A remarkable instance of credulity only the other day came from the East
End of London, which, happening in the twentieth century, is too
astonishing not to be recorded here. A young Jewess sought the aid of a
Russian "wise woman" to bring the husband back who had deserted her. The
process was a little complicated. Eighteen pennyworth of candles stuck
all round with pins were burned. Pins also had to be sewn into the
lady's garments, and some "clippings" from a black cat had to be burned
in the fire. The cost of these mysterious charms altogether amounted to
nearly six pounds, which was expensive considering the truant husband
did not return. During some recent alterations to an old house near
Kilrush, Ireland, beneath the flooring was discovered a doll dressed
to personify a woman against whom a former occupant owed a deadly
grudge. It was stabbed through the breast with a dagger-shaped hairpin,
which presumably it was hoped would bring about a more speedy death than
the slower process of melting a diminutive waxen effigy.
Cases of ague in Somerset are said to succumb if a spider is captured
and starved to death! Consumptives also are said to be cured by carrying
them through a flock of sheep in the morning when the animals are first
let out of the fold. It is said to bode good luck if, when drinking, a
fly should drop into one's cup or glass. When this happens, we have
somewhere heard, that a person's nationality may be discovered; but beer
must be the liquid. A Spaniard leaves his drink and is mute. A Frenchman
leaves it also untouched, but uses strong language. An Englishman pours
the beer away and orders another glass. A German extracts the fly with
his finger and finishes his beer. A Russian drinks the beer, fly and
all. And a Chinaman fishes out the fly, swallows it, and throws away the
beer.
But enough of these peculiarities.
[Illustration: CROSCOMBE CHURCH.]
[Illustration: CROSCOMBE.]
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.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account