Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 28, 1917.djvu/131

 Rh At once he went ashore at Haamea and rushed to see his family, leaving the buko branch outside the house. Afterwards he planted it, but because of his folly in not doing so immediately he landed the buko tree in Tonga neither speaks nor bears fruit. .

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An Exhibition in London.

Superstitions die hard, but the German submarine campaign is prolonging the life of at least one of them. In Nelson's time there was a limited trade in cauls, then popularly believed to be sure charm against death at sea by drowning, and in those days a single specimen would fetch as much as £20. Since Nelson's time there has been less demand for these objects, and five years ago they sold at 2s. apiece. Now, thanks to the activities of the German under-water craft, they are being sold at the London Docks for £2 10s.

This is one of many interesting facts brought out by an exhibition of charms illustrating a faith in the supernatural that apparently still obtains in London. The collection, which has been got together by Mr. Edward Lovett, a member of the council of the Folk-Lore Society, is to be seen at the Southwark Central Library, Walworth Road. It has no relation to what may be called religious superstitions, but it shows how widespread is the belief, especially in East and South London, that the fortunes of individuals can be affected by some inanimate object deemed to be lucky or potent against disease.

Love charms, of course, are prominent. One that is shown is "dragon's blood" gum, red in colour, and it is claimed that if this is burnt at midnight, preferably on a Friday, it will not fail to win a lover. Mr. Lovett states that this practice still survives, and many young girls in London carry out these mystic rites religiously. Another charm of the same sort is the root of a little yellow wild flower (potentilla tormentilla). It also has to be