Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 15, 1904.djvu/486

 454 Collectanea.

Vegetation.

If you roast yams the vine is injured.

If you roast breadfruit with the heart the tree will in future bear smaller breadfruit than it used to.

When pepper bears plentifully there will be hard times, scarcity of food.

If you put pepper in your pocket you will become poor.

The Body.

The Ear. — Big ears are signs of riches.

The tingling of the ear tell that some one is calling your name.

The Head. — A bald head indicates coming riches.

The Feet. — If you knock your right foot it is a sign of good luck.

If you knock your left foot it is a sign of bad luck.

The Eye. — Dancing of the eyes indicate that you will soon cry.

The Lips. — Dancing of the lips tell of a coming quarrel.

The Hand. — Scratching of the hands tell that you are about to get some money.

The Kttee. — Itching of the knee tells that you are about to sleep in a new bed.

The Elbow. — Itching of the elbow foretells that you are going to shake the hand of a stranger.

The Nose. — Itching of the nose foretells that you are going to kiss a fool.

The Hair. — Dropping of the hair tells of coming illness.

Births, Babies, a?id Children.

If the person who finds the baby's first tooth gives it nothing its teeth will rot as it gets them.

If you want a baby to walk soon, sweep his feet with a broom.

If you want a baby to walk soon, draw its feet in wet grass.

If you want your baby to be good, give it pot-black in milk to drink.

When a baby has hiccup, put a scrap of wet paper on its head.

Don't give away firesticks when you have a young baby, or else it will produce a bad effect on the baby.

When a woman has a young baby she must speak to no one outside.