The Magic of the Horse-shoe, with other folk-lore notes
ARMS OF THE TOWN OF OAKHAM, RUTLANDSHIRE, ENGLAND.
THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE-SHOE
With Other Folk-Lore Notes
BY ROBERT MEANS LAWRENCE, M. D.
BOSTON AND NEW YORK HOUGHTON, MIFFLIN AND COMPANY The Riverside Press, Cambridge 1898
COPYRIGHT, 1898, BY ROBERT MEANS LAWRENCE.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
The study of the origin and history of popular customs and beliefs affords an insight, otherwise unattainable, into the operations of the human mind in early times. Superstitions, however trivial in themselves, relics of paganism though they be, and oftentimes comparable to baneful weeds, are now considered proper subjects for scientific research. While the ignorant savage is a slave to many superstitious fancies which dominate his every action, the educated man strives to be free from such a bondage, yet recognizes as profitable the study of those same beliefs. The heterogeneous character of the material drawn from so many sources has rendered it difficult, if not impossible, to follow any distinctly systematic treatment of the subject. However, the development in recent years of a widespread interest in all branches of folk-lore warrants the hope that any volume devoted to this subject, and representing somewhat diligent research, may have a certain value, in spite of its imperfections. The expert folk-lorist may find much to criticise; but this book, treating of popular beliefs, is intended for popular reading. It has been the writer’s aim to make the chapter on the Horse-Shoe as exhaustive as possible, as this attractive symbol of superstition does not appear to have received hitherto the attention which it merits. This chapter is the outgrowth of a paper read at the seventh annual meeting of the American Folk-Lore Society, at Philadelphia, December 28, 1895, an abstract of which appeared in the Society’s Journal for December, 1896.
Extended quotations are indicated by smaller type.
Robert Means Lawrence
THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE-SHOE
PREFACE
CONTENTS
THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE-SHOE
I. HISTORY OF THE HORSE-SHOE
II. THE HORSE-SHOE AS A SAFEGUARD
III. HORNS AND OTHER TWO-PRONGED OBJECTS
IV. THE SYMBOL OF THE OPEN HAND
V. CRESCENTS AND HALF-MOON-SHAPED AMULETS
VI. IRON AS A PROTECTIVE CHARM
VII. BLACKSMITHS CREDITED WITH SUPERNATURAL ATTRIBUTES
VIII. FIRE AS A SPIRIT-SCARING ELEMENT
IX. THE SERPENTINE SHAPE OF THE HORSE-SHOE
X. THE HORSE-SHOE ARCH IN ANCIENT CALEDONIAN HIEROGLYPHICS
XI. THE HORSE-SHOE AS A SYMBOL OF THE HORSE
XII. HORSES’ HEADS AS TALISMANS
XIII. THE HORSE-SHOE AS A FAVORITE ANTI-WITCH CHARM
XIV. THE POSITION OF THE HORSE-SHOE AS A PROTECTOR OF BUILDINGS
XV. THE LUCKY HORSE-SHOE IN GENERAL
XVI. THE HORSE-SHOE AS A PHALLIC SYMBOL
XVII. THE HORSE-SHOE AS A SYMBOL ON TAVERN SIGN-BOARDS
XVIII. HORSE-SHOES ON CHURCH-DOORS
XIX. HORSE-SHOE LEGENDARY LORE
XX. RECAPITULATION OF THEORIES OF THE ORIGIN OF THE HORSE-SHOE SUPERSTITION
XXI. CONCLUSION
FORTUNE AND LUCK
I. TYCHE, THE GRECIAN GODDESS OF GOOD LUCK
II. THE ROMAN GODDESS FORTUNA
III. THE CHARACTER OF FORTUNE
IV. TEMPLES OF FORTUNE
V. LUCK, ANCIENT AND MODERN
I. ORIGIN AND HISTORY
II. SALT UNCONGENIAL TO WITCHES AND DEVILS
III. THE LATIN WORD “SAL”
IV. SALT EMPLOYED TO CONFIRM AN OATH
V. SALT-SPILLING AS AN OMEN
VI. HELPING TO SALT AT TABLE
VII. SALT AS A PROTECTION TO YOUNG INFANTS
VIII. SALT AS A MAGICAL SUBSTANCE
IX. MISCELLANEOUS REMARKS ON SALT
X. THE SALT-CELLAR
THE OMENS OF SNEEZING
I. IN ANCIENT TIMES
II. MEDIÆVAL BELIEFS ABOUT SNEEZING
III. MODERN SUPERSTITIONS ABOUT SNEEZING
IV. THE DOCTRINE OF DEMONIACAL POSSESSION
V. SALUTATION AFTER SNEEZING
VI. LEGENDS RELATING TO SNEEZING
DAYS OF GOOD AND EVIL OMEN
I. EGYPTIAN DAYS
II. ROMAN SUPERSTITION CONCERNING DAYS
III. MEDIÆVAL BELIEF IN DAY-FATALITY
IV. PREVALENCE OF SIMILAR BELIEFS IN MODERN TIMES
V. THE SIXTH DAY OF THE WEEK
VI. FRIDAY IN MODERN TIMES
SUPERSTITIOUS DEALINGS WITH ANIMALS
I. RATS AND MICE AS AVENGERS
II. SPIRITS ASSUME THE FORMS OF BLACK ANIMALS
III. EXORCISM AND CONJURATION OF VERMIN
IV. CHARMS AGAINST ANIMALS
V. IMAGES OF ANIMALS AND BIRDS USED AS CHARMS
VI. WORDS USED AS CHARMS
VII. SUPERSTITIOUS DEALINGS WITH WILD ANIMALS
VIII. LEGAL PROSECUTION OF ANIMALS
THE LUCK OF ODD NUMBERS
I. EARLY SIGNIFICANCE OF NUMBERS
II. THE NUMBER THREE
III. THE NUMBER SEVEN
IV. ODD NUMBERS IN WITCHCRAFT
V. ODD NUMBERS IN FOLK-MEDICINE
VI. THE NUMBER THIRTEEN
FOOTNOTES
TOPICAL INDEX
