Legends of the Skyline Drive and the Great Valley of VirginiaWillis, Carrie Hunter
History
Legends of the Skyline Drive and the Great Valley of Virginia
Willis, Carrie Hunter
Shenandoah National Park (Va.); Shenandoah River Valley (Va. and W. Va.) -- History
There were all kinds of syrups made from herbs such as spike nard and
elecampane for coughs and tuberculosis. The Germans used songs or
incantations for the cure of burns, nose-bleed and toothache. For one
afflicted with erysipelas the blood of a black cat was given. Hence
there were few cats which had not lost parts of their ears or tails.
The sports of the boys in those early days were mostly those which
developed their physical bodies. The boys were given a gun almost as
soon as they were strong enough to carry one. They learned to make their
own bows and to sharpen their own arrows and many of them could shoot as
straight as the Indians who still roamed the hills.
Throwing the tomahawk was another favorite sport. This axe-like weapon
with its handle will make so many turns in a given distance. With a
little practice a boy soon learned to throw his tomahawk and strike a
tree as he walked through the forest.
When a boy was twelve, he had his own small rifle and pouch and was made
a member of the fort. He was given a certain port hole through which he
took careful aim. He was often allowed to go with older men on hunting
trips if he had proved himself worthy to be "among men."
Dancing as we know it was unknown, but few ever enjoyed anything more
than those boys and girls did dancing their jigs and reels. Their music
was simple and singing was something both old and young enjoyed to the
fullest. Story-telling was an art then, and year by year, old, old tales
grew longer and longer and Jack the hero, always conquered all the
giants.
There was witchcraft in the Valley too, and when a crow or calf died or
was sick, the owner often thought a witch had shot it with a hair ball
or with some kind of curse. When a man lost his cunning in his once good
aim, he was sure some one had put a "spell" on him. Some actually
believed men were changed into horses and after being bridled, they were
ridden all over the countryside. Many men thought this was why their
bones ached and they felt too tired to work their farms.
The men who did strange things were spoken of as wizards. Some called
them witch-masters, and these claimed they could stop the mischievous
work of the witches and cure baffling diseases.
When a child was born with a frail body, or developed rickets, it was
often thought to be caused by the spells of someone unfriendly to the
family.
If one would get rid of the witch in his neighborhood a picture of the
supposed witch was drawn on a board or on a stump and shot at with a
bullet which contained a bit of silver. This bullet, if it struck the
picture, was thought to put a spell on the witch.
We may smile at the thought of those superstitions, but few of us, if we
are honest, will not admit that we have one pet superstition just as
foolish as those referred to above.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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