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              DOMESTIC FOLK-LORE.

                      BY

     REV. T. F. THISELTON DYER, M.A., OXON.,

    _Author of "British Popular Customs" and
             "English Folk-lore."_


         CASSELL, PETTER, GALPIN & CO.:
          _LONDON, PARIS & NEW YORK._


            [ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.]




PREFACE.


For the name "Folk-lore" in its present signification, embracing the
Popular Traditions, Proverbial Sayings, Superstitions, and Customs
of the people, we are in a great measure indebted to the late editor
of _Notes and Queries_--Mr. W. J. Thoms--who, in an anonymous
contribution to the _Athenaeum_ of 22nd August, 1846, very aptly
suggested this comprehensive term, which has since been adopted as
the recognised title of what has now become an important branch of
antiquarian research.

The study of Folk-lore is year by year receiving greater attention,
its object being to collect, classify, and preserve survivals of
popular belief, and to trace them as far as possible to their
original source. This task is no easy one, as school-boards and
railways are fast sweeping away every vestige of the old beliefs
and customs which, in days gone by, held such a prominent place in
social and domestic life. The Folk-lorist has, also, to deal with
remote periods, and to examine the history of tales and traditions
which have been handed down from the distant past and have lost
much of their meaning in the lapse of years. But, as a writer in
the _Standard_ has pointed out, Folk-lore students tread on no
man's toes. "They take up points of history which the historian
despises, and deal with monuments more intangible but infinitely more
ancient than those about which Sir John Lubbock is so solicitous.
They prosper and are happy on the crumbs dropped from the tables of
the learned, and grow scientifically rich on the refuse which less
skilful craftsmen toss aside as useless. The tales with which the
nurse wiles her charge asleep provide for the Folk-lore student a
succulent banquet--for he knows that there is scarcely a child's
story or a vain thought that may not be traced back to the boyhood of
the world, and to those primitive races from which so many polished
nations have sprung."

The field of research, too, in which the Folk-lorist is engaged is
a most extensive one, supplying materials for investigation of a
widespread character. Thus he recognises and, as far as he possibly
can, explains the smallest item of superstition wherever found, not
limiting his inquiries to any one subject. This, therefore, whilst
enhancing the value of Folk-lore as a study, in the same degree
increases its interest, since with a perfect impartiality it lays
bare superstition as it exists among all classes of society. Whilst
condemning, it may be, the uneducated peasant who places credence in
the village fortune-teller or "cunning man," we are apt to forget
how oftentimes persons belonging to the higher classes are found
consulting with equal faith some clairvoyant or spirit-medium.

Hence, however reluctant the intelligent part of the community may be
to own the fact, it must be admitted that superstition, in one form
or another, dwells beneath the surface of most human hearts, although
it may frequently display itself in the most disguised or refined
form. Among the lower orders, as a writer has observed, "it wears its
old fashions, in the higher it changes with the rapidity of modes
in fashionable circles." Indeed, it is no matter of surprise that
superstition prevails among the poor and ignorant, when we find the
affluent and enlightened in many cases quite as ready to repose their
belief in the most illogical ideas.

In conclusion, we would only add that the present little volume has
been written with a view of showing how this rule applies even to the
daily routine of Domestic Life, every department of which, as will be
seen in the following pages, has its own Folk-lore.

                                       T. F. THISELTON DYER.

    _Brighton, May, 1881._




    CONTENTS.


    CHAPTER I.

    BIRTH AND INFANCY.                                          PAGE

    Value of Superstitions--Lucky Days and Hours of Birth--The
    Caul--The Changeling--The Evil Eye--"Up and not
    Down"--Rocking the Empty Cradle--Teeth, Nails, and
    Hands--The Maple and the Ash--Unchristened Children            1


    CHAPTER II.

    CHILDHOOD.

    Nursery Literature--The Power of Baptism--Confirmation--Popular
    Prayers--Weather Rhymes--School Superstitions--Barring
    out                                                           16


    CHAPTER III.

    LOVE AND COURTSHIP.

    Love-tests--Plants used in Love-charms--The Lady-bird--The
    Snail--St. Valentine's Day--Midsummer Eve--Hallowe'en--Omens
    on Friday                                                     23


    CHAPTER IV.

    MARRIAGE.

    Seasons and Days propitious to Marriage--Superstitions connected
    with the Bride--Meeting a Funeral--Robbing the Bride of
    Pins--Dancing in a Hog's Trough--The Wedding-cake--The Ring   36


    CHAPTER V.

    DEATH AND BURIAL.

    Warnings of Death--The Howling of Dogs--A Cow in the
    Garden--Death-presaging Birds--Plants--The Will-o'-the-Wisp--The
    Sympathy between Two Personalities--Prophecy--Dying
    Hardly--The Last Act--Place and Position of the Grave         48


    CHAPTER VI.

    THE HUMAN BODY.

    Superstitions about Deformity, Moles, &c.--Tingling of the
    Ear--The Nose--The Eye--The Teeth--The Hair--The
    Hand--Dead Man's Hand--The Feet                               65


    CHAPTER VII.

    ARTICLES OF DRESS.

    New Clothes at Easter and Whitsuntide--Wearing of Clothes--The
    Clothes of the Dead--The Apron, Stockings, Garters, &c.--The
    Shoe--The Glove--The Ring--Pins                               81


    CHAPTER VIII.

    TABLE SUPERSTITIONS.

    Thirteen at Table--Salt-spilling--The Knife--Bread, and other
    Articles of Food--Wishing Bones--Tea-leaves--Singing before
    Breakfast--Shaking Hands across the Table                    100


    CHAPTER IX.

    FURNITURE OMENS.

    Folk-lore of the Looking-glass--Luck of Edenhall--
    Clock-falling--Chairs--Beds--The Bellows                     111


    CHAPTER X.

    HOUSEHOLD SUPERSTITIONS.

    Prevalence and Continuity of Superstitions--Sneezing--
    Stumbling--A Whistling Woman--Sweeping--Breaking
    Crockery--Fires and Candles--Money--Other Superstitions      120


    CHAPTER XI.

    POPULAR DIVINATIONS.

    Bible and Key--Dipping--Sieve and Shears--Crowing of the
    Cock--Spatulamancia--Palmistry and Onymancy--Look-divination--
    Astrology--Cards--Casting Lot--Tea-stalks                    134


    CHAPTER XII.

    COMMON AILMENTS.

    Charm-remedies--For Ague--Bleeding of the Nose--Burns--Cramp--
    Epilepsy--Fits--Gout--Headache, &c.                          148


    CHAPTER XIII.

    MISCELLANEOUS HOUSEHOLD LORE.

    Horse-shoes--Precautions against Witchcraft--The Charmer--Second
    Sight--Ghosts--Dreams--Nightmare                             169


