Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 20, 1909.djvu/93

Rh 4. It is lucky for a child to cry at its christening.

5. It is lucky for bees to be kept in partnership.

6. It is unlucky to dream of muddy water, or fruit out of season.

7. It is unlucky to meet a witch the first thing in the morning, but one may be safe from her by turning in both thumbs.

8. It is unlucky for a woman to enter a house first on New Year's morning.

9. "Lucky bird" is the first man or boy who comes into a house on New Year's morning. He must be dark, or at least not red-haired, and must leave something behind him.

10. When hair is cut off and thrown on the fire, if it blazes, it is lucky for the person; if it smoulders, unlucky.

11. The second flowering of fruit trees is a sign of death.

12. Wicken-tree wood for a whip handle is good against witches.

1. "Durham folks are troubled with afterwit."

2. "Like Johnny Middleton's hints."

3. "Headlam hens lay twice a day."

4. "Sure and sartain Said Jonathan Martin."

5. "A good contriver better than a big eater."

6. "Patch neighbourly, patch on patch beggarly."

7. "Full of holes and holds water," [a riddle: answer, the reckincrook, on which kettles etc. are hung.]

8. "Thou woll fetch it tiv a Barney Cassel raffle."

9. "Thou gets weaker and weaker, like Frank Hall in chimney."

10. "Thou naw man at all, thou like Jack Hall's mother."

1. Magpies, two versions.