Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 1 1883.djvu/226

 the toe of a slipper, which you turn gently over: and you may rest in peace.

A slipper is a strangely useful article; there should always be one at hand for emergencies. Terribly bad luck will befall a family if one of its members is allowed, unchecked, to grind the teeth when asleep; quickly stride the mouth of the offender with a slipper—three times—and the family misfortunes are avoided.

The mysterious influences that hover round our beds are moved to evil by other grievances besides the gnashing of teeth: a black handkerchief on the head of a sleeper is an abomination: woe to the woman who may have thoughtlessly so bound up her brows, her good destiny peeping in at the door and seeing the sombre head-dress will cast off all interest in the sleeping sinner, and with the gesture "Nà! Nà!" take flight for evermore.

There is great danger in giving and taking incautiously. During twelve days before Christmas carefully avoid giving any thing to any one or harm will come of it, and at all times and seasons remember never to give either salt or ashes: let people take what they need of those homely substances, but if you give them your house will inevitably be burned down.

Never take a piece of soap from a friend's hand; let the giver lay it down, and you may take it up with safety, and thus avoid the bitter quarrel which would surely follow the neglect of this trifling precaution.

To spill either oil or spirits is most unfortunate; but if wine is spilt by a genuine accident you may fairly rejoice in the happy prognostic.

If salt is spilt unintentionally, it is sufficient to scatter a little pepper upon it to arrest the evil consequences which would otherwise follow.

A half-open door may occasion serious misfortunes. If the door of the house is standing open when a corpse is carried past it must be shut in haste, or the uneasy spirit that has so lately left its earthly tenement will glide in to take up its abode where it is not desired. On the door-step of the house from which the poor body has been so hastily removed, a vase or bottle of wine must be thrown down and broken, that it may not, at least, seek to re-enter its lost home.

If the door of a cupboard is left partially open, a visitor may happen to glance unconsciously at the worldly goods stored up within, but the most disastrous results will follow the innocent glance, as the