Page:Journal of American Folklore vol. 12.djvu/586

 238 Journal of American Folk-Lore.

The cake must be nipped before stowing away in the cupboard, a usage kept up with no comprehension of its origin. On St. Martin's Eve the blood of three cocks must be drawn, an act performed in every Gaelic household. This is sprinkled about the house, and a little daubed on the forehead of every member of the family. Salt is regarded as prophylactic against evil, and is eaten before going to a funeral, whither a little salt should be taken in the pocket. If milk is to be given away, salt must be put in it. Belief in the evil eye is in full vigor. When a ploughman reaches the end of a field, if he observes any person to whom he desires to speak, he must not allow the horses to stand until he has turned their faces toward the other end, so that the tails are presented to the person ; in this position they will be safe. If in driving any animal to market, a per- son is encountered, who does not " bless " them, it is necessary to say, before the person passes on, " God bless your heart, your eye, and my share ; " the evil eye cannot then " blink " the animals. If the blinker has looked on the beast, the latter must be struck three times with " the tail of your coat," next the ground. In travelling at night, it is wise to tread in the tracks of horses, for the path is secure from harm. If milk is given from the dairy, the receiver must bless the milk and the cow. Manure must not be removed after sunset, nor ashes put out on New Year's Day. On New Year's Eve, water for domestic use must be made ready before dark. Injury from a spirit may be received in the form of a blow from an invisible hand.

In presenting these extracts from a brief but amazing picture of Irish peasant life, it may be asked what comments would be made if such wild and ancient superstitions had been obtained from negroes in the Southern States of the Union ? Yet at no remote day the rural life of England would have presented beliefs as strange.

Popular Studies in Mythology, Romance, and Folk-Lore. London :

D. Nutt. 1899-1900. Nos. 1-6.

Under this head the firm of David Nutt is publishing a series of little pamphlets, issued at the price of sixpence each, intended to furnish read- ers with sketches of the subjects to which they relate, and provided with suitable bibliographic information.

No. 1 offers an account of " The Influence of Celtic upon Mediaeval Romance," by Alfred Nutt. The writer considers that the " matter of Britain," including especially Arthurian story, derives its " circumstance, form, and animating spirit " from the older Celtic traditions, which are best represented by the extant remains of Irish legend. His view is that the romantic spirit, as we now understand the term, is especially of Celtic origin. As to the disputed point of Welsh or Breton sources for French romances, he considers that the evidence furnished by proper names favors derivation from both sources, orally through Bretons, and in a written form from Welshmen.

No. 2, called " Folk-lore : what is it ? and what is the good of it? " is an admirable paper, in the form of an address by Mr. E. Sidney Hartland,

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