Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 25, 1914.djvu/412

 380 Collectanea,

held in much favour throughout the entire country. This old custom is still practised in the Highlands of Scotland." — Belfast Evening Telegraph, October 15, 19 13.

Iron a S.\cred jNIetal.

Describing a remarkable collection of Greek surgical instruments found at Kolophon in Ionia, a writer in The Times, 25th ^Slarch, 1 9 14, remarks :

" It is an interesting fact that in ancient times knives were made either of stone or bronze. This custom was followed, not because iron was unknown, but because that metal was held in superstitious fear — a fear which lingered into the Christian era. According to Plutarch it was actually unlaw^ful to introduce any iron implement into a Greek temple, and no Roman priest might be shaved by an iron razor or iron scissors. Surgical knives, however, had steel blades. Nevertheless even these bore, on the opposite side from the actual blade, a leaf-like projection of bronze with two edges — a survival of the earlier bronze blade, preserved, apparently, for ceremonial reasons. Each of the six knives (or rather knife handles) in this collection shows a groove for the steel blade which it originally possessed."

W. Crooke.

Notes on Folk Beliefs. Unberufen : Touching Wood.

Boasting is generally believed to be dangerous. When a man brags we know that evil days are close upon him, and we are conscious of a dim foreboding, not perhaps amounting quite to apprehension, but rather a vague sense of discomfort and unrest. This sensation lasts until it is allayed by the performance of a magical rite — touching wood. In Germany the ritual is more elaborate, and is accompanied by words of power, the boaster saying : " Unberufen — unberufen. Ein, zwei, drei," striking wood thrice as he counts. At first sight it may appear that touching wood is of the same nature as the gambler's pawn, a forfeiture deliberately made to turn aside bad luck. But this is not so :