Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 29, 1918.djvu/273

 The Rosary in Magic and Religion. 26


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" Rosaries strung on a dirty thread are calculated to bring misery to the persons who use them. ..."

" The thread of the rosary should not be touched with the forefinger, nor should one shake the hand while telling the beads."

" Putting the rosary on the middle part of the right-hand thumb, move the beads."

" Drawing the beads with the middle finger is calculated to realise the desires of the person who tells the beads."

" One should not draw the beads with other fingers, nor should one touch the beads with the nails."

" In default of rosaries of wood one can use the rosary of kusa knots on the fingers. One should tell the beads in this way with his mind undisturbed and closely attentive."

In order to strike fear into their oppressors Brahmans sometimes keep their hair unshaven and allow their nails to grow to a great length. At the same time they wear about their neck and hold in the hand — usually the right hand — beads of earth on which they tell mantras. It is believed that by so doing they destroy the oppressor root and branch.

Charms. It is sometimes difficult to distinguish between the rosary proper and a charm ; indeed the rosary itself is often a charm. Some of the snake-charmers in India use rosaries made of snake-bones which are hung on to their musical instruments. The beads of these rosaries are sometimes used as charms to cure snake-bite by tying them on to the wrist of the sick person.^ in some parts of India similar rosaries arc used as protective charms by snake- charmers. Faqirs use rosaries made out of the vertebrae of a snake which they carry about to show that they can cure snake-bite.^ Such a rosary is sometimes worn tied to the turban, and a special mantra is recited on these

' ;V. /w..'. A'o/es and Qufihs, iii. 56. '^ W. Crooke, 1 'kings Indian, p. 408.