Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 8, 1897.djvu/28

 6 Neapolitan Witchcraft.

Taking hold of the white cord, is said:^ ^^ Diavolo, io in mano

ho questo laccio ; io gli lego c i e c — o^ da nessuno

possa f e ed impregnare ; solo a qiicsta f — a possa

adorarcP The incantation finished, the cord must be worn in order to keep the knots intact, for if untied the charm is broken. A lemon, orange, or even a potato, stuck over with pins of various colours and nails answers the same purpose. The pins and nails are inserted at midnight in the open air, deeply or superficially, according to the harm intended. In sticking in each pin, is said: ^' Stella, stella, delle fore fore, diavolo quattro, diavolo nove, io questa

spilla in testa a N inchiodo, gliela inchiodo t ant o forte

che per me ne deve prendere la mortem Then knots are made round some of the pins with a cord secretly bought by the witch for this special purpose, refusing to take change ; if the seller calls her back she tells him that he is mad. In knotting the cord, is said: ^^ Diavolo Zoppo, io inetto

questa spilla in testa di N vivo o tnorto.^^ Then the

object is hidden to prevent a disenchantment, as by throwing it into a drain or into the sea. The head, heart, or liver of an animal is also used, the head of a cock for a man, of a hen for a woman. To prevent an unfaithful lover from sleeping, the woman goes to bed quite naked, takes hold of the left sleeve of her chemise, saying : " Rissa, rissa, diavolo, io mi vendo questa camicia, non me la vendo per denaro. Pulci, cimici, piattole e tafaiii e I'ortica cam-

paiuola, da N ve ne andate, ed allora pace possa tro-

vare, quando questa camicia si viene a prendere^ Then, put- ting the chemise in the middle of the bed, she stands at the foot, places her arms crossed on the bed, and turns them four times so that the last time the palms are turned upwards,

savino-: "// Ictto di N non Io vedo, non Io so. Ai piedi

ci metto due candelieri, alia testa ci metto un capo di morte, net mezzo due spine di Cristo, Diavolo^ per

' This coarseness is inevitable.