Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 15, 1904.djvu/235

 Collectanea. 211

If when stirring a cup of tea a leaf is whirled round but keeps to the edge of the cup, it is a sign that the person who stirs the tea will soon receive some money. If it whirls around the spoon, somebody in the house will soon be married.

People ought not to sit or stand so as to leave no passage. This will hinder ghosts from having free ingress and egress, and they will be angry.

Relating to Outdoor.

The pitiful whining of a dog signifies the presence of ghosts.

When throwing w^ater out of a window always be careful to ask the spirits to remove, for fear you may wet them.

If two hens kiss, that is, put their beaks together, some strange lady is going to visit the place. If one of the birds is a cock, the visitor will be a gentleman.

The cry of the croaking lizard and the flying about of cock- roaches are signs of rain.

Don't shy stones at twelve noon or in the night, for fear you may hit a ghost. These are the ordinary times when they " take their walks abroad."

It is not good to spit in a fire or to burn dung. The former will cause your saliva to dry up, and the latter will give you pains in the intestines.

Do not throw hair that is cut from your head carelessly about. It is detrimental to your brain.

A ghost that walks with a piece of rope round his neck and a rolling calf, a Chinese ghost or a coolie one, two picknie duppies with a three-footed horse, are the most malignant spirits that can be met.

Relatiiig to Dreams.

Generally speaking dreams are believed to go by contraries, that is, if one dreams of death it betokens a birth, and vice versa. There are a few, however, which deserve special notice.

One who dreams of silver will be sure to meet some bad luck in money matters. If on the other hand the dream be of copper or gold it is a sign of the reverse.

If the dreamer struggles with any one in his sleep — say a dog or a cow — or if he dreams that he is falling over a precipice, he is

p 2