SUPERSTITIONS.
The most remarkable instance of the tenacity of superstitions is the
survival of the practice of "bringing in the New Year." Not only does
it exist among the poor and uneducated, but even amongst educated
people at this festive season. It is considered an omen of misfortune
if the first person who enters your house on New Year's morning has a
fair complexion or light hair. This popular prejudice has never been
satisfactorily accounted for, says the late Mr. Charles Hardwick, in
his "Traditions and Superstitions." He says: "I can only suggest that
it most probably arose from the fact that amongst the Keltic tribes,
who were the earliest immigrants, dark hair prevailed. This dark
characteristic still prevails amongst the Welsh, Cornish, and Irish
of the present day. When these earlier races came in contact with the
Danes and Norse as enemies, they found their mortal foes to possess
fair skins and light hair. They consequently regarded the intrusion
into their houses, at the commencement of the year, of one of the hated
race, as a sinister omen. The true Kelt does not only resent, on New
Year's Day, the red hair of the Dane, but the brown and flaxen locks
of the German as well." An old writer, Oliver Matthew, of Shrewsbury,
writing in the year 1616, at the age of 90 years, says it was the
custom of the Danes to place one of their men to live in each homestead
of the conquered race, and this was more resented than the tribute
they had to pay. This affords another proof that these fair-haired men
were the cause of this present superstition. It is also considered
unlucky to allow anything to be taken out of the house on New Year's
Day, before something had been brought in. The importation of the most
insignificant article, even a piece of coal, or something in the nature
of food, is sufficient to prevent this misfortune, which the contrary
action would render inevitable. This sentiment is well expressed in the
following rhyme:--
Take out, and then take in,
Bad luck will begin.
Take in, then take out,
Good luck comes about.
It would be rash to speculate how long superstitions of this kind will
continue to walk hand in hand with religion; how long traditions from
far-off heathen times will exercise this spell not only in our remote
country places but in enlightened towns. In the realms of folk-lore,
many were firm believers in witchcraft, in signs and omens, which
things were dreaded with ignorant awe, while the romantic race of
gipsies look upon occult influences from the inside, as a means of
personal gain.
The prophetic character of the weather during this period is a
superstition common to all the Aryan tribes. So strongly is this
characteristic of the season felt in Lancashire at the present day,
that many country people may be met with who habitually found their
"forecast" on the appearances of the heavens on Old Christmas Day.
The late Mr. T. T. Wilkinson relates a singular instance of this
superstition, which shows the stubbornness of traditional lore, even
when subjected to the power and influence of legislative enactments.
He says: "The use of the old style in effect is not yet extinct in
Lancashire. The writer knows an old man of Habergham, near Burnley,
about 77 years of age, who always reckons the changes of the seasons in
this manner. He alleges the practice of his father and grandfather in
support of his method, and states with much confidence that 'Perliment
didn't change t' seasons wen they chang'd day o't' month.'" A work
named "The Shepherd's Kalender," published in 1709, soberly informs us
that "if New Year's Day in the morning opens with dusky red clouds,
it denotes strife and debates among great ones, and many robberies to
happen that year."
THE HELM WIND.
In the neighbourhood of Kirkoswald, on the Eden in Cumberland, a
district prolific in Arthurian legends, it is said that a "peculiar
wind called the 'Helm Wind,' sometimes blows with great fury in that
part of the country. It is believed by some persons to be an electrical
phenomenon." This fact may have some remote connection with the
superstition under consideration. Sir Walter Scott's version of the
legend is as follows: "A daring horse jockey sold a black horse to a
man of venerable and antique appearance, who appointed the remarkable
hillock upon the Eildon Hills, called the Lucken Hare, as the place
where at twelve o'clock at night he should receive the price. He came
and his money was paid in ancient coin, and he was invited by his
customer to view his residence. The trader in horses followed his guide
in the deepest astonishment through several long ranges of stalls, in
each of which a horse stood motionless, while an armed warrior lay
equally still at the charger's feet. 'All these men,' said the Wizard
in a whisper, 'will awaken at the battle of Sheriffmoor.' At the
extremity of this extraordinary depôt hung a sword and a horn, which
the Prophet pointed out to the horse dealer, as containing the means of
dissolving the spell. The man in confusion, took the horn and attempted
to wind it. The horses instantly started in their stalls, stamped and
shook their bridles; the men arose, and clashed their armour; and the
mortal terrified at the tumult he had excited, dropped the horn from
his hand. A voice like that of a giant, louder even than the tumult
around, pronounced these words:
"Woe to the coward that ever he was born
That did not draw the sword before he blew the horn!"
The mistletoe was supposed to protect the homestead from fire and
other disaster, and, like other mysterious things, was believed to
be potent in matters relating to courtship and matrimony. It is to
this sentiment we owe the practice of kissing under the bush formed
of holly and mistletoe during Christmas festivities. This matrimonial
element in the mistletoe is artistically presented in the Scandinavian
mythology. Freigga, the mother of Baldr, had rendered him invulnerable
against all things formed out of the then presumed four elements, fire,
air, earth, and water. The mistletoe was believed to grow from none of
these elements. But she overlooked the one insignificant branch of the
mistletoe, and it was by an arrow fashioned from it that the bright
day-god Baldr, the Scandinavian counterpart of Apollo and Bel, was
killed by the blind Hodr or Heldr. The gods, however, restored him to
life, and dedicated the mistletoe to his mother, who is regarded as the
counterpart of the classical Venus. Hence its importance in affairs
of love and courtship. It is not improbable that the far-famed dart
of Cupid may have some relation to the mistletoe arrow, to which the
beautiful Baldr succumbed.
The medicinal qualities of the mistletoe tree were also in high repute.
Its healing power was shared by the ash tree, which was the "Cloud
tree" of the Norsemen. The ash (Norse "askr,") was the tree out of
which the gods formed the first man, who was thence called Askr. The
ash was among the Greeks, an image of the clouds, and the mother of men.
Other Christmas customs and superstitions are peculiar to Lancashire.
The white thorn is supposed to possess supernatural power, and
certain trees of this class, in Lancashire called Christmas thorns,
are believed to blossom only on Old Christmas Day. Mr. Wilkinson
says that in the neighbourhood of Burnley many people will yet
travel a considerable distance "at midnight, in order to witness the
blossoming." The Boar's Head yet forms a chief object amongst the
dishes of Christmas festivities. Among the impersonations of natural
phenomena, the wild boar represented the "ravages of the whirlwind that
tore up the earth." In all mythologies the boar is the animal connected
with storm and lightning. There yet exists a superstition prevalent in
Lancashire to the effect that pigs can "see the wind." Dr. Kuhm says
that in Westphalia this superstition is a prevalent one. The tradition
is at least three or four thousand years old. Lancashire has many
stories of the pranks played by the wild boar or demon pig, removing
the stones in the night on the occasion of the building of churches.
Stories of this nature are to be found respecting Winwick, where a rude
carving resembling a hog fastened to a block of stone, by a collar,
is to be seen built into the tower of the present Church. Burnley and
Rochdale Churches, and Samlesbury Church, near Preston, possess similar
traditions.
All Celtic nations have been accustomed to the worship of the Sun. It
was a custom that everywhere prevailed in ancient times to celebrate
a feast at the Winter Solstice, by which men testified their joy at
seeing this great luminary return again to this part of the heavens.
This was the greatest solemnity of the year. They called it in many
places "Yole," or "Yuul," from the word "Hiaul" and "Houl," which even
at this day signifies sun in the language of Cornwall. "Heulo" in
modern Welsh means to "shine as the Sun." And thus we may derive our
word halo. Some writers, including the Venerable Bede, derive Yule from
"hvoel," a wheel, meaning the return of the Sun's annual course after
the Winter Solstice.
Agriculture
A COMPARISON OF PROGRESS BETWEEN DANISH AND BRITISH