SUPPOSED CHARMS AGAINST EVIL.
Amongst other customs against evil may be named that of our ancestors, who, when eating eggs, were wont to break the shells, lest the witches should use them to their disadvantage. We do the same for a similar reason; it is accounted unlucky to leave them whole. They avoided cutting their nails on Friday, because bad luck would follow; but we have improved upon their practice, and lay down tho whole theory as follows : Cut your nails on Monday, cut thom for news; Cut thorn oo Tuesday, a pair of new shoos: Cut them on Wednesday, cut them for health; Cut them on Thursday, out thorn for wealth; Cut them on Friday, cut them for woo; Cut them on Saturday, a journey you'll go; Cnt them on Sunday, you'll cut them for nvll, For all tho noxt woek you'll bo iidod Uy the devil. Most grandmothers will exclaim " God bless you !" when they hear a child sneeze, and they sum up the philosophy of the subject with tho following lines, which used to delight the writer in days of his childhood :— Sneeze on a Monday, you sneezo for danger; Sneeze on a Tuesday, you kiss a stranger; Sneezo on a Wednesday, you sneeze for a letter; moczo on a Tlmrsdny, for something hotter; Suoczc on a Friday, you sneeze for sorrow; Sneezd on a SUurday, your swoethoart to-morrow; Kneeze on a Sunday, your safety seek. The devil will have you the wholo of tho week. These lines may be taken either as charms or spells to produce the effect predicted, or as omens of warnings of tho results to follow. In most parts of Lancashire it is customary for children to repeat the following invocation every evening on going to bed, after saying the Lord's Prayer and tho Apostles' Creed :— Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, Bless the bed that I lie on; Tli ere are four corners to my bed. And four angels overspread. Two at tho feet, two at tho head. If any ill thing me betide, Uonea'.h your wings my body hido, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, Mcs3 tlio bed that I lie on.—Ainon.
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZH18770203.2.32.8
Bibliographic details
New Zealand Herald, Volume XIV, Issue 4748, 3 February 1877, Page 2 (Supplement)
Word Count
360SUPPOSED CHARMS AGAINST EVIL. New Zealand Herald, Volume XIV, Issue 4748, 3 February 1877, Page 2 (Supplement)
Using This Item
No known copyright (New Zealand)
To the best of the National Library of New Zealand’s knowledge, under New Zealand law, there is no copyright in this item in New Zealand.
You can copy this item, share it, and post it on a blog or website. It can be modified, remixed and built upon. It can be used commercially. If reproducing this item, it is helpful to include the source.
For further information please refer to the Copyright guide.
Acknowledgements
This newspaper was digitised in partnership with Auckland Libraries and NZME.