Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 6 1888.djvu/283

 Rh Church Folk-lore.—The following paragraph, which I transcribed some years ago from The Hull Advertiser of 14 May, 1796, is worthy of preservation in your pages. Watching the church porch on the eve of St. Mark is a well-known practice; watching the supper I have not, as far as I remember, heard of before:—"The lamentable effects of terror have been frequently recorded. We are sorry to add another instance of its fatal power. On Friday morning a girl living at a public-house in Mill Street, in this town, was seized with an illness. ..... She died early on Saturday morning. Thursday evening, being what is called St. Mark's Eve, the above girl, in company with two others, sat up to observe a custom of the most dangerous and ridiculous nature, which they called watching their suppers; in doing which it is supposed the girl heard some noise, or fancied she saw some object, which had such a terrible effect on her mind as to produce the fatal consequences above mentioned. We hope her awful example will be a warning to the thoughtless observance of such superstitious and impious practices."

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Bottesford Manor, Brigg.

Milk v. Fire.—In Mr. Rust's note in Nature, vol. xxxvii. p. 583, there is mention of a superstition that milk alone can extinguish a fire kindled by lightning—a belief that existed in Cambridgeshire, and which is entertained by the Sudan Arabs. The Sinhalese (natives of Ceylon) have a similar belief in the efficacy of milk. When an epidemic such as small-pox breaks out in a village, two games of a religious character, An-Edíma (horn pulling) and Pol-gehíma (striking cocoa-nuts together), are played in public for a couple of days. Then the Kapurála (lay priest), and those who have taken part in the games, go in procession with music, &c., to every house in the village, where arrangements have been made for the Kapurála's reception. The house and grounds are cleaned; the inmates wear newly-washed clothes; and portions of the ceiling and floor are covered with white cloths. A lamp is lit at the threshold of the building. The Kapurála carries an earthen pot containing either cocoanut milk or water medicated with saffron-leaves, and over which charms have been pronounced. On his arrival at the door he chants