Marmion: A Tale of Flodden Field in Six CantosScott, Walter
General
Marmion: A Tale of Flodden Field in Six Cantos
Scott, Walter
Flodden, Battle of, England, 1513 -- Poetry
line 163. 'The Daoine shi,' or Men of Peace, of the Scottish
Highlanders, rather resemble the Scandinavian Duergar, than the
English Fairies. Notwithstanding their name, they are, if not
absolutely malevolent, at least peevish, discontented, and apt to do
mischief on slight provocation. The belief of their existence is
deeply impressed on the Highlanders, who think they are particularly
offended at mortals, who talk of them, who wear their favourite
colour green, or in any respect interfere with their affairs. This
is especially to be avoided on Friday, when, whether as dedicated to
Venus, with whom, in Germany, this subterraneous people are held
nearly connected, or for a more solemn reason, they are more active
and possessed of greater power. Some curious particulars concerning
the popular superstitions of the Highlanders may be found in Dr.
Graham's Picturesque Sketches of Perthshire.'--SCOTT.
Friday (the day of the goddess Freya) is regarded as lucky for
marriages. Mr. Thiselton Dyer in 'Domestic Folk-lore,' p. 39, quotes
the City Chamberlain of Glasgow as affirming that 'nine-tenths of
the marriages in Glasgow are celebrated on a Friday.' In Hungary
nothing of any importance is undertaken on a Friday, and there is a
Hungarian proverb which says that 'whoever is merry on a Friday is
sure to weep on the Sunday.' The Sicilians make the exception for
weddings. In America Friday is a lucky day-the New World, no doubt,
upsetting in this as other matters the conservatism of the Old. The
superstition of sailors about Friday is famous. Cp. the old English
song 'The Mermaid.' For further discussion of the subject see 'Notes
and Queries,' 6th S. vol. vi.
line 175. 'The journal of the Friend, to whom the Fourth Canto of
the poem is inscribed, furnished me with the following account of a
striking superstition:--
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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