Page:Journal of American Folklore vol. 12.djvu/111

 Items of Armenian Folk-Lore collected in Boston. 99

be a contagious disease sweep away many people ; if in March, there will be much loss of stock, and so on. 1

Dead bodies are said to rise out of their graves in the night-time and go about the country. They are not, however, flesh and blood as long as the darkness lasts, but are supposed to be so far spiritual- ized that they have power to assume any form they may choose. Once a dead person who was strolling about in the night, and had taken on the form of a puppy, was picked up by a man who, think- ing to keep it, carried it home with him. Next morning the puppy was gone, and in its place was a dead body. Armenians avoid going by a graveyard after night, for fear the dead will follow them.

A shooting star is the sign of some one's death.

When a light is seen rising from a grave (the result of decaying matter), they think it is an indication of holiness.

In a certain part of Armenia there are seven hills in the same community. The Armenians account for them in the following manner : Once upon a time Nero and his army were marching against the city of Harpud with the intention of capturing it. On the spot marked by one of these hills he pitched his camp. During the night the earth opened and swallowed both him and his army. Six other kings hostile to the Armenians have in the course of time encamped in this same neighborhood. Each time the earth has engulfed them. Over the places of burial of the seven armies with their kings have come these seven hills.

The villages nestling around the bases of different hills here and there throughout the country oftentimes have names which indicate that they have been battle-grounds in the past. One is named " Sharp to Sharp," having reference to the clashing of swords. Another is called " Judgment," and so on.

At twelve o'clock on New Year's Eve all rivers and springs stop flowing for five minutes. If one should go to a spring when it starts again he would find gold dust pouring from it for a moment or two. There was once a woman who went for a pitcher of water just at this time. On coming to the light the water looked dirty, and with- out thinking what was the matter she threw it out. Next morning she found a little gold in the bottom of the pitcher.

If neighbor A is not friendly with neighbor B, and one desires that he should be, all he has to do is to secure a lock of B's hair and burn it so that A will get a scent of it. Henceforth he will be friendly with B.

Seeds sown in the new moon will do well ; in the dark of the moon they will not.

1 I have been unable to get the exact saying for each month.

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