Evil eye in the western HighlandsMaclagan, Robert Craig
Religion
Evil eye in the western Highlands
Maclagan, Robert Craig
Evil eye; Folklore; Superstition
But the performance of the full ceremony is still in use, and it is
interesting to be able to give the personal experience of my energetic
co-worker, to whom I am under so much obligation.
“A native of the Long Island was complimented by me (E. M. K.) recently
on the style of her dress, and the smart appearance it gave her, when,
to my surprise and amusement, stepping forward and wetting the point
of her finger by putting it on her tongue, she placed the finger on my
right eye, saying: ‘_Fliuch do shuil eagal gum bi mi air mo ghonadh_.’
(‘Wet your eye for fear that I may be wounded.’) She did this very
good-naturedly, and explained that when one is the subject of what
he may suspect to be envious praise, either in respect of person or
clothing, he may protect himself from consequences that might result
from the Evil Eye, by performing this ceremony on the one who has done
the praising.”
It would appear that this practice is comparable with the quenching of
a cinder in water—by wetting, the fire of the eye may be supposed to
be extinguished beneficially for the one on whom it might have an evil
influence.
PREVENTING BY CHURNING
It is specially difficult to distinguish between the Evil Eye and
witchcraft in the case of loss of the due produce of cattle—butter,
cream, &c. Certain preventatives are good for both. When any one is
churning and a visitor enters to whom any suspicion is attached of the
power of interfering with the butter, any such power can be taken from
her by getting her to do a spell of the churning. A woman, a strong
believer in witchcraft and the Evil Eye, invariably if she happens to
go into a house where churning is going on, takes the churn staff and
gives a pull at the churn, believing, by this means, that she frees
herself from suspicion if the churning go wrong. This woman, though a
professed believer in witchcraft and the Evil Eye, neither professes
practising it nor has ever been suspected by others.
An Excise officer in Islay kept some cattle. The servant was churning,
but though there was an appearance of butter, it could not be brought
to anything. The mistress of the house wondered what had come over the
milk, and a neighbour said that a woman who lived in the neighbourhood,
credited with the Evil Eye, had been in, and added, the best plan was
to send for her and get her to take a spell at the churn, which would
neutralise any bad influence she might have exerted. Acting on this
advice, the woman was sent for, and on coming was requested to give a
turn at the churn. She did not seem to be very willing, but no further
remark being made, she took the churn staff and churned for a while,
and the butter was got all right.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account