‘Bread, too, has long been employed as a physical charm for the cure of various complaints. Thus, an old book, entitled _A Work for Householders_, written in the early part of the 16th century, gives this charm as in use for the toothache. “The Charmer taketh a piece of white bread, and saith over that bread the Pater Noster, and maketh a cross upon the bread; then doth he lay that piece of bread upon the tooth that acheth or unto any sore, turning the cross unto the sore or disease, and so is the person healed.” Then there was the famous Good Friday bread, which was in request for its medicinal virtues, being considered a sovereign remedy for diarrhœa when grated in a small quantity of water. An anecdote is told of a cottager who lamented that her poor neighbour must certainly die, because she had already given her two doses of this bread, but, unfortunately, without any success. Indeed, in days gone by, so much importance was attached to bread thus baked, that there were in most parts few country houses in which it was not to be found. At the present day also one may occasionally find the custom kept up, especially in the Northern counties, where so many of the old beliefs survive. ‘But these are not the only ways in which bread has been the source of superstition, it having held a prominent place in numerous curious ceremonies. Thus sailors used it as offerings to propitiate the elements; and we are told how the seafaring community of Greece, in the 17th century, were accustomed to take to sea 30 loaves of bread, consecrated and named St. Nicholas’ loaves. In case of a storm these were thrown into the sea one by one, until they had succeeded in calming the waves. ‘Oblations of this kind were of frequent occurrence in past years. The Russian sailor, in order to appease the angry spirit that troubled the waters of the White Sea, would cast into the water a small cake or loaf made of flour and butter. Again, a Norwegian story states that a sailor wished, according to custom, to give on Christmas Day a cake to the spirit that presided over the waters; but, when he came to the shore, lo! the waters were frozen over. Unwilling to leave his little offering on the ice, the sailor tried to make a hole; but in spite of all his efforts it was not large enough for him to put his cake through. Suddenly, to his surprise, a tiny hand, as white as snow, was stretched through the hole, and seizing the offering withdrew with it.