Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 17, 1906.djvu/472

 45 6 Collectanea.

suspension, hung by a cord beneath the neck of a donkey or mule ; from Granada. In most cities this amulet is to be seen upon comparatively few animals, and seemingly only upon those of peasants from the surrounding country ; it generally shows signs of long-continued wear. It is usually carried by only one or two of the donkeys of a party, and most often by the leading one. In several instances, where an attempt to purchase the amulet was made, a considerable disinclination to remove it from the animal was shown, despite the offer of more than the acknowledged cost of a new protective.

(2, IV.) A new piece of deer's horn, perforated for suspension ; from Madrid. This and a few similar specimens at the same booth were the only donkeys' amulets seen at Madrid during a stay of two weeks. It was obtained from a small dealer in the market for old harness, and was probably kept for sale to a peasant.

(3, IV.) A large and handsome piece of rough-surfaced antler, mounted in silver ; Toledo. A type of an amulet said formerly to be worn by children of the better classes, but now apparently no longer used.

(4, IV.) A bit of antler, mounted in silver ; Granada.

(5, IV.) A decorated bit of antler, mounted in silver ; Seville.

(6, 7, 8, 9, IV.) Horn-shaped pieces of bone, of typical shapes, mounted in silver ; Seville. Similar pendants are to be found in many of the silversmiths' shops in the poorer quarters of Seville, Granada, and other cities. These pieces of bone are worn by children, not against the effect of the evil eye only, but as an aid in teething as well, for which latter purpose the substance bone is considered to be particularly efficacious (com- pare Amulets for Infants). Borrow ^ says that it is supposed, in Andalusia, that if an evil glance fall upon the child wearing it the little horn takes the evil upon itself and breaks. No definite confirmation of the present existence of this belief was obtained. Nos. 5 and 6 are particularly interesting as showing elaborate ornamentation applied to simple amuletic pendants.

(10, IV.) A horn-shaped piece of translucent horn or tortoise- shell, mounted in silver; Seville.

^ Borrow, Zincali, vol. i. chap. 9.