368
INDEX.
Gowk: local name for cuckoo; “gowk days:” April fool’s days; “hunting the gowk:” bootless errands, 92
Grafting: lucky on Good Friday (Devon), 81
Grant’s (Mrs.) Superstitions of the Highlanders quoted on borrowing days, 95
Grass, thief punished by scratching blades of, 238–9
Grave-merels or scab: produced by treading on grave of stillborn or unbaptized child, 12; verses on the subject; how cured, 13
Green: an unlucky colour; old rhymes; green vegetables excluded from Scotch wedding dinner, 34–5
Greenteeth, see Jenny Greenteeth
Grote’s History of Greece, quoted on the race made of ashwood by Zeus, 17
Gudeman’s Field (The), see Cloutie’s Croft
Guisborough, wedding customs at, 38
Guisers at harvest festivals, 88–9
Haberfield Treiben of Bavaria, proceedings of the, 30
Habetrot, the fairy of the spinning wheel and the Selkirk maid, 258–262
Hagmena, see Hogmenay
Hailstones must not be gathered; will run through a glass, 119
Hair, child’s not to be cut on Friday, 17; “snatching,” a divination practised in Germany on St. Andrew’s Eve, 103; sudden loss of, portends misfortune, 111; bright burning, indicates longevity; smouldering, death, 112; should not be burnt (Ireland)—headache ensues if bird carry it away (Sussex); growing in a peak on forehead a sign of longevity (Devon), ib.—called “the widow’s peak,” 42; see Swallows
Hakelnberg, supposed to be the Wild Huntsman in Thuringia, 133
Halifax witch, in cat-shape, 209; story about her, 213–5
Hallihoo (holy hood), see Child’s caul
Hamme, haunted by sprite Oschaert, 273
Hamrammr, see Werewolf
Hand, itching of right, portends receiving; of left, paying money, 112; and arm of woman used by Mexican thieves to stupefy, 243–4; see Child’s hand
Hand of Glory: dried hand of hanged man; Dousterswivel’s account of its preparation—Colin de Plancy’s, 239; Southey’s Thalaba quoted, 240; used to stupefy by French housebreakers and in Ireland, ib.; Stainmoor story of its use, 241; similar tale from Delrio and one told in Northumberland, 242–3; fingers burn like candles, 243; variation of the belief in Belgium, ib.
Hanged man’s foot used like Hand of Glory, 243
Hansel Monday, the first Monday in the year, 77
Hardy (Mr. James) on three Silkies, 269; his Legends respecting Huge Stones quoted on Dunnie, 263
Hardwick (Nan), a noted Yorkshire witch; hunted by dogs, 210–11
Hares: their forefeet a charm for rheumatism (Sussex) and for cramp (Warwick), 201; unlucky for them to cross our path—Thugs and Arabs hold this opinion; regarded with terror in Lapland and Africa, 204
