GLASGOW: PRINTED AT THE UNIVERSITY PRESS
BY ROBERT MACLEHOSE AND CO.
CONTENTS
| PAGE | |
| [CHAPTER I] Black Witchcraft | |
| Introductory | [1] |
| Witches and Milk | [7] |
| Counter-Charms | [10] |
| Going to Sea | [15] |
| Raising Storms and Drowning People | [19] |
| Witches as Sheep | [30] |
| Witches as Hares | [33] |
| Witches as Cats | [34] |
| Witches as Rats | [42] |
| Witches as Gulls | [42] |
| Witch as Cormorant | [43] |
| Witches as Whales | [44] |
| Delaying the Birth of a Child | [45] |
| Clay Corpse | [46] |
| Silver Sixpence | [49] |
| Saving Horses | [50] |
| Tailor and Witches | [50] |
| Celebrated Witches | [50] |
| Wizard Rising after Death | [52] |
| How to Detect Witches | [53] |
| [CHAPTER II] White Witchcraft | |
| Introductory | [54] |
| Eòlas | [57] |
| Cure for the Evil Eye | [59] |
| Charm for Sprains | [66] |
| Charm for Bruises | [67] |
| Charm for Rheumatic Pains | [67] |
| Charm for Consumption | [68] |
| For Affections of the Chest | [68] |
| Charm for Toothache | [69] |
| Made for Merrion MacFadyn | [70] |
| Charms for Cattle | [71] |
| Charm against Danger | [73] |
| The Old Wife’s Charm for her Cow | [73] |
| Charm for a Sheep in its Cot | [74] |
| Against Drowning and in War | [74] |
| Charm against Dangers in War | [75] |
| Charm for Cloth | [77] |
| Charm for General Use | [79] |
| “The Gospel of Christ” | [79] |
| Charm for conferring Graces | [80] |
| Charm for the Faces of Young Women | [81] |
| Love Charm | [82] |
| Charm to keep away Harm in a Lawsuit | [83] |
| Serpent Stone | [84] |
| Snail Beads | [88] |
| Frog Stone | [89] |
| Stones | [90] |
| Fairy Arrow | [91] |
| Cruban Stone | [92] |
| Various | [93] |
| Gospel | [94] |
| Miscellaneous Cures | [94] |
| Warts | [94] |
| Stye | [95] |
| Tetter | [95] |
| Hiccup | [96] |
| Hooping-cough | [96] |
| Stiff Neck | [96] |
| Toothache | [96] |
| Falling Sickness | [97] |
| Madness | [97] |
| Axillary Swelling | [99] |
| Lumbago | [100] |
| Consumption | [100] |
| Leprosy | [100] |
| Loch Ma Nàr | [101] |
| Wells | [101] |
| Mountain Ash | [103] |
| Pearlwort | [103] |
| St. John’s Wort | [104] |
| Juniper | [105] |
| Yarrow | [106] |
| The Enticing Plant | [106] |
| The Daughter of the King of Enchantments | [107] |
| [CHAPTER III] Death Warnings | |
| Introductory | [109] |
| Hugh of the Little Head | [111] |
| [CHAPTER IV] Second Sight | |
| Introductory | [120] |
| Spectres of the Living | [132] |
| Apparitions of the Dead | [137] |
| Strong and Undue Wishes | [141] |
| Tàradh | [144] |
| Marriage | [147] |
| Coming Misfortune | [148] |
| Events at a Distance | [149] |
| Death | [150] |
| Coffin | [151] |
| Noise of Glasses to be used at Funerals | [154] |
| Funeral Procession | [155] |
| Wraiths seen before Death | [158] |
| Drowning | [160] |
| Horses and Dogs | [163] |
| Crying heard before Death | [166] |
| Lights | [169] |
| Spirits seen before Death | [172] |
| Return of the Dead | [172] |
| Bones of the Dead and Place of Burial | [176] |
| Spirits appearing in Dreams | [179] |
| To get rid of the Second Sight | [180] |
| [CHAPTER V] Hobgoblins | |
| Introductory | [181] |
| The Bodach, or Carle | [187] |
| Fuath | [188] |
| Cachlaidh Na Feusaig, Islay | [189] |
| The Headless Body | [191] |
| The Grey Paw | [194] |
| Ewen and the Carlin Wife | [198] |
| The Black Walker of the Ford | [201] |
| Strowan, Athole | [203] |
| The Unearthly Whistle | [204] |
| The Battle of Gaura | [205] |
| The Beast of Odal Pass | [207] |
| Luideag, “The Rag” | [208] |
| Lochan Doimeig | [208] |
| Return of the Dead | [210] |
| Donald Gorm’s Ghost | [211] |
| Taibhse Choimhlig | [213] |
| Kingairloch, Argyleshire | [214] |
| Fladdachuain | [215] |
| Haunted Houses | [217] |
| Bocain, Goblins | [220] |
| [CHAPTER VI] The Celtic Year | |
| Introductory | [224] |
| Nollaig | [229] |
| Calluinn | [230] |
| Christmas Rhymes | [233] |
| New-Year Night | [236] |
| New-Year’s Day | [238] |
| The Twelve Days of Christmas | [243] |
| Winter Season | [244] |
| February | [245] |
| Earrach beag nam Faochag | [247] |
| St. Bride’s Day | [247] |
| Spring | [250] |
| The Whistle | [250] |
| The Sharp-billed One | [251] |
| The Sweeper | [251] |
| Gearran, a Gelding, or perhaps Gearan, Complaint | [251] |
| The Old Wife | [253] |
| Three Hog Days | [254] |
| Seed-time | [255] |
| Shrovetide | [256] |
| Lent | [258] |
| St. Kessock’s Day | [259] |
| St. Patrick’s Day | [259] |
| Lady Day | [261] |
| Shore or Maundy-Thursday | [261] |
| Good Friday | [262] |
| Easter | [263] |
| All-Fools’ Day | [266] |
| Bailc na Bealltainn | [267] |
| May-Day | [267] |
| Month of May | [272] |
| Whistling Week | [273] |
| May | [273] |
| The Avoiding Day of the Year | [273] |
| Whitsuntide, Pentecost | [274] |
| St. John’s or Midsummer’s Eve | [276] |
| Dog Days | [276] |
| Translation of Martin | [277] |
| Lammas | [277] |
| The Hot Month (i.e. August) | [279] |
| Assumption Day | [279] |
| Roodmas, September 14th-26th | [280] |
| Michaelmas | [281] |
| Hallowmas | [281] |
CHAPTER I.
BLACK WITCHCRAFT.
Witchcraft introduces us to a class of popular superstitions entirely different from those connected with Fairies. Fairies, water-horses, and kindred supernatural beings were distinct from the Evil Spirits that gave to witches their unhallowed powers. They could not be compelled or conjured by mortals to appear when wanted, or enter into contracts of service. The Powers of Darkness, on the other hand, were always at the service of their votaries, and, by means of charms and incantations known to the initiated, were made to lend their aid in any scheme of malevolence.