SUPERSTITIONS.
Climate and scenery have always affected the
credulity of different nations. It has been said
that "ignorance is the parent of
superstition" but this could not have been
chargeable to the enlightened Greeks and Romans or
to the great astronomers of Egypt, or the Wise men
of the East - who, one and all, firmly believed in
the Supernatural and the existence of the Goddess
of Fortune.
Our own insular superstitions have come down to us
from Druidical days. A century or two ago, there
was not a village in Britain without its ghost; a
common without its fairy circle; or a graveyard
without its disembodied spirit. Such beliefs
naturally have ceased to exist in crowded cities,
but in isolated spots they still partially linger
though not to a great extent.
Superstition is not quite dead yet in St. Keverne.
Fishermen carefully refrain from whistling when at
sea. This doubtless originated from the ancient
belief that the whistling will call up spirits of
the air. A hare's foot thrown by anyone into a
boat is said to bring ill-luck to those going out
in it.
PIXIES.
According to Devon peasants pixies are the souls of
infants who died before they were baptized.
Noises heard underground were supposed to be the
imprisoned spirits of the Jews who crucified
Christ.
Years ago it was believed that a cure for the evil
eye was to go to Holy Communion and keep a piece of
the consecrated bread, carrying it about with
you.
A young and anxious wife was dreadfully alarmed at
some infantile complaint, from which her first-born
seemed to be suffering. The nurse girl said that
her mother could quickly cure it. The good woman,
who was hurriedly sent for, pronounced the emphatic
opinion that the child had been ill-wished.
Forthwith she proceeded to divest the babe of its
clothes, and then, solemnly, with a muttered
incantation, turned the little one three times head
over heels. The child at once recovered and is
alive and well to this day. The remedy was
obviously simple. The woman just unscrewed the evil
spell.
One day the writer had occasion to call at a
cottage, and found there a girl who was suffering
from a cold of long standing, of which she could
not get rid. He advised her that evening to put her
feet in hot mustard and water, to take a dish of
hot gruel, and then to jump into To bed, and to
remain there the next day.
Later on when he made another call he was
astonished to be greeted by the remark "your
charm worked". "How so?" he asked.
Thereupon he was told that his directions had been
followed with the result that the troublesome cold
had disappeared.
The girl's father, who was present then related
his own happy experience, He had been told that an
old woman "over to Mawgan" could charm
away his complaint, and had been over to consult
her. She did not inform him in what her charm
consisted, but told him he must have faith.
"But" he added dolefully, "sometimes
I can, and sometimes I can't". Perhaps
because of his insufficient command of the needful
amount of faith the charm did not work.
A conversation followed about other charms, and an
amusing incident was related concerning a woman who
was afflicted with a terrible toothache. While a
neighbour was condoling with her, a man came by and
enquired what was the matter. "I've got a
terrible toothache" moaned the woman.
"Oh, I can cure that" said Johnnie.
"I wish to goodness you would" said the
woman, "To do it" said Johnnie, "I
must go into the middle of the field, but be
careful" he added impressively "what you
say". Well, off Johnnie trudged into the
adjoining meadow. After he had disappeared the
woman remarked to her neighbour "I don't
believe in Johnnie's old whiddles
(wiles)". Upon the return of the charmer, what
was the woman's astonishment, when he greeted
her with the remark "Look here, if you
don't believe in Johnnie's old whiddles he
can't help you". Of course every atom of
unbelief fled in face of this astounding proof of
Johnnie's occult power, and the toothache fled
at the same time.
Mr. Edwin Rule's father had a field at
Laddenvean, in which he kept a cow. The cow was
taken ill, and the farrier was sent for. (There
were no regular vets. at that time). This was a
conscientious man who thoroughly believed in the
evil eye. As he could not discern the cause of the
cow's ailment, he suggested that it had been
ill-wished, and that an old woman in Helston, who
was noted as a wise woman would help him.
He, Mr. Rule, was somewhat incredulous but
nevertheless he went to the woman, who told him
that his cow on his return would be found standing
up and quietly feeding (she had not been able to
stand for days). Strange to say he found the cow as
the wise woman prophecied.
The wise woman died about 1854. About the time of
her death there were torrential rains, which the
ordinary conduits were quite insufficient to carry
off. Valleys were flooded, and traffic suspended,
which phenomena were of course all attributed to
the death of the wise woman,
CHARM FOR FIRE.
There came two angels from the Earth. One carried
fire, the other carried frost.
!Out fire, in frost, in the name of the Father, and
the Son, and the Holy Ghost'.
To be read over, three times.
FOR NETTLE STING.
Rub with dock leaves and say:
"Out nettle, in dock. Our Lady shall have a
new smock".
When blackbirds hover over a house where illness
is, they are said in Cornwall to be harbingers of
death.
When the wind is in the East on Candlemas Day,
There it will stick till the Second of May.
When the wind is in the North
The skilful fisher goes not forth.
When the wind is in the South
It blows the bait in the fishes' mouth
When the wind is in the West
Then 'tis at its very best.
If Christmas Day on a Sunday fall
A troublesome Winter we shall have all,
It is supposed in Cornwall that if Club-Moss is
properly gathered, it will be good against all
diseases of the eyes
Sailors have said "A North Wind is a broom for
the Channel".
Among the interesting remarks made by Caesar in his
Commentaries on the Manners and Customs of the
early inhabitants of Britain is the curious piece
of information that they thought it unlawful to use
for food either the Hare, the common Fowl, or the
Goose, though they kept these animals for their
pleasure,
The probable motive of this alleged abstinence
Caesar and other authors inform us was on account
of these birds being consecrated to their religion,
It is highly probable that the Ancient Britons
offered these animals in sacrifice to their Gods,
for the bones of hares, and fowls, are mentioned by
Dr. Stukeley as forming part of the contents of
sepulchral barrows opened under his direction near
Stonehenge, and they have been observed in similar
situations by other investigators.
Polwhele, in his history of Cornwall 1803 Vol 1.
page 39 says, "The Cornish, particularly those
of the West of Cornwall, are unwilling to eat of
the hare, whether from any transmitted regard to
this animal or not, I have not
discovered".
A solitary magpie in the path is deemed very
unlucky.
The spider's sudden appearance in a house is a
sign of coming rain, and to kill a spider is
considered an omen of misfortune.
The power of ill-wishing is still believed in by
the St. Keverne people. An invalid in the parish
was pointed out to the writer as being the victim
of an ill wish when she was nine years old, in
consequence of which it was said that she never
grew any more.
The origin of this superstition doubtless
originated in patriarchal times.
The office of ill-wishing generally formed part of
the duties of the Druid. When two people entered
into a compact the Druid was present to utter
imprecations on him who should break the agreement.
How profoundly dreaded was the "ill wish"
may be judged by the case recorded in the
"Colloquy of the Ancients" where it is
said that Ainnalack, son of the King of Leinster,
died of sheer fright when threatened by the bard. A
curse once launched could not be recalled. If
wrongfully pronounced then it rested and fell on
the head of him who had pronounced it.
We must not be too shocked at this cursing as
practised by the Celtic Saints. It was a legal
right accorded to them, hedged about with certain
restrictions. It was a means provided by law, and
custom, to enable the weak who could not redress
their wrongs by force of arms, to protect
themselves against the mighty, and to recover
valuables taken from them by violence.
It is a well known fact that John Wesley was a firm
believer in supernatural agencies. He compiled a
book of ghost stories that was lent to the Rev.
Hawker when he was 10 years old, by a kind but
ignorant woman. "The reading of which"
says Hawker, "caused me many sleepless
nights".
ST KEVERNES CURSE. Blight page 39 - 4.
Among other interpretations of the word
"Meneage" was Meanake = the deaf stone,
the reason given for this rendering being that
though there are several mineral lodes or veins in
the district, they are deaf, or barren. What
greater punishment could, be inflicted on
Cornishmen than depriving their native soil of the
precious ore which gives employment to some and
fortunes to others? This did Saint Keverne for the
irreligion of the inhabitants and for their
disrespect, he pronounced a curse against them, and
caused the mineral veins to be unproductive.
Hence the proverb: "No metal will run within
the sound of St Keverne Bells".
|
