I am told years ago it was considered ’a ventersome thing ti deea’ for any one to speak disparagingly of their broom; the reason given being that no one was ever certain as to whether or no it had been witch-ridden. For should it have happened that a passing witch had one night borrowed their broom for a ride, it became witch-ridden, and was ever afterwards jealously watched over by the witch, and any indignity offered to her steed was sure to be resented.
It is looked upon as a most unwise thing for any one to give salt out of the house. In days past it was supposed to give witches power over the giver. Cases could be mentioned in which the work of the wise man was totally frustrated by such a proceeding.
It is most unlucky to give any one either a knife or any sharp instrument: such folly severs love, and breeds suspicion in the breasts of those who hitherto have held you in sincere regard. You may buy such a present by giving something in return for it, and such payment may be of the most trivial kind—a pin, a bit of paper, or anything.
When you discover your shoe-lace is loose, walk nine paces before tying it, otherwise you will tie ill-luck to you for that day.
Should a mouse run across the room, throw something at it, or, anyway, in the direction in which it ran. It may happen to have escaped from a witch’s cat, and you will please either the cat or the witch, or both, by making some kind of pretence to stop it.
It is lucky, and acts as a charm, if you spit on, or place in your mouth, the first money you receive each day. This is common to-day, but I doubt if those who do so know its origin.
Years ago witches were supposed to watch over or, as my informant put it, ‘eye-spell’ the first money paid, and often used to spirit it away. This they were unable to do after it had been placed in the mouth. It has now degenerated into what is vulgarly called ’spitting on ’t fer luck.’ It is quite commonly done in our markets to-day.
A weasel crossing your path is most unlucky: it speaks of treachery. This evil omen may be counteracted by the performance of a very mean trick: drop a coin on the road where you saw the weasel cross, and the evil which was yours by right, will cling to those who are unlucky enough to find it. If there is a tramp behind you, when you see a coin lying, leave it for him; he won’t mind about the ill-luck.
Always pass an old shoe so as to have it on your right hand; and don’t move it, lest you should help some unknown person on in the world, which would only be done to the detriment of yourself, for just as much as you advanced them, to that extent you would be the loser. An old hat you may kick about as much as you have a mind, always being careful to see some one has not placed a big stone underneath it—in that case it is always unlucky to kick a hat.
When a child was born, and it proved either unhealthy or deformed, it was generally supposed some evil-disposed person must have pricked its name with pins on a pincushion. When such a discovery was made by an expectant wife, nothing was said to the person working the evil, but the cushion was stolen, the pins withdrawn one by one, and stuck into the heart of a calf. This had to be buried in the churchyard, care being taken to bury it sufficiently deep, so that the dogs would not scratch it up. All this had to be done before the child was born, and by the mother. Such a discovery was made, and a heart stuck with pins and buried, within the last twenty years.