AN OLD POKER SUPERSTITION
It is to Dr. Johnson that we owe a theory which appeal's to account for the origin of the superstition that a. poker placed across the bars of a grato induces the fire, to hum. He thought that the practice aroso in the dark ages, through it monkish superstition that the figure of the cross had the effect of driving away evil spirits. As it was supposed that the fire not burning up was due to the presence of the spirits, the form of the cross was made by placing a poker across the bars of the grate in 1 order to charm them away. j
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Bibliographic details
Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 6 August 1931, Page 10
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110AN OLD POKER SUPERSTITION Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 6 August 1931, Page 10
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