Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 23, 1912.djvu/253

 Correspondence. 231

The first section is headed "The Magical and Physical Vertues of Beasts and Birds."

" Of the Hare. The Heart of a Hare dried, and worn about the Neck cureth the Cramp ; and Drunk in Wormwood- Water, cureth all the Worms in the Stomach or Belly.

Of the Mole, or Want. The Bones of a Dog Want sewed up in Silk, and worn about

Of the Tortoise. Take the Shell of a Tortoise Egg, and wear it about you ...

Of a Ram. He being a Creature of the Sun, and if he be Knock'd down, or Kill'd at any of those times, when Herbs of the Stm is to be gather'd, as shall be shewn hereafter at large, and Rings made of the Horns, and one put on the Finger next the little Finger on each Hand, cures the Cramp to Admiration.

Of a Magpye. Being a Bird of Mars, if it be kill'd at any of those times when -any Herbs of Alars are to be gathered, and the Brains of it taken out and dryed to Powder, and put into white Wine, and the Wine

drunk ... r,f jj a ^

Of a Hedg-Sparrow.

Being a Bird of Venus, and killed at any of those times as afore was shewn, ^ and Salted well, and eaten Raw, is one of the best Remedys to cure the Stone in the Reins or Bladder, or Vritory [sic] Passages.

Of the Land Toad.

Take a great Toad, kill him, and put him into a Horse Dung-hill, there let him lie, and the Ants will consume the Flesh ; in the Head you shall find a thing like a Stone, great or little, the which being set in Gold, and worn about a Man or Woman, it doth give them warning of any Mischief, or 111 to them, that weareth it, by ■changing Colours in divers manners.

Of a Spider. Take a Spider and shut it up close in a Walnut Shell, and wear it about you, cures an Ague to Admiration.

^That is, at times when Herbs of Vtnus were to be gathered.