Page:Cornish feasts and folk-lore.djvu/168

 156 Charms, etc. the ashen leaf." The following old charm is to make them destroy themselves, by twisting themselves up to nothing : — " Underneath this 'hazelen mot' * There's a 'braggaty't worm, with a speckled throat, Now ! nine ' double ' % hath he. Now from nine double, to eight double, From eight double, to seven double, From seven double, to six double. From six double, to five double, From five double, to four double, From four double, to three double, From three double, to two double. From two double, to one double. Now ! no double hath he. " The words of charms must be muttered (they lose their efficacy if recited aloud), and the charmer must never communicate them to one of the same sex, for that transfers the power of charming to the other person. Of superstitious rites practised for the cure of whooping-cough, etc., I will speak a little further on. Cornish- men in the last century from their cradles to their graves might have been guided in their actions by old women's " widdles " (superstitions), some as already shown are still foolishly followed ; but I hope that few people are silly enough at the present day to leave their babies' heads a twelvemonth unwashed, under the mistaken notion that it would be unlucky to do it. I have often and very recently seen the creases in the palms of children's hands filled with dirt ; to clean them before they were a year old would take away riches — they would live and die poor. Their nails, too, for the same period should be bitten, not cut, for that would make them thieves. Hair at no age must be cut at the waning of the moon, that would prevent its growing luxuriantly ; locks shorn off must be always burnt, it is unlucky to throw them away ; then birds might use them in their nests and weave them in so firmly that there would be a difficulty in your rising at the last day. Children's first teeth are burnt to prevent dog's or t Braf^gaty— spotted. } Doublu— a ring.
 * Hazelen mot — root of a hazel tree,