The belief in witchcraft, which in years gone by was so extensively entertained, has not yet died out, and in many of our country villages it is regarded as one of those secret dangers to which every home is more or less exposed. Hence we find various devices still resorted to for the purpose of counteracting2 the supposed hurtful influences of this baneful4 power, instances of which we subjoin. Thus, according to a common idea, one of the best preservatives5 is a horse-shoe nailed[170] to the threshold. The reason of this is said to be that Mars, the god of war, and the war-horse, was thought to be an enemy to Saturn7, who, according to a medi?val idea, was the liege lord of witches. Thus, iron instruments of any kind have been said to keep witches at bay, a superstition8 which has been traced back to the time of the Romans, who drove nails into the walls of their houses as an antidote9 against the plague. Mr. Napier says that he has seen the horse-shoe in large beer-shops in London, and was present in the parlour of one of these when an animated10 discussion arose as to whether it was most effective to have the shoe nailed behind the door or upon the first step of the door. Both positions had their advocates, and instances of extraordinary luck were recounted as having attended them.
In Lancashire, where there are, perhaps, more superstitions11 connected with this subject than in any other county of England, we find numerous traditions relating to the evil actions of the so-called witches in former years, many of which have become household stories among the peasants. At the present day the good housewife puts a hot iron into the cream during the process of churning to expel the witch from the churn; and dough12 in preparation for the baker13 is protected by being marked with the figure of a cross. In some places a "lucky stone"—a stone with a hole through it—is worn as an amulet14, and crossed straws and knives laid on the floor are held in high repute. A belief, too, which was once very prevalent, and even still lingers on, was that the power of evil ceased[171] as soon as blood was drawn15 from the witch. An instance of this superstition occurred some years ago in a Cornish village, when a man was summoned before the bench of magistrates16 and fined for having assaulted the plaintiff and scratched her with a pin. Not many years ago a young girl in delicate health living in a village near Exeter was thought to have been bewitched by an old woman of that place, and, according to the general opinion, the only chance of curing her was an application of the witch's blood. Consequently the girl's friends laid wait one day for the poor old woman, and scratching her with a nail till the blood flowed, collected the blood. This they carried home, and smeared17 the girl with it in the hope that it would insure recovery. Curious to say, she finally got well, an event which, it is needless to add, was attributed to this charm. It is still thought by many that witchcraft, like hydrophobia, is contagious18, and that the person, if only slightly scratched by a witch, rapidly becomes one. The faculty19 of witchcraft is also said to be hereditary20, and in some places families are pointed21 out as possessing this peculiarity22. Again, witches are supposed to have the power of changing their shape and resuming it again at will, a notion which was very popular in past years, the cat's and the toad23's being the forms they were thought to assume. Hence the appearance of a toad on the doorstep is taken as a certain sign that the house is under evil influence, and the poor reptile24 is often subjected to some cruel death. Cats, also, were formerly25 exposed to rough usage, one[172] method being to enclose them with a quantity of soot26 in wooden bottles suspended on a line. The person who succeeded in beating out the bottom of the bottle as he run under it and yet escaping the contents was the hero of the sport, a practice to which Shakespeare alludes27 in Much Ado about Nothing, where Benedick says:—
"Hang me in a bottle like a cat and shoot at me."
It is only natural, too, that in Macbeth, Shakespeare, in his description of the witches, should have associated them with the cat, their recognised agent.
Another important character whose supernatural powers are still credited is the "charmer." She is generally an elderly woman of good reputation, and supposed to be gifted with extraordinary powers, by means of which she performs wonderful feats28 of skill. By her incantations and mysterious ceremonies she stops blood, cures all manner of diseases, and is, in short, regarded as almost a miracle-worker. At the same time, however, it must not be imagined that she exercises her power gratuitously29, as oftentimes her charges are very high, and it is only by patient saving that the poor can accumulate enough to satisfy her exorbitant30 demands. This kind of superstition has been already incidentally alluded31 to in the chapter on "Common Ailments32;" and it is one that still holds its ground in our country districts. These supposed charmers, however, do not always make a[173] trade of their art; for, on the contrary, it is supposed by some of them that any offer of pecuniary33 remuneration would break the spell, and render the charm of no avail.
Again, there is still an extensive belief in "second sight," certain persons being thought to possess the faculty of peeping into futurity, and revealing future events to their fellow-creatures. Many of the Highlanders lay claim to this power, which was called by the ancient Gaels "shadow-sight."
"Nor less availed his optic sleight34, And Scottish gift of second-sight."
Sometimes, says Mr. Napier, the person fell into a trance, "in which state he saw visions; at other times the visions were seen without the trance condition. Should the seer see in a vision a certain person dressed in a shroud35, this betokened36 that the death of that person would surely take place within a year. Should such a vision be seen in the morning, the person seen would die before that evening; should such a vision be seen in the afternoon, the person seen would die before next night; but if the vision were seen late in the evening, there was no particular time of death intimated, further than that it would take place within the year. Again, if the shroud did not cover the whole body, the fulfilment of the vision was at a great distance. If the vision were that of a man with a woman standing37 at his left hand, then that woman would be that man's wife, although they may both at the time of the vision be married to others."[174] The case is related of a man living near Blackpool who foretold38 death and evil events from his visions. Men of superior ability were credulous39 enough to visit him, and to give implicit40 faith to his marvellous stories.
A species of superstition that may be said to reign41 supreme42 in almost every home is the belief in ghosts, there being few households that do not contain those who believe in ghostly visitants. In this respect, therefore, we are not superior to our less instructed forefathers43 whose experiences have been transmitted to us in many of those weird44 and thrilling stories which are to be found recorded in many of our old county histories. Indeed, there is scarcely a village in England that does not boast of the proud distinction of having its haunted house or spot. Hence as nightfall approaches with its sombre hues45 of darkness, few persons can be found bold enough to visit such mysterious localities, for—
"Grey superstition's whisper dread46, Debars the spot to vulgar tread."
Although many of these grotesque47 stories which have been from time to time associated with certain old houses are simply legendary48 and destitute49 of any truth, yet it cannot be denied that while occasionally causing fear even to the strong-minded they have acted most injuriously upon the credulous and superstitious50. According to an old fancy, ghosts of every description vanish at cock-crow, in allusion51 to[175] which Shakespeare makes the ghost of Hamlet's father vanish at this season:—
"It faded on the crowing of the cock."
One night, however, in the year has been said to be entirely52 free from spiritual manifestations53 of every kind—namely Christmas Eve—an idea to which Marcellus refers, who, speaking of the ghost, says:—
"Some say that ever 'gainst that season comes Wherein our Saviour's birth is celebrated54, The bird of dawning singeth all night long, And then, they say, no spirit dares stir abroad; The nights are wholesome55; then no planets strike, No fairy takes, nor witch hath power to charm, So hallow'd and so gracious is the time."
But on other days of the year, every noise at night, however trivial, which cannot be satisfactorily explained by inquisitive56 minds, is thought by the superstitious to indicate that spirits are walking abroad; such illogical persons forgetting how in the stillness of the night sounds, which at other times would pass unnoticed, attract attention, and thus assume an exaggerated importance. In this way the whistling of the wind, the creaking of the floor, and a host of other natural noises have in the deceptive57 hours of midnight terrified their nervous victim, and filled the overwrought fancy with the most alarming delusions58.
An amusing volume might be written showing how[176] most of the ghost stories connected with so-called haunted houses have arisen. Thus, as Mrs. Latham points out in her "West Sussex Superstitions," there is very little doubt but that the ghosts formerly seen wandering in blue flames, near lonely houses on the coast, "were of an illicit59 class of spirits, raised by the smugglers in order to alarm and drive all others but their accomplices60 from their haunts." On one occasion, for instance, the unearthly noises heard night after night in a house at Rottingdean caused such alarm among the servants, that they all gave warning, when one night the noises ceased, and soon afterwards a gang of smugglers who had fallen into the hands of the police confessed to having made a secret passage from the beach close by the house, and said that, wishing to induce the occupiers to abandon it, they had been in the habit of rolling at the dead of night tub after tub of spirits up the passage, and so caused it to be reported that the place was haunted.
Ghosts are said to be especially fond of walking abroad on certain nights, the chief of these being St. Mark's Eve, Midsummer Eve, and Hallowe'en. Hence various methods have been resorted to for the purpose of invoking62 them with a view of gaining an insight into futurity, love-sick maidens63, as we have said, seizing these golden opportunities for gaining information about their absent lovers. It must not be supposed, too, that apparitions64 are confined to the spirits of the departed, as throughout the country there are the most eccentric traditions of headless animals having been[177] seen at sundry65 times rushing madly about at night-time.
Leaving, however, the subject of ghosts, we find in the next place an extensive folk-lore associated with dreams. We have already incidentally alluded to the many divinations practised for the sake of acquiring information by means of them on certain subjects, but we may further note that dreams are by some supposed occasionally to intimate not only future events, but things which are actually happening at a distance. Hence a "Dictionary of Dreams" has been framed whereby the inquirer, if he be credulously66 disposed, can learn the meaning and signification of any particular dream which he may recollect67. Thus, it is said that to dream of death denotes happiness and long life, but to dream of gathering68 a nosegay is unlucky, signifying that our best and fairest hopes shall wither69 away like flowers in a nosegay. Dreaming about balls, dances, &c., indicates coming good fortune; and thus we are told that those—
"Who dream of being at a ball No cause have they for fear; For soon will they united be To those they hold most dear."
To give one further illustration, to dream that one is walking in a garden, and that the trees are bare and fruitless, is a very bad omen70, being said to indicate that one's friends will either become poor or forsake71 one. If the garden, on the other hand, should be in[178] bloom, it is a propitious72 sign. Portents73 of approaching death are said to be received through dreams; and we will quote an example of this from Mr. Henderson, which happened, it is affirmed, some years ago in the family of an Irish bishop:—"A little boy came down-stairs one morning, saying, 'Oh, mamma, I have had such a nice dream. Somebody gave me such a pretty box, and I am sure it was for me, for there was my name on it. Look, it was just like this;' and, taking up a slate74 and pencil, the child drew the shape of a coffin75. The parents gazed at one another in alarm, not lessened76 by the gambols77 of the child, who frolicked about in high health and spirits. The father was obliged to go out that morning, but he begged the mother to keep the child in her sight through the day. She did so, till, while she was dressing78 to go out in her carriage, the little boy slipped away to the stables, where he begged the coachman to take him by his side while he drove to the house door, a thing he had often done before. On this occasion, however, the horses were restive79, the driver lost control over them, and the child was flung off and killed on the spot." Shylock, it may be remembered, in the Merchant of Venice, referring to his dream, says:—
"There is some ill a-brewing towards my rest, For I did dream of money-bags to-night."
Many curious charms are still practised to ward61 off that unpleasant sensation popularly known as nightmare, which both in this and other countries has[179] given rise to a variety of superstitions. According to one old notion, this disagreeable feeling was produced by some fairy, under a disguised form, visiting the person, and worrying him while asleep by certain mischievous80 pranks81. Thus, in Germany, the nightmare is said to appear at times in the shape of a mouse, a weasel, or a toad, and occasionally, too, in the form of a cat. One German story relates how a joiner was, night by night, much plagued with the nightmare, when he at last saw it steal into his room about midnight in the form of a cat. Having at once stopped up the hole through which the cat had entered, he lost no time in seizing the animal and nailing it by one paw to the ground. Next morning, however, much to his horror and surprise, he discovered a handsome young lady with a nail driven through her hand. He accordingly married her, but one day he uncovered the hole which he had stopped up, whereupon she instantly escaped through it in the shape of a cat, and never returned. There are numerous stories of a similar kind, in most cases the sequel being the same. Among the charms still in use as a preservative6 against nightmare may be mentioned a stone with a natural hole in it hung over the sleeper82, or a knife laid under the foot of the bedstead, both being considered of equal efficacy. In Lancashire the peasantry believe that nightmare appears in the form of a dog, and they try to counteract3 its influence by placing their shoes under the bed with the toe upwards83, on retiring to rest. Not very long ago, too, at the West Riding Court at[180] Bradford, in a case of a husband and wife who had quarrelled, the woman stated that the reason why she kept a coal-rake in her bedroom was that she suffered from nightmare, and had been informed that the rake would keep it away. The best charm after all, however, for this common disorder84 is to be careful that one's digestive organs are not upset by incautious suppers eaten just before retiring to rest.
It only remains85 for us, in conclusion, to add once more that the preceding pages are not intended to be by any means exhaustive, our object having been to give a brief and general survey of that extensive folk-lore which has, in the course of years, woven itself around the affairs of home-life. However much this may be ridiculed86 on the plea of its being the outcome of credulous belief, yet it constitutes an important element in our social life, which the historian in years to come will doubtless use when he studies the character of the English people in this and bygone centuries.
The End
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1
witchcraft
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| n.魔法，巫术 | |
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counteracting
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| 对抗，抵消( counteract的现在分词 ) | |
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counteract
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| vt.对…起反作用，对抗，抵消 | |
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baneful
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| adj.有害的 | |
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preservatives
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| n.防腐剂( preservative的名词复数 ) | |
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preservative
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| n.防腐剂；防腐料；保护料；预防药 | |
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Saturn
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| n.农神，土星 | |
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superstition
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| n.迷信，迷信行为 | |
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antidote
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| n.解毒药，解毒剂 | |
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animated
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| adj.生气勃勃的，活跃的，愉快的 | |
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superstitions
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| 迷信，迷信行为( superstition的名词复数 ) | |
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dough
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| n.生面团；钱，现款 | |
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baker
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| n.面包师 | |
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amulet
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| n.护身符 | |
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drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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magistrates
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| 地方法官，治安官( magistrate的名词复数 ) | |
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smeared
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| 弄脏； 玷污； 涂抹； 擦上 | |
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contagious
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| adj.传染性的，有感染力的 | |
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faculty
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| n.才能；学院，系；(学院或系的)全体教学人员 | |
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hereditary
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| adj.遗传的，遗传性的，可继承的，世袭的 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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peculiarity
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| n.独特性，特色；特殊的东西；怪癖 | |
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toad
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| n.蟾蜍，癞蛤蟆 | |
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reptile
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| n.爬行动物；两栖动物 | |
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formerly
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| adv.从前，以前 | |
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soot
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| n.煤烟，烟尘；vt.熏以煤烟 | |
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alludes
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| 提及，暗指( allude的第三人称单数 ) | |
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feats
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| 功绩，伟业，技艺( feat的名词复数 ) | |
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gratuitously
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| 平白 | |
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exorbitant
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| adj.过分的；过度的 | |
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alluded
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| 提及，暗指( allude的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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ailments
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| 疾病（尤指慢性病），不适( ailment的名词复数 ) | |
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pecuniary
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| adj.金钱的；金钱上的 | |
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sleight
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| n.技巧，花招 | |
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shroud
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| n.裹尸布，寿衣；罩，幕；vt.覆盖，隐藏 | |
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betokened
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| v.预示，表示( betoken的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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foretold
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| v.预言，预示( foretell的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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credulous
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| adj.轻信的，易信的 | |
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implicit
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| a.暗示的，含蓄的，不明晰的，绝对的 | |
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reign
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| n.统治时期，统治，支配，盛行；v.占优势 | |
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supreme
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| adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的 | |
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forefathers
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| n.祖先，先人；祖先，祖宗( forefather的名词复数 )；列祖列宗；前人 | |
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weird
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| adj.古怪的，离奇的；怪诞的，神秘而可怕的 | |
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hues
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| 色彩( hue的名词复数 )； 色调； 信仰； 观点 | |
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dread
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| vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧 | |
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grotesque
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| adj.怪诞的，丑陋的；n.怪诞的图案，怪人（物） | |
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legendary
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| adj.传奇（中）的，闻名遐迩的；n.传奇（文学） | |
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destitute
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| adj.缺乏的；穷困的 | |
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superstitious
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| adj.迷信的 | |
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allusion
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| n.暗示，间接提示 | |
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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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manifestations
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| n.表示，显示（manifestation的复数形式） | |
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celebrated
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| adj.有名的，声誉卓著的 | |
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wholesome
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| adj.适合；卫生的；有益健康的；显示身心健康的 | |
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inquisitive
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| adj.求知欲强的，好奇的，好寻根究底的 | |
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deceptive
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| adj.骗人的，造成假象的，靠不住的 | |
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delusions
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| n.欺骗( delusion的名词复数 )；谬见；错觉；妄想 | |
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illicit
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| adj.非法的，禁止的，不正当的 | |
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accomplices
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| 从犯，帮凶，同谋( accomplice的名词复数 ) | |
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ward
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| n.守卫，监护，病房，行政区，由监护人或法院保护的人（尤指儿童）；vt.守护，躲开 | |
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invoking
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| v.援引( invoke的现在分词 )；行使（权利等）；祈求救助；恳求 | |
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maidens
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| 处女( maiden的名词复数 )； 少女； 未婚女子； （板球运动）未得分的一轮投球 | |
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apparitions
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| n.特异景象( apparition的名词复数 )；幽灵；鬼；（特异景象等的）出现 | |
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sundry
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| adj.各式各样的，种种的 | |
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credulously
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| adv.轻信地，易被瞒地 | |
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recollect
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| v.回忆，想起，记起，忆起，记得 | |
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gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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wither
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| vt.使凋谢，使衰退，(用眼神气势等)使畏缩；vi.枯萎，衰退，消亡 | |
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omen
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| n.征兆，预兆；vt.预示 | |
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forsake
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| vt.遗弃，抛弃；舍弃，放弃 | |
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propitious
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| adj.吉利的；顺利的 | |
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portents
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| n.预兆( portent的名词复数 )；征兆；怪事；奇物 | |
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74
slate
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| n.板岩，石板，石片，石板色，候选人名单；adj.暗蓝灰色的，含板岩的；vt.用石板覆盖，痛打，提名，预订 | |
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75
coffin
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| n.棺材，灵柩 | |
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76
lessened
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| 减少的，减弱的 | |
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77
gambols
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| v.蹦跳，跳跃，嬉戏( gambol的第三人称单数 ) | |
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78
dressing
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| n.(食物)调料；包扎伤口的用品，敷料 | |
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79
restive
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| adj.不安宁的，不安静的 | |
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80
mischievous
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| adj.调皮的，恶作剧的，有害的，伤人的 | |
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81
pranks
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| n.玩笑，恶作剧( prank的名词复数 ) | |
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82
sleeper
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| n.睡眠者，卧车，卧铺 | |
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83
upwards
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| adv.向上，在更高处...以上 | |
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84
disorder
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| n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调 | |
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85
remains
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| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
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86
ridiculed
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| v.嘲笑，嘲弄，奚落( ridicule的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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