Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 24, 1913.djvu/243

 Collectanea. 221

3. Stars. Always say " Money " when you see a falling star (C). (This is apparently a worn-down form of wish ; see the next item.) Wish on the first star you see of an evening (C).

4. Days of the year.

New Year's Day " First foot " must not be a red-headed man, and should be a dark-haired man. (C, who adds that many of the older people " make a point " of having the first foot dark-haired. The name " first foot," however, does not seem to be in use.)

If you would be lucky in the new year, clean the house on New Year's Eve, so as not to carry over any of the old year's dust (C).

Easter. Wear some new article of clothing, or you will have nothing new all year (C).

Christmas. Collect pieces of Christmas cake made by different friends. Every piece eaten during January will bring a month's happiness (C). [Cf. N. and Q., 9th S., vol. xii. (1903), p. 505 ; loth S., vol. i. (1904), p. 172.]

5. Z>ays of the week.

Cut your nails on Sunday, and you kill God's grace for the week (C).-

Friday is an unlucky day to commence any piece of work ; however, if a little is done on the Thursday, the ill-luck is avoided.

To be free from toothache, cut your nails on Friday. 6. Birth, marriage, a fid death.

Houses were formerly built with the different rooms of the same floor on different levels, connected by steps. The reason given to- my informant by an old lady was that the dust would collect about the steps and not drift from room to room. Is it not rather to- facilitate the carrying of a new-born child upwards?

" Rock the cradle empty, babies in plenty."

A child born with a caul will have the second sight if the caul be removed upwards, so as to open the eyes. If the caul be removed sideways, so that the eyes are not fully opened, the power

-Cf. Brand, Observations on the Popular Antiquities etc., vol. iii., p. 178; County Folk-Lore, vol. iv. (Northutnberland), p. 58; N. and Q. ist S., vol. ii. (1850), p. 511 {Devonshire), vol, iii, (1851), p. 55 {Lancashire), p. 462. {Devonshire), vol. vi. (1852), p, 432 {Kent).