 - Re . Hil d ri Fr n L v e c e d Fl owers a nd Fl wer or . 554 i , o e, p . SUPERSTITIOUS DEALINGS WITH ANIMALS 297 the end of April, whose object was the preservation of the ﬂocks . He says

Th he he r in or e r t o ur his she e was in h e e S p d, d p ify p , t dusk of the e ve n in g t o be de w the gr oun d ar oun d the m with we t r n ch he n t o or n th e o w th e v e an d r e e n a b a , t ad f ld i l a s g n n d t o co e r th oor with ar n br a che s a v e d g la ds .

In China it is customary for the Taouist priests to perform certain magical rites on the completion of a

Of n new pigsty, and before the admission the a imd s to their new quarters . An altar is erected in honor Of

— — - the Chu Lan Too Tee, or genii of pigsties, and the walls Of the compartments Of the sty are adorned with strips of red paper, upon which are Chinese characters, “ i Of signify ng, Let the enemies horses, cows, sheep, ” 1 fowls, dogs, and pigs be appeased .

M A GES OF AN M A L S AND B RD S S ED A S C HAR M S V . I I I U

The belief that cities or te ams may be protected from a Or the incursions of noxious nimals, birds, insects, by an image or ﬁgure representing one of these creatures, is of great antiquity . This seems to be on the princi hi “ ” hom o at c l . ple of the p doctrine, Like cures ike A homely illustration of the same idea is afforded by the shrewd farmer who hangs up a dead crow in his cornﬁeld to protect the crops . On the other hand, the

Mizauld eccentric French writer, Antoine , recommended

1 hn e n r r . . n H M A . LL D a . 1 . o G a . Ch 69 J y y, , , i , p 298 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE the following as an effective charm for attracting a large number Of crows to one spot : As soon as the l constel ation of the Virgin rises above the horizon, the ﬁgure of a half crow is to be painted on a piece of “ cloth, while these words are repeated Let no crow in all this district move away without coming to this ” image , in whatever spot it may be buried . The piece u of cloth, with its magical ﬁg re, is then interred and the charm is complete?

Apollonius of Tyana in Cappadocia, the philosopher and pretended magician of the ﬁrst century, is said to have freed Antioch from scorpions and ﬂies by means

Of . the brazen image of a scorpion The French bishop,

Gregory of Tours, mentions an ancient popular belief that no serpents or dormice were to be seen in Paris .

In his time, however, or toward the close of the sixth

v century, while workmen were remo ing the mud which covered one of the arches of the Bridge of Paris, they found imbedded therein two brazen images of a serpent and dormouse, which were taken away ; and thence forth , he says, the city was infested by prodigious numbers of dormice and snakes . In Jean Baptiste ’ Thie rs s treatise on Superstitions (Paris, we ﬁnd allusion to a serpent of brass at Constantinople, which long served as a talisman to bar the entrance of living serpents . But when the city was captured by Maho

1 Mart n Fre d e r ck Blumbe r A H stor o Amu t i i , i y f le s.

300 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE- SHOE

Of all ﬂe shl sole use herbs, not only to cure y ills, but to drive away or keep at a distance wolves, leopards, and all venomous wild beasts?

i . B In Tibet, accord ng to L Austine Waddell, M . . , ferocious m astitis are permitted to roam at large in the night, a source of terror to wayfarers, who therefore carry about charms consisting of “ the picture of a dog muzzled and fettered by a chain , terminated by the - u mystic and all powerf l thunderbolt sceptre, while ’ along the dog s body are written certain Sanskrit mag ical sentences ?

SE VI . WORD S U D AS C HARM S The English word charm is derived from the Latin ar m en c , a verse ; and the magical potency of a sentence used as a charm was believed to rest in the words them selves, and not in the person who uttered them . In the Opinion of the cabalistic magicians of the Middle Of Of Ages, the power a charm words depended upon its being unintelligible .

Varius B . C . The Latin poet, , wrote in the ﬁrst century

Old that women, by the sole use of words as charms, were able not only to restrain and subjugate wild ani al u mals and serpents, but so to drive away noxio s crea

n tur es an d vermi . Few early writers allude to this

1 - R chard Folkar d r . an t Lore . 160. i , J , Pl , p 2 The Bud d h sm o T bet i f i . SUPERSTITIOUS DEALINGS WITH ANIM AL S 301 hi practice, w ch appears, however, to have been much in vogue in different countries towards the close Of the i mediae val period . The Swiss theolog an, Felix Ham me rl e in (1389 wrote of a peasant living near i Zurich who was able, by repeating a mag c formula, to i rid infested premises of adders, vipers, l zards, and other reptiles 1 and in some parts of Normandy it was ‘ a custom formerly to place small roll s of hay un d e r the fruit trees . The hay was then set on ﬁre by means Of i torches carried by young ch ldren, who repeated “ hi : ll meanw le Mice, caterpi ars, and moles, get out of my ﬁeld ; I will burn your beard and your bones ; trees ” and shrubs, give me three bushels of apples . Hamp son remarks that this incantation somewhat resembles one employed by the ancient Grecians against beetles, whom they held responsible for the destruction Of their “ i l : corn . These mag cal ines are thus translated Fly, ” 2 beetles, the ravenous wolf pursues you . It was currently reported among the ancients that l the famous phi osopher, Pythagoras, not only possessed the faculty of predicting storms and earthquakes, but that he had by a magical word been enabled to tame

Daun ian a bear, and had also prevented an ox from eating beans by whispering in his ear ?

1 T Na he t on . Jun e 15 18 i , 66 . 2 R. T . Ham son M E vi n a l b W. e Ka e d um. e e a so art c e p , dii l ri S , , i l y

N e l i - W. e w l n J ou n a r o Ame r can F l L e ol . . NO . 14 . l f i o k or , v v 2 ’ An thon s C ass ca D t n l i l ic io ary. 302 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE—SHOE

Mizauld astrolo Antoine , the French physician and f ger, a ﬁrmed that, according to Ptolemy, in order to drive away serpents, one should prepare a talisman by engraving the ﬁgure of two serpents upon a square piece Of copper and pronouncing a charm of words as foll ows : With this image I forbid serpents to harm m any one, and com and them to leave the place where it ”

l . sha l be buried In like manner, says the same author ity, to expel rats and mice, one has only to represent an image of one of these creatures upon a piece of tin or copper, and at the proper time, as determined by

r . astrology, command them to depa t

In order to expel snakes, insects, and vermin from

in their dwell gs, the Bulgarian women of Turkey, on the last day of February, endeavor to frighten the creatures by beating copper vessels all over the house, hi w le shouting, Out with you, snakes, scorpions, ﬂies, ” u % Of l b gs, and ﬂeas One the vesse s is then taken

n - i to the court yard, the pests being expected to follow

. Se rfo Of it And in , an island the Grecian archi Of pelago, at the commencement the vintage a bunch of grapes is thrown into each house to expel the ver

: min, while this formula is repeated The black grape will sicken you the black grape will poison you %Out 1 with you, rats and ﬂeas

In Albania, when locusts or cockchafers devastate the

1 Garn e tt 340 . , p .

304 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE

as wax O e e the ﬁr e an d ﬁre O e e e r Obe y m e , b y th , as b y th wat , n he r Ch r s n as ce r th at th ou ne ith e r hurt m e n or a y ot i tia , f an m cu e Vir in e in wh ch t ain ly as God was born O im a lat g , i omin e P a tr is e t F ilii e t S iri re spe ct I take the e up . I n N p O h e r w e O e r n ho m s o e t us S an cti. t is , v mi e, t u u t c m as ” 1 G od c am e un to th e Je ws .

When a Turk chances to encounter a serpent, he is f - wont to invoke the aid O Chah Miran , the serpent hi s king, and in the name of t s deity he bid the reptile

- depart . Now Chah Miran has long been dead, but the astute Turk reasons that serpents are not aware of this fact, for, if they were, the human race would be helpless against their attacks ?

Of As preservatives from the stings insects, and to prevent the croaking of frogs, the Moslems use scraps

n a of paper containi g magical formul e, or sentences from the Koran engraved on stones or pieces of metal 3 and a method formerly in vogue in France, to protect pigeons from the incursions of scorpions, consisted in writing the word Adam ” on each of the four walls

- 4 Of the pigeon house .

Of - The natives Mirzapur, in cases of scorpion bite, recite a charm meaning as follows : Black scorpion l of the imestone, green thy tail and black thy mouth,

1 ’ S o s Disc v t c t o erie of Wi chcraft . 2 T - F L t v l . ul . he o k or is o . 18 l , i J y, 93 2 W lliam on s Cre u t a t a n e es s d Pr s n t. i J , d li i P e e 2 . B . Th e rs Tra t d es su erst tion s. J i , i é p i SUPERSTITIOUS DEALINGS WITH ANIMALS 305

God orders thee to go home . Come out, scorpion , at %” 1 l . the spel Come out, come out The following charm against insects is in vogue in Lesbos : In the evening a black-handl ed knife is stuck in some spot where the insects congregate, and certain hi l Greek verses are repeated, of w ch the fo lowing is a t ranslation

ot t hre e n au ht ba r n s t o e th e r I g g y i g , On e a was o n e c at e r ar p, pill , r An d a sw ar m in g an t the othe . ’ ’ What e e r e e at whate e r e r n k y , y d i ,

He n ce , he n ce avaun t ,

TO he h l s an m oun t ain s ﬂ e t il d e ,

An d un t o e ach fruitle ss tr e e .

The knife is to remain in the same spot until the next morning, and is then to be removed . This com pletes the charm, and the insects are expected to depart at once ? In Great Britain there formerly prevail ed a belief that rats could be rhymed to death by anathematizing them in metrical verse, a practice mentioned by Shake speare and contemporary poets, and which is even ? to-day not wholly obsolete

In southern Germany, during the campaigns of Napo I leon . , mice with inked feet were placed upon the map

1 - W. C rook . A . e B N t I n a n F L . , , or h d i olk ore 2 Fol - k Lor e . Jun e , 1 896 . 2 W. - N u . W. e we Jo F L o 16 . 1892 ll , rn a l of American olk ore , N . 306 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE of Europe, and their tracks were held to foretell the routes by which the French soldiers woul d advance?

i n The H ndus consider the rat to be a sacred a imal, and among the lower classes of the natives of western India it is thought unlucky to call a rat by his own ” 2 Of him - name, so they speak as the rat uncle .

S ERST T O S D E VII . UP I I U A L INGS WITH WILD A NIM A LS

In encountering a wild animal, the ancients deemed it a matter of great importance that a man should see the beast before the latte r was aware of a human pre sence . If a wolf, for example, first perceived the man, the brute was master of the situation , and the man was t bereft alike of speech and streng h whereas the wolf, if first seen by the man, became an easy prey . The side from which a wild beast approached was also of G moment . Thus the eoponica warned its readers not to allow a hyena to approach from the right side, lest one be rendered motionless by the fascination of its presence ; but if it appeared on the left side, the animal might be attacked with confidence . Various wonderful tal es are current among the na tive s Of Senegambia, and other districts of western

i . Africa, regard ng the lion This noble animal, it is said, forbears to attack a man who salutes him with a

1 - D C on wa D emon o o an d D e v Lore . M . . y, l gy il 2 N on the S r t Bas s o B e n m e s M . C am be l otes e a d Custom. Ja p l , p i i i f li f

308 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE- SHOE spread ; for not alone in Afr ican j ungles does this form of superstition prevail : it is found among civilized ul people as well, and more partic arly in southern lands ;

u . indeed, wherever venomous creat res abound In a collection Of amulets belonging to Professor Joseph

B e l ucci i , of Perug a, Italy, which was exhibited at the 1891 Paris Exposition, , were a number of perforated stones and other objects used by Italians as charms to protect the bearer against the bite Of serpents and reptiles?

L EGA L ROS E T N OF AN M A L S VIII . P C U IO I

Legal proceedin gs were formerly instituted against

i r verm n, who were thus t eated 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 com i i m un t e s . from their depredations Thus rats and mice, u and also b lls, oxen , cows, and mares ; sheep, goats, l pigs, and dogs ; moles, leeches, caterpil ars, and various r i ? ept les, were liable to punishment by legal process The Roman Catholic Church claimed full power to i anathematize all an mate and inanimate things, found ing its authority on the Scriptural precedents of the malediction pronounced on the serpent in the garden

1 A n - l o a F L . 1 . 18 1 Journ a mer c o k or e NO 3 9 . f i l , 2 L . L n n e ur os t d t . P r s 1847 . ala , C i i és es trad i ion s a i , SUPERSTITIOUS DEALINGS WITH ANIMALS 309

i ﬁ - of Eden, and the curs ng of the barren g tree by our Lord? The belief in the moral responsibility of ani mals was also thought to be warranted by the old 5 Mosaic law as declared in Genesis ix .

A n d sure ly your blood of your live s will I re quir e ; at t he h an of e e r e s w l I e the h of d v y b a t i l r quire it, and at and

m an . 2 Also in Exodus m i. 8

If an ox ore m an or om h he d ie : h e n the g a a w an, t at t y t Ox sha be ure s on e an d his e h h l n ot be e e ll s ly t d, ﬂ s s al at n ; h wn r f h x l but t e o e o t e o shal be quit .

Of i In the Code the Spartan lawg ver, Lycurgus, and in that of the Athenian legislator, Draco, provision was made for the formal trial of animals for misdemeanors ? A vestige of the unreasonable belief that brutes and even inanimate Objects were accountable for their ao tions is to be found in that now Obsolete term Of Eng d e o d an d lish law, , meaning, according to Blackstone, a personal chattel which was the im mediate cause of Of u the death a rational creat re, and for that reason given to God ; that is, forfeited to the Crown to be ” applied to pious uses . The d eod an d was of Grecian w ancestry, as appears from the ceremonies connected ith ff f the O ering O a sacriﬁce by the Athenians . When the animal or victim had been dispatched by an axe in the

1 E. . Evan s At an t c M on th vol . 54 . 1884 . P , l i ly, 2 L A n ma ls. W . an d e r L n D n t L . M n d i he ower i dsay, M . , i i 310 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE- SHOE

s Of hand of the ﬁciating priest, the latter imme

ﬂed, and to evade arrest he threw away the axe . This instrument was then seized by his pursuers, and an action entered against it . The advocate for the axe pleaded that it was less guilty than the grinder who sharpened it the grinder laid the blame on the grind stone which he had used ; and thus the whole process becam e a farce and a mockery of justice?

n We learn from the writings of the Benedicti e monk,

Leonard Vair, that in certain districts of Spain, in the t a ﬁf eenth century, when the inhabit nts wished to drive away grasshoppers or noxious vermin , they chose a conjurer as judge and appointed counsel for the d e i fendants, with a prosecut ng attorney, who demanded justice in behalf of the aggrieved community . The - ui mischief makers were ﬁnally declared g lty, and either l 2 duly anathematized or forma ly excommunicated, the technical distin ction between the two sentences being doubtless to them a matt er Of profound indifference . i il At th s period, also, prosecutions of pigs or sows gu ty u of devouring youn g infants were not ncommon .

e e Chassan e ux Barth l my , a famous French advocate t i of the six eenth century, ﬁrst won d stinction by the originality Of his pleas in defense of some rats in a notable trial at Autun . He represented to the judge

’ 1 B r e t an ie M y hology . 2 B T . . Th e rs ra té d es su erst t on s. J i , i p i i

THE LUCK OF ODD NUMBERS

“ ’ ’ u k in O um r R r O M or . For th e re s l c d d n be s, says o y e

SAMUEL LOVER.

I . EARLY S IGNIFI CANCE OF NUM B ERS

” IN the Cabala, or ancient mystic philosophy of the Jews, much importance is attributed to the com

t . Ao bination of cer ain numbers, letters, and words di e cor ng to one tradition , the earli st Cabala was given by the angel Raziel to Adam, and orally transmitted il through generations unt the time of Solomon, by di whom it was ﬁrst embo ed in written form . Another report alleges that the cabalistic secrets of nature were received from God by Moses in the Mount, and after wards taught to Joshua, who communicated them to the seventy elders, and they have since been treasured by i the init ated among the Jews . di Of Accor ng to the doctrine the Pythagoreans, the unit or monad was regarded as the father of Numbers, while the duad, or two, was its mother ; and thus is explained one source of the general predilection for Od d numbers, the father being esteemed worthy of Odd greater honor than the mother, and the numbers THE LUCK OF OD D NUMBERS 313

n . being masculine, while the even numbers were femini e u Moreover, the unit, being the origin of all n mbers, i represented Divinity, as God was the creator and orig nator of all things? It was also the symbol of Har mony and Order , whereas the duad signiﬁed Confusion and Disorder, and represented the Devil . Plutarch remarks in his “ Roman Questions that m the beginning of nu ber, or unity, is a divine thing ;

Of whereas the first the even numbers, Deuz or Deuce, is directly opposite in character . As for the even number, said this writer, it is defective, imperfect, and Odd indefinite ; whereas the uneven or number is finite, complete, and absolute . The belief in the lucky significance of Odd numbers Of is great antiquity, and reference to it is made by i Virg l in the eighth Eclogue, and by Pliny, who com

i O e x la ments on its prevalence in his t me, but ffers no p

t . i na ion therefor The Roman k ng, Numa Pompilius, is said to have added days to certain months in order to make an odd number .

a It is related, moreover, that the Emperor Julius C esar 1 B . 00 ( . 0 having once been thrown out of his chariot through some mishap, refused thereafter to set out upon a drive or journey until he had thrice repeated a magic formul a ; and this practice appears to have ? been commonly in vogue i n those days

1 Re l D D . v . G . O ve r . T t a n T n he h orea r a e . i , , Py g i gl 2 P n Natura Hist ok li y, l ory, bo xxv iii . 314 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE- SHOE The persistency of a traditional belief is exempliﬁed by the modern association Of luck with uneven numbers ; and probably the Goddess Fortune herself preferred a

- three legged stool . However this may be, it is evident that the legions of her worshipers to-day are ﬁrmly Of convinced the mystic charm inherent in triplets .

The Chinese pagodas, or sacred towers, built by devout persons with the Object of improving the luck of a

Odd neighborhood, have always an number of stories, ? being from three to thirteen ﬂoors high In Siam,

s in al o, this superstition holds universal sway, and its ﬂue n ce in the construction of buildings is especiall y n oticeable ; for the Siamese religiously adhere to Odd m nu bers in architecture, and every house must have an uneven number of rooms, windows, and doors each ? stair case must have an uneven number Of steps In the early literatur e and mythology Of the Northern nations much importance was attached to the numbers

r th ee and nine, which were held especially sacred and l dear to the gods . This fact is shown in their re igious t ceremonies, and more par icularly in their sacriﬁces, ﬁ i . wh ch occurred every ninth month Each sacri ce, moreover, lasted nine days, and each day nine victims, ? i Of whether men or an mals, were fered up

1 C en tury Diction ary . 2 T n n d o e o S a m vol . . . K d om a e Sir ohn Bowr n F. R. S he P J i g, , i g p l f i , i p . 139 . 2 ’ n t u t es . 1 12. Malle t s Northern A iq i i , p

316 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE

Thre e thin gs which a villain is n ot at libe rty t o sell with

m ss on Of his or a or se sw n e an d h on e . T r e e out pe r i i l d ; h , i , y h thin gs n ot t o b e paid for though lost in a lodgin g-h ouse ; a

n e swor an d o se r . The re ar e hre e n m s wh ose k if , a d, tr u s t a i al a s e s an d e Of the s m e wor h cal for t il , ey , liv s are a t ; a f, a ﬁlly c om m on wor h an d e x n the cat h sh l ch t , a cat, cepti g t at a l wat ’ the kin g s barn .

l Among the ancient Irish, a so, considerable impor tance was attached to the number three . Thus we read that among the household Ofﬁcials of the High King of Erin were three royal jugglers, three jesters, three

n head charioteers, three equerries, three swi eherds ,

- three janitors, and three drink bearers . Multiples Of the mystic number three were much em

n a ployed by witches in their i cant tions, and they are

n even now favorites with the Chinese, who have a sayi g t that one produced two and two produced hree, while three produced all things . This partiality is illustrated di Of in the mensions of the Temple Heaven in Pekin , where three and nine constantly recur . ” In a book entitled Varieties, by David Person

surve i h Of (London , being a g rare and excellent matters, necessary and delectable for all sorts of per ” sons, the author comments at some length on the sig n iﬁcan ce of certain triads . Among others he mentions i l three things inc dent to man , to fal into sin, which is human ; to rise out of it again, which is angelical ; THE LUCK OF ODD NUMBERS 317 hi and to lie in sin, w ch is diabolical . Again, three ul powerf enemies, the world, the ﬂesh, and the Devil, which constantly assail man, should be opposed by

ﬂicie n t i n . three e weapons, fast ng, prayer, and almsgivi g

An thro oso hia The om a Thomas Vaughan, in his p p ” Of n um gica, has much to say concerning the virtues “ “ bers . Every compound whatsoever, he says, is three ” in one and one in three . In speaking of a natural tri

licit p y, however, he does not wish to be understood as

r k -stuﬂ refer ing to itchen , those three pet principles,

Oil water, , and the earth, but to celestial hidden natures, ” known only to absolute magicians .

In Northumberland smooth holly leaves, gathered h - late on a Friday, are collected in a t ree cornered hand kerchief and carried home . Then nine of the leaves are tied into a handkerchief with nine knots, and ’ l -be n l placed under the wou d divi er s pil ow, and, as a l resu t, interesting revelations from dreamland are con l fid e n t . y anticipated In another magical ceremony, a maiden before retiring sets three pails of water on Of the floor her bedroom, and pins three holly leaves on her left breast . She will then, conformably to the popular belief, be awakened from her first nap by three

- loud yells, followed by three horse laughs, whereupon the form of her future husband will be revealed to her? The supposed efﬁcacy of these rites doubtless de

1 Folkar d 377. , p . 318 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE

Of pends chieﬂy upon the use the magical holly, but the repetition of Od d numbers is also characteristic of charms, incantations, and mystic procedures in all ages and throughout the world .

THE N MB E III . U R 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

n nations, this number has been most promi ent, and to this fact may reasonably be attributed a portion Of the luck associated with Od d numbers in general . A com pl e t e enumeration of familiar examples of the use Of this favorite number, although germane to our subject, u wo ld be beyond the scope of this sketch, but a few instances may be appropriately given . The origin Of the respect accorded this number by

Of the nations antiquity was probably astronomical, or i O o more properly astrolog cal, and arose from their bs r vation Of the seven great planets and Of the lunar phases, changing every seventh day .

S a turn is ﬁrst n e xt J ove M a rs t h r d in ace , , i pl The S un in m h e n us r un s he r r a ce id st , ﬁft V , M e rcur s xt h M on owe st an d l ast in ban d y i , o l , ? The Plan e t s in this ra n k an d m an n e r st an d

1 Robe rt Vil vain of Exce st e r En chirid ium E i ra mma tum . 148 . 1654 . , , p g , p

320 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE have concluded that its prominence as a symbol is due to the emblematic signiﬁcance of its component parts, three and four ; the former representing Divinity, and “ : d be the latter Humanity in other wor s, the union f i tween God and man, as a fected by the manifestat ons ” 1 of the Divinity in creation and revelation .

t On In some por ions of a great work magic, dis f covered by Mr . A . H . Layard among fragments O clay tablets in the ruins of a palace in ancient Nineveh , are

ul a i many incantations, form e, and conjurations, in wh ch the number seven occurs repeatedl y ? As familiar instances Of the prominence Of this num ber in form er times may be cited the seven wise men

Of of Greece, the seven gates Thebes, and the legend of the seven sleepers of Ephesus . Other examples are given in the following seven Mi h l heroic verses sent by a certain Mr . c e burn to one

. : Mr Crisp, who owed the former seven shillings

’ Fr e n d Cr s se n d ou ve rse s o n se v n i i p , I y ly , ’ ’ n The um be r s Od , God n um be rs l ovs un e v n ’ ’ S e v n H l s at Rom e se v n m ou h f i i l , t s o N lus are , ’ ’ ’ S e v n sacr e d Ar t s the Wor d s se v n W n d r , l o e s r are , ’ ’ ’ The w e e k se v n d a s th e H n i , e av s se v n Trio n s show . ’ B ut o n e t h n r e st s se v n sh l n s ou m e o i g , i li g y w, ’ ’ Wh ch t h at o u 1 a se n r e ? i y p y, v Ve s s I be st ow

In ancient Ireland every well-to-do farmer had seven

1 ’ Sm th s D c t n r t “ o a o he B b e ar t . S e ve n i i i y f i l , . 2 F . Le n orm an t C ha d ean M a c a n S c , l gi d or ery . 2 En chirid ium E i ramma tum . 1 1 . p g , p 4 1654 . THE LUCK OF ODD NUM BERS 321

— a mi prime possessions, house, a ll or a share in it, a

- - l t . kiln, barn, sheep pen , ca f house, and pigs y The number seven appears more than three hundred times in the Scriptures . God created the world in six days and rested on the seventh, and throughout the

Old Testament, as well as in the Apocalypse, the con stant recurrence of this sacred number is noteworthy . Thus we read of the seven fat and seven lean kine of ’ Of Pharaoh s dream, and also, in the account the Fall of

Jericho (Joshua vi . And seven priests shall bear ’ before the ark seven trumpets Of rams horns : and the e seventh day ye shall compass the city sev n times, and ” the priests shall blow with the trumpets . dia di i According to a popular me eval tra t on, Adam and Eve remained but seven hours in Eden Seven archangels are mentioned in the Bible and in — M ichae l u Jewish writings, , who was the special g ar di Of an and protector the Jews, and in whose honor the Festival of Michaelmas is celebrated on the twenty ninth day of September by the Anglican and Roman Ga br ie l a Catholic churches ; , the messenger who p

e are d Ra ha e l p to the Virgin Mary and to Zacharias ; p , spoken of in the Book of Tobit as the companion and guardian of Tobias, and conqueror of the demon Ur ie l Of Asmodeus , an angel mentioned in the Book Chamue l Esdras ; , who, according to Jewish tradition, Jo hiel wrestled with Jacob p , who expelled Adam and 322 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE

“ e Eve from Eden, and who was the guardian of the tre Z ad kie l Of the knowledge of good and evil and , the angel who is supposed to have stayed the hand of Abraham when the latter was about to sacriﬁce his son Isaac? ’ Samson s strength resided in seven locks of his hair, Of representing the seven rays of Light, the source

Strength . And the shearing of these seven locks by

Delilah, a woman of low character, has been described as a triumph of Evil in suppressing Light ?

According to Herodotus, the Arabs of the desert had a peculiar method Of conﬁrming a vow Of friendship .

in Two men stood on either side of a third, who made

On cision s with a sharp stone the palms of their hands, and, having dipped in the blood therefrom some portion

Of of a garment each, he proceeded to moisten with it seven stones lying on the ground ? Of The age of the world, in the opinion learned

Of di men former times, was properly vided into seven ir st great epochs ; namely, the f , from the creation of

se con d Adam to the Deluge ; , from the latter event Of thir d to the time Abraham ; , from Abraham to the Of our th Exodus of the children Israel ; f , from that i ’ th time to the build ng of Solomon s Temple ﬁf , from

1 T . W n T u a he Won um v n . i , derf l N ber S e e 2 D . T S . an coast M . P he Ka bba a . 24 . , , l , p 7 2 Th Na t on a Re v e l 8 . e w vo . m i. . 1 1 3 i l i , p 99 . 9

324 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE

Of the ﬁfteenth century in which the seven canonical hours are compared with the seven periods Of human i l fe, as follows

M or n n n n c . i g, I fa y M id m o r row C h o o . , hild d Un e rn S c oo d , h l Age .

M id - the Kn h day, ig tly Age.

Non e s, or

H Noo the K n igh n , i gly Age . i v rn n E r M d o e oo e A e . , ld ly g ? E e n on e n A e v s , D clini g g

“ Of i In e n In the Secrets Numbers, by W lliam gp ,

Gent . (London, the number seven is described as the most excellent of all for several notable and curious reasons, and prominent among these was the alleged Of fact that the Soul consists seven parts, namely, Acu minie, Wit, Diligence , Counsel, Reason, Wisdom, and

Experience .

OD D N MB ERS IN HC A IV . U WITC R FT Odd numbers are intimately associated with the black ’ art, for witches incantations are commonly repeated thr ee Or nine times . Who ever heard of a witch per forming any Of her mystic rites exactly four or six times ? Apropos of this may be quoted the following story, taken from the advance sheets of a work entitled

1 Y ar Roun d vol . . 1870 . All the e , iii THE LUCK OF ODD NUMBERS 325

. A . Golspie, edited by Edward W . B . Nicholson, M , ’ x En Bodley s Librarian in the University of O ford, g land, and loaned by him to the writer . The book con tains much interesting folk-lore of the extreme north of Scotland

A wo m an wh o live d n e ar Golspie was always te llin g he r ne ighbor s that a wom an whom the y all be lie v e d t o b e a h r He r witch h ad cast an e vil e ye upon the cow an d e se lf . ” an d u e r e r e s o e she s an d sh e so o milk b tt w p il d, aid ; al t ld the m th at in a dre am sh e saw t he witch in th e sh ape of a har e

m n h r m -hou n r n h m n he co e i to e ilk se a d d i k t e ilk . O e day w n she was in th e oo for st c s h e r n e h or we n n to h e r w d i k , ig b s t i r e an d se e n e t co on n cut n um e r of crosse s by , i g a p t i at a ail, a b ’ i in Th n h ie n n r us on it an d put t the c ow s stall . e t e y t d i e ty n n n Th r h e t o n ails t o a cord with i e k ots on it. is co d t e y ti d ’ th e cha n on t he cow s n e c an d he n e n . Sh or i k, t w t away tly te r t he om n c m e h om e she we n n o th e r e an d se e af w a a , t i t by ,

in t he e coa n s e tc . r an out t o h e r n e h or scr e m g p tti t, ail , , ig b s a in an d c n t o he m t o o an d se e h th e i ch had g, alli g t g w at w t ’

on e on he r . To m e ure h was th e w ch s wor d ak s t at it it k, h m t h u sh e showe d t e e n e qua l n umbe r of n a ils an d kn ots . The n sh e took e ve r ythin g that she thought the witch h ad h an e an d m ﬁr e of he m s n h sh e c ou n o dl d, ade a t , ayi g t at ld on e r h arm an r so e c s he r owe r was e s ro e l g y pe n, b au e p d t y d r by ﬁ e .

The employment of Odd numbers in magical formul ae is exempliﬁed in the following recipe for a drink against all temptations of the Devil, used by the Saxons in England 326 THE M AGIC OF THE HORSE- SHOE

T e e on bisho wort u n ithrife att orl oth e o ak b t y, p , l pi s, g , , w lfs om ar ro w l a h e m n e r the ar n n n e m sse c b , y ; y t u d alt , si g i a s o e r he m sc r e th e o s n o ho e r e t he m an to v t , ap w rt i t ly wat , giv r n n h t s n cu - u l an d ut the o e r n o d i k at ig , fa ti g, a p f l , p h ly wat i t h n all th e m e at which t e m a take th . Work thus a good salve again st th e te m ptation s of t he ﬁe n d?

n A Hindu woma , on returning with her young child from a strange village, is careful, before entering her own dwelling, to pass seven small stones seven times ’ dif around the baby s head, and throw them away in fer di ent rections, in order thus to disperse any evil which may have been contracted during her trip ?

And as a preliminary to other mystic procedures, in i order to avert the Evil Eye, the H ndus wave around the patient’ s face seven pebbles taken from ' a spot where Of - three roads meet, seven leaves the date palm, and ? seven bunches of leaves Of the bor tree It may not

e ﬂicac be surprising that such mysterious rites, whose y depends chieﬂy on the magical potency of certain odd l Of numbers, shou d be popular among the natives

India, but it is noteworthy that these numbers are equally inﬂuential in Christian lands . A multiplica tion of examples might serve to emphasize this fact, but would occupy too much space . Charms and for

1 o n ol . 11 . . . C ckay e , v p 335 2 k 1 . r o o e . C , p 99 2 am be l S r t Bas s o ust n B e 208 . C p l , p i i i f C om a d e li f, p .

328 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE

the same with seven, throw away the seven and do the same with ﬁve, and so with three and one . The early Saxon physicians in England seem also to have had faith in the peculiar vir tues of the num ber nine, as is evident from many of their prescriptions, of which the following preﬁx to a lengthy Latin charm is a fair specimen

For n e n om an d r e o ous we n on Fr i ﬂyi g v eve y v n m s lli g, a day churn butte r which h as be en milke d from a n e at or hin d

of on e o o r an d l e t n ot be n e w th w e r . S n all c l u , it mi gl d i at i g m n an d n n m e th e P a te rn oste r ove r it n in e ti e s a lita y i e ti s , and n in e time s this in can tation?

In an ancient English manuscript (Harleian Collection ,

Of No . frequent examples are given the employ

Od d m . ment of nu bers in therapeutics Thus, for drop sical i affections, a beverage contain ng alexander, betony, and fennel is to be drunk daily for seven days . To ” expel venom, centaury is to be taken for ﬁfteen days, and a potion prepared from the seed Of cress is extolled for its curative qualities if taken faith q y during three days ?

Od d Indeed, the numbers are prominent in the annals Of - folk medicine throughout Great Britain . The three chief duties of a physician were declared to be as fol

1 Le e chd oms Wortcun n in an d S ta rcra t e d t e d b the Re v . Oswa d , g, f , i y l

C o ckayn e . 2 A rchaiolo ia vol . xxx . . 42 . 1844 . g , p 7 THE LUCK OF ODD NUM BERS 329

am e lior lows : the restoration of health when lost, its a i w tion when weak, and its preservat on hen recovered . SO also three qualities were requisite in a surgeon ; ’ ’ ’ namely, an eagle s eye, a lion s heart, and a lady s ll i l ul hand, attributes equa y essential to the sk l f operator of the present day . The natives of the Hebrides inherit the Old Scandi

t Od d navian and Celtic par iality for certain numbers . Thus in Tiree a favorite cure for jaundice consists in wearing a shirt previously dipped in water taken from the tops of nine waves, and in which nine stones have been boiled . These same people formerly employed a

S . peculiar method of treating ick cattle The veterinary, i Of - hold ng in his hands a cup cream and an oat cake, a t t kes his seat upon the animal, and repeats a Cel ic ” charm of words nine times nine times, taking a bit and a sip before each repetition? i In Cornwall, for the cure of inﬂammatory affect ons the invocation of three angels is thrice repeated to each one of nine bramble leaves and a popular remedy for whooping cough is to pass a chil d nine times under and ? over a three-year-old donkey In the south of Eng land, for intermittent fever, the patient is recommended to eat seven sage leaves on seven successive mornings, fasting meanwhile ; and in northern Scotland sorofu

1 C e t c M a a n e vol . v i . . 252. l i g zi , i i p

2 - Will am B k Fo M e c n e . i G . lac , lk di i 330 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE - SHOE lous affections are thought to yield to the touch of a seventh son, when accompanied by an invocation of the Trinity? The belief in the magical curative qualities of the number nine was not limited to the northern nations .

Thus the inhabitant of ancient Apulia, when bitten by a scorpion, proceeded to walk nine times around the hi walls of s native town . “ Dr . D . G . Brinton, in his Nagualism, a Study of ” - Native American Folk Lore and History, remarks that the number nine recurs very often in the conjurations of Mexican magicians t The women of Canton, China, at ribute magical pro pe rtie s for the cure Of cutaneous affections to water drawn after midnight of the seventh day of the seventh month .

- When a gypsy child bumps its head, a knife blade is

n ﬁrst pressed upon the swelling, after which an i canta tion is pronounced three, seven, or nine times, and the i kn fe is stuck into the earth a like number of tim cs. Many charms employed by gypsies could be mentioned in illustration of the avoidance of even numbers in all their mystic rites ?

1 S oc a L e in S cot an d ol . . 22 i l if l , v iii p . 7. 2 C . Le an d G s S orcer . G. l , yp y y

332 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE ut e d wholly either to the mythology of the north or to the Paschal Supper? When the year was reckoned as thirt een lunar

- months of twenty eight days each, the number thirteen , di accor ng to one view, was considered auspicious ; but u when, nder the present method of solar time, the ’ Of number months was reduced to twelve, thirteen s reputation was changed for the worse ? Of In early times the Feast the Epiphany, which is t the thirteenth day after Chris mas Eve, was feared t me because at that the three goddesses, Berchta,

Holle, and Befana, with their ghostly companions, were especially active ; and, as a guard against their machinations, the initial letters of the names of the three kings, or wise men, were written on many a door .

Of the former trio, Berchta was represented as a shaggy monster, whose name was used as a bugbear with wi which to frighten childr en . She was intrusted th the oversight of spinning, and on the eve of Epiphany she Of n visited the homes the countryfolk, distributi g empty reels, which she required to be filled within a s i specified time if her demand were not compl ed with , she retaliated by tangling and befouling the flax . l Hol e, or Holda, was a benignant and merciful god

1 ’ N t M t ol . . st r Ban d x11 . 7 1 Thor e s or hern ho o v D as Klo e , . p 7 ; p y l gy, i ’ 227 Gr mm s Teuton c M tho o vol . . . 272 e t se . p . ; i i y l gy, i pp q 2 u 1 . Ge rald Masse y, L n iolatry, p . 7 THE LUCK OF ODD NUM BERS 333

Of O t dess, an bliging disposi ion, who was usually most ff lenient, except when she noticed disorder in the a airs of a household . Her favorite resorts were the lakes and fountains, but she had also an oversight over domestic concerns, and shared with Berchta the super M Of . Som e t e s vision spinning , however, she appeared Old l t as an hag, with brist ing, mat ed hair and long teeth . i Befana, the third goddess, was of Ital an origin, and her name signiﬁes Epiphany . On that day the women and children used to place a rag doll in the window in her honor . In personal appearance she was black and

di . ugly, but her sposition was not unfriendly SO universal has been the superstition regarding the number thirteen at table, that it has long been a matter of etiquette in France to avoid having exactly that

- number of guests at dinner parties . The Parisian

i ue-a ssie tte p g , a person whose title corresponds to the ” English trencher friend or sponger, is also known ua tor ziem e as a q , his chief mission being to occupy the fourteenth seat at a banquet . Of The ancients, we learn , had ideas their own regard Of i ing the proper size festive gatherings, the r favorite con vive s number of being between three and nine, the number of the Graces and Muses respectively? Opinions have differed as to whether misfortune were

1 . B . Sa ue s D es erreurs e t d es re u es. J lg , p j g 334 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE likely to befall the whole company of thirteen persons rash enough to dine together, or only the one leaving All . il the room ﬁrst after the repast ev , however, was supposed to be averted by the entire company rising to their feet together . It has been wittily remarked that the only occasion when thirteen plates at table shoul d cause disquietude is when the food is only sufﬁcient for twelve persons . At the thirteenth annual dinner of that unique or

an ization g , the Thirteen Club, held in New York city, ’ 1 M 13 895 O P . . January , , at clock, , the custodian delivered an address in which were recounted the cir ’ n cum st a ce s of the club s formation . SO prevalent was the apprehension of evil likely to result from the assem bling together of thirteen persons that, when at length the requisite number were seated at table, it was found

- desirable to lock the doors of the banquet room, lest ul i some faint soul sho d ret re abruptly.

- - Field Marshal Lord Roberts, in his Forty One Years in India (vol . i . p . mentions a circumstance occur

in f ring his own experience, which a fords evidence, were

Of any needed, the falsity of the superstition in ques ’

. 1 A . D . 853 tion On New Year s Day, , Lord Roberts was one Of a party Of thirteen who dined together at a ’ - f Ofﬁc e rs o i . sta f mess at Peshaw r, on the Afghan front er Ofﬁ Eleven years later all these cers were alive, the greater number having participated in the suppression

336 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE- SHOE This remarkable and unreasonable prejudice against an innocent number seems to pervade all classes and Of n cul communities . The possession i telligence and ture is no effective barrier against it . Arguments and reasoning are alike vain . Even at this writing, an evening journal records that at a recent meeting of a newly elected board Of aldermen in an enlightened

Of city of eastern Massachusetts, one the members objected to casting lots for seats because he did not relish the idea of drawing number thirteen . However, his scruples having been in a measure overcome, he was much relieved to ﬁnd that the number eleven , which l ? is both uneven and lucky, had fal en to his share Brand quotes as follows from Full er’ s Mixt Con t e mplation s (1660) in reference to this subject

A cove tous C ourt ie r complain e d t o Kin g Edwar d the six t of Chr s C o e e in C m r e h t wa s su e rs t ou i t ll dg a b idg , t a it a p ti i s oun on c on s s n of M s e r an d we ve Fe o we s in f dati , i ti g a a t t l ll , H v se the im itation of Chr ist an d His twe lve Ap ostle s . e ad i d K n so t o a e w on e or two Fe l owsh s so as t o d is i g al t k a ay l ip , ” % a h com ose ha su e r s ous n um e r . Oh n o t e p t t p titi b , s id K n I h ve e e r wa h an h t o m ar he r c on ce ; i g, a a b tt y t t at t i it I will add a thirt e e n th Fe llowship un to the m ; which he did

accor n an d so re m n e h n o th s . di gly, it ai t u t i day Persians regard the number thirteen as so unlucky that they refrain from naming it . When they wish

1 T n t De m r Boston ra scr ce be 30 18 . ip , , 97 THE LUCK OF ODD NUM BERS 337

l Of i n i to al ude to this number, instead ment o ng the n proper term , they use words meani g much more or ” 1 nothing . Of ri The Moors, or Arabs, northern Af ca have similar prejudices, whereas the American negro, ordinarily a

n most credulous bei g, appears to be quite indifferent 2 to the evil inﬂuences of the fateful number ; but in l Turkey, so great is the popu ar dislike of it that the word for thirteen is seldom used ? In Scotland this number is known as the Deil ’ s ” Dozen, a phrase which has been supposed to have - i some connection with card playing, there being th r ’ ” teen cards in each suit of the Deil s Books . John

amie son in abil J , in his Scottish Dictionary, avows his ity to trace the superstition to its source, but believes that it includes the idea Of the thirteenth being the ’ Devil s lot . The number thirteen is also sometimes “ ’ ” n u m k own as a baker s dozen, beca se it was for erly i a common practice to g ve thirteen loaves for twelve,

in -br a d - the extra piece being called the e or to br ea d . This custom is supposed to have originated at a time when heavy ﬁnes were imposed for short weights, the additional bread being given by bakers as a pre cau ? tion ary measure

1 Sur e on -Ge n e r al Ed ward Bal our The En c clO oe d i o n g f , y p a f I dia . 2 Journ a o A merica n F l - L r N 1 o k o e O . 7 . A r l 18 2. l f , p i , 9 2 ’ Bre we rs D ct on ar o hr n i i y f P ase a d Fa ble . 2 The n tu Ce ry D iction ary . 338 THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE— SHOE

u In certain cases, contrary to the general r le, thir a te en is accounted fortunate numeral, or even as one possessing extraordinary virtues .

. Prh r . e Dr Daniel G Brinton, in A of Mayan l Hieroglyphics (p . says that in the O d language of the Mayas, an aboriginal tribe of Yucatan, the ‘ numbers nine and thirteen were used to denote in d e ﬁ nite greatness and supreme excellence . Thus a very for tun at e Of man was possessed nine souls, and the phrase, “ ” Old Of thirteen generations , conveyed the idea per “ ” pe t uity . The Demon with thirteen powers was a i r Of s prom nent ﬁgu e in the mythology the Tzental , a

Mayan tribe . di Accor ng to a widely prevalent popular impression,

s Odd is a brood is u ually in number, and therefore it f folly to set an even number O eggs under a hen . In il spite of the falsity of this idea, it is st l quite custom m hi ary to set thirteen eggs, an even nu ber in t s case being accounted unlucky .

Gerald Massey, in The Natural Genesis, remarks that there were thirteen kinds of spices set out in the i Jewish rel gious service, along with the zodiacal num

- ber of t welve loaves Of shew bread . There are thir i teen articles to the Hebrew faith, and the Cabal sts have thirteen rules by which they are enabled to pene trate the mysteries of the Hebrew Scriptures . Thirteen are the dialectical canons of the Talmudical doctors for

TOPICAL INDE%

’ ’ - Mor o un - od al 2 2 2 5. Chkar th e vin s AB OVE an d b e l ow th e s t , 0 0 , d g ,

B s r t h e t we l v e e m o s 33 1 . Cl e m e n t S a n t 46 47. i , , d ig d , , i , ,

An m als su e rst tious e alin s w th Co e rn c an s st e m 248 . i , p i d g i , p i y , — C osm o ol t an c on im e n t sal t thus 279 311 . p i d , — c harm s a a n st 292 297. t e rm e 188 . g i , d , — h f Cov e n an t Of sal t 157 164 166 . spirit s assum e t e forms o , , — h k sh s m b ol 21 22. l a ck 2 2 . Cre sce n t t e Tur b , 84 87 , i y , , — - — l e al r ose c ut on of 308 311. Cr e sc e n t s an d hal m oon sh a e am u g p i , f p d — A rchan l s l e t s 18 26 . ge , ,

a d arﬁsh 28 49. Cr oss th e m ost ot e n t of t al sman s Artis n s w , , , , p i , , — - Ast r ol o 19 20 248 253 255 257. 99 . gy , , , , - Au ur e s e r ve ro m th e sn e e e Of a C r ows as ore b o e rs 285 287. g i d i d f z , f d ,

at 212 218 219 . ur e f r e a n e ss 219 220. c , , , C o d f , ,

Au ust n e Sa n t uot e 211 . cl o s th e 41 49 . g i , i , q d, Cy p , , ,

A ur e ol e or n m b us 120 121. i , ,

A vad an as o r B u h st arabl e s 235. D ls m hi al 41 . , dd i p , act y , yt c arti san s, — Da s Of o o an d e v l om e n 239 2 8 . y , g d i , 7 B l u h ﬂ - — d 2 . e e e b b t e O 83 E t an 239 243 . z , y g , gyp i , ’ B huts or m al n an t s ri t s Rom an u rst t on c on ce rn n , ig pi , s pe i i i g, Bl ac k an mal s n ot m ore v c ous t han — i i i 243 24 5.

- ot h e rs 28 7 . m e ae al b lie in d a at al t , di v e f y f i y , Bl ksm t h s c re t e th su — ac w e rn at u 245 253 . i , di d i p - - r al a t t r but e s 40 53 . m o e r n b e l e in d a atalit i , d i f y f y, uall abl h — us y e t o re cogn ize t e 253 257 .

De vil 50. e x h d a f 5 , th s t y o th e w e e k , 2 8 ’ Bo a r s e n d 202. 26é d ,

B r t sh A ol l o uo t e 170. Fri a in m o e rn t m e s 263 i i p q d , d y d i ,

278 .

- C am e ls n st n ct ve l b ro w se u o n sal in e De m on mare 4. i i i y p , 7

l a n ts 187. D e od an Ob sol e t e te rm of En l sh p , d , g i

Ce re m on e s assoc at e w th sn e e n l aw 309 . i i d i zi g, ,

23 1 . De u o r D e uc e th e n um b e r t wo 313 . z , ,

C e rn ab o t h e bl a ck Sl av e m o n 285. D e v l t h e 26 31 50 69 98 123 124 g , d , i , , , , , , , , , - - C hah M ran t h e se e n t k n 304. 130 135 136 158 159 167 218 i , i g, , , , , , , ,

C han e l n s 176 17 27 1 . g i g , , ’ Ch n e se a o as h av e al w a s an Od d De v l s oo t m r n f 136 . i p g d y i f , i p i t o ,

n um of t r i . b e r s o ie s, 314. D es a tri, 244 342 TOPICAL INDE%

' - D ie s E tzaci 239 243 247. Han s m b ol of th e o n in gyp , , d , y pe , Ge r

D ies a su an d ne ast i 243 244. m an f f , , y, 17.

D ie s ma la 24 6 . Hatto IL Archb sh o o f Ma n , , i p ye ce ,

D ies Ve n e ris 262. l e e n c on ce rn n 282 283 . , g d i g , , Die t re gul a t e d by th e da ys of th e He b ri e s r e e re n ce for od d n um be rs d , p f ,

w e e k 255 . in , th e , 329.

D v n n ro d 15. He c at e 2 i i i g , , 3 . He rn a c ure for i , , 37. - Elf b ol t 33 . H l o w at e r . , y , 182

El o S ain t 47 48 235. Hora oll o n a t r a y, , , , p , e tise on Egyp tian En la n t h e d a orm e rl vi e hie r o l g d , y f y di d d hics, 210 279 . g yp ,

n t o t h r te e n art s 339 . Horn of t h e a i i p , b ul ous un c or n 9 . , f i ,

Ex orc sm o f ha un t e h - i , d ouse , 93. Horn s an d ot h e r t wo r on e ob e c ts , p g d j , — o f v e rm n 28 . i , 7 8 15 . — Ev l e e 10 13 . Horn s o f an mal s use as m i y , i , d a ul e ts

Ev l s rits k e e al o o r om ron 38 . of t h e sta 10 1 i pi , p f f i , g , , 4. l k l s e sa t 159 . di i , o f ca t tl e 10 11 . , , — c ause s ckn e ss 220 22 . 7 of an t e l o e s 11 . i , p ,

of r e n e e r 14 . i d , Horse t h e a l uck -b r n e r Fa r e s wh e n e s e c all al e rt 68 . i i , p i y , , , i g ,

F 52. a. div n ato r a n m al 69 . arr ie rs, i y i , , 70 - - Farr e r in tr o uc on of m o e rn 4 . Horse sh o e h st o r o f th e 1 6 . i y , d ti d , , i y , - - F r e a S r t scar n e l e m e n t 54 58 . as a sa e uar 7 8 . i ; pi i i g , f g d , , - F r s m d sum m e r 55 56. as a s m b ol f h e o t e h orse . i , i , , y , 68 78 - F re ﬂies 28 . as a av or t an t w h i , f i e i itc charm , — F sh an e m l e m a 259 . 88 94 . i , b of Fre yj , - Fort un e t h e Rom a n o e ss 141 149 . os t o n o f as a rot e ct or of , g dd , p i i , p — — - Fort un e an d l uck 140 153 . bu l n s 99 10 1. , i di g ,

m l e s of 149 150. as an e m bl e m of oo l uck t e p , , g d , - F x e s ch arm a ain st 303. 104 116 . o , g , — Fr e n ch Can ad an l e e n 97 98 . as a h all c s m b ol 116 118 . i g d , , p i y , - - Fre a t h e No rth e rn o e ss of l ove on t av e rn s n b oar s 1 18 120. yj , g dd , ig d , - — 258 259 269 274. on c h ur ch oors 120 127 . , , , d , — — Fr a 258 2 8 . l e e n ar l o r e 128 136 . id y, 7 g d y , 2 H - h rc h in n o M osl e m b e l e s re ar n 64 . orse s o e a Cal e on a h e r i f g di g, , d i i — e w sh b l e re ar in 265. l hics 65 68 . J i e i fs g d g , g yp , ’ Fr oth ro m a h or s m outh re e ls d e Ho rse -Sh o e ofLuck st or for ch l re n f se p , y i d ,

m on s, 68 . - Horse w o rsh 73 . ip , ’ Ge o on c a t h e Gr e c an tr e atise on Ho rse s o an s avo r t e an m als 76 . p i , , i , W d f i i , ’ — a r c ul t ur e 28 6 Horse s h e ad s as t alism an s 8 8 . g i , 7, 30 . , , 7 7

Ge or e S a n t 126 127 . o n h ouse abl e s 8 2. g , i , , g , ’ Ge rt ru e Sa n t at ron sa n t of tr ave l Horse s h o o s th e soun o f r hte n s d , i , p i f , d , f ig

an d c a 2 8 s r ts 1 . e rs ts, 8 . pi i , 7 ’ r l Ho se s skul s, 86, 87 .

- Hal m o o n t a v e r n s m b ol s 120. House s h aun t e 93 94. f y , , d , ,

Haml n t h e e e r of 288 289 . Huix to c ih uatl M e x ca n o e ss of i , pi d pip , , , i g dd ’ Ha m m r Th r m l m 12 . 155 . e , o s e b e , 7 sal t , - s m bol o f th e o e n 1 1 . Han d , y p , 6 8

in Pal e st n e 16. ot s all e t o be n a abl of su e z i , Idi ge d i c p e c

in S ria 1 . 2 y , 7 in g , 16.

344 TOPICAL INDE%

— — t as a rote ction t o n an ts 173 177. Thirt e e n t h e n um b e r 331 339 . Sal , p i f , , , - m ca l ub st an c e 177 184 . Th r t e e n Cl ub 334 . as a agi s , i , - on 184 Thre e th e n um b e r 315 318 . misc e ll an e ous re marks , , ,

a a v or t e of w tch e s 31 . 1 96 . f i i , 6 - m on e 186 187. Thr e sho l a sac re l ac e 96 98 . use d as y, , d , d p , b n ox ous articl e Tr a s in th e c o e s of an c e n t e h re garde d as an o i , i d , d i W ls — 189 191 . l aw s, 3 15.

Th e al ue of Sal t . A Roman T ch e Gre c an o e ss o f oo l uck V y , i g dd g d , - — lk 193 196 . fo t al e , - th e sal t -c e llar 196 205. T h on th e e rson ﬁ ca t on of e v l , y , p i i i , 2% n su e rst t on s 260. S ax o p i i , t e n t r o n e s or se ve n star s of th e Se p i ,

B 19 . Ukk a Fin h ll at on of t h e Gre at e ar 3 o n s e 154. c on st e i , , i d it y , r n as ar am ul e tic s m b ol 58- 60 Ur t a s mb ol of harm on d or e r S e pe t y , , i , y y an d ,

f34 é5 a12.

a t ut e l v n t 61. n ve rsali of h o - h ul as ary di i i y , U i ty rse s oe am e t n ot e - — se r e n t w orsh 59 6 1 . w orth . p ip, y, 88 n t n ha f t h h ors -shoe Se rpe i e s pe o e e , — 58 6 5. alh all a 331 . V , — Se v e n th e n um b e r 318 324 . al k rs o r t h r te e n vir n s 331 . , , V y , i gi , Shast ra or h ol b ooks of t h e H n us e rm n c ur ous m e tho s o f e x e llin , y i d , V i , i d p g,

224 2 294 . . 91, - — Sn e e in th e om e n s of 206 238 . Vul can Roma n o d of ﬁre 40 42. z g, , , g , n n m 2 —211 in a c ie t t i e s, 06 . - m e ae val b e l e s c on c e rn n at e r s r t e s ac t ve o n Fr a 2 . di i f i g, W p i , i id ys, 67 — 211 214. t ch e s c rav e sal t 159 . Wi , ’ m o e rn su e rst tion s ab out t ch e s sa bb ath 265 266 . d p i , Wi , , — 215 220. o an o r O n t h e ch e r h W d di , i f No t e rn oc tr n e of e m on iacal osse s e t 29 44 69 76 85 111 1 12 d i d p d i y, , , , , , , , — s on 220 22 . 136 . i , 7 , 289 — sal ut a t o n a t e r sn e e n 227 Wor s use as charms 300 306. i f zi g, d d ,

236 .

' a.l1 on m of cust om 229 e n o h on roc e sse s for stre n th e n n g , , X p , p g i g ;n t h e h oo fs o f h orse s re com l n - e e s 236 238 m e n 1 . g d , . de d by , - S t e stak e 79 . ar n h a pi , re g ds s e e zin g as a ppy o m n 2 e , 08 . Tal sm an iﬁ i ic c o ur e , 14. Tal sma n s c om l e x o h f t e T b e tan s a wn in c on s e re an rous 22 . i , p , i , Y g id d d ge , 6

100 . i l Yon sym bo , 117. Ta nt ur a h e a - re ss 1 , d d , 5. Te uton c b l ’ e e s ab out sn e e n 215. Z a k e l s Al m an ac 20 256. i i f zi g, d i , , Th e v e s e ar t o ste al on a Fr a in Z e n -Ave st a o r sac re e rs an wr t i f id y, d , d P i i

al rm 2 . e o 71 1 2° P , “ 83 , 23