From waking up in the morning to going asleep at night, such maxims were
to be observed: putting the wrong foot first out of bed in the morning was
as sure to be followed by annoyances in the course of the day as a neglect
to place the shoes with the heels toward the bed at night was certain to
cause the visit of ghosts or evil dreams. When children are born, no one
must go out or in, or open the door without bringing fire with him, that
the trolls may not find their way in and exchange the child; and no one
entering must say a word before he has touched the fire. For the same
reason the child, while unchristened, must be watched carefully every
night, and a fire must be kept constantly burning on the hearth. Before
the christening a child must not be moved from one room to another without
putting steel beside it. If two boys are baptized on the same occasion,
that one who obtains his name and blessing first will be best endowed both
bodily and mentally. On the day of christening the mother should avoid
handling an axe, knife or other cutting instruments, otherwise the child
will some time be murdered. If the floor under a cradle is swept, the
child will be bereft of its sleep. If the cradle is moved while the child
is not in it, the child becomes peevish. When a child yawns, the sign of
the cross must be made over its mouth, and the words "Jesus, God's son!"
added; otherwise the devil will then enter into it. If a child looks out
through the window or looks in a mirror at night, it will fall sick.
Children punished on Sunday become disobedient; but a child whipped on
Good Friday before sunset, will become obedient and well-behaved. If the
child walks about in one shoe, the mother will have a sore back. If a
child walks or runs backwards, it drives its parents so many steps into
hell. A child eating and reading at the same time gets a bad memory. If a
suitor's first gift to his betrothed consists of shoes, she will be
unfaithful, if of stockings, she will be jealous. Nuptials on Mondays,
Wednesdays and Saturdays are unfortunate. If a bridal procession comes to
a stop for any reason, the married pair will meet with dissensions. If the
marriage-ring is too small, misfortune is in store. Of the bridal pair,
that one dies first who first kneels down or rises from kneeling. Those
who hold the canopy must not change hands or touch the bride's crown, for
that prognosticates misfortune and ennui. If in going out an old woman or
one carrying water is met, the room should be re-entered. When the table
is set, the bread must be laid upon it immediately. Bread must never be
placed with the upper crust down. Great care must be taken to remove all
substances separated from the body, as hair, nails, blood; they must be
buried in the soil so as not to come in contact with diseased persons, or
fall into the hands of witches.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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