374
INDEX.
Luther (Martin), a prey to superstition, 7; his Table Talk quoted on changelings, ib.
Lykewake: a gathering of neighbours to watch a corpse after dark, 54; see Death
Macabée (Chasse), the name of the Wild Hunt at Blois, 133
Mackenzie family, a bull sacrificed, A.D. 1678, for recovery of a member of the, 148
Magpie, an ominous bird; did not go into the ark; protected by superstition in Sweden; its form taken by witches; helps the devil in haymaking, 126; rhyme on meeting; ill-luck diverted by sign of cross or moving the hat—or by sight of a crow, 127; strange relic of ancient pagan ideas in a Christian country, 128
Maiden’s Castle: treasure there guarded by a hen; an attempt to seize it failed, 320
Malton, cauff-riddling there on St. Mark’s Eve, 52
Maple: confers longevity on child passed through its branches; one much used in Sussex, 17
March: last three days, called “borrowing days,” and indicate weather of the year; “blind days” in Devon, and held unlucky for sowing, 94–5
Marcoux: seventh sons in France; have power of curing the king’s evil, 305
Marecco (Professor) on sacrifice of an ox, 148; on charm for bite of mad dog, 179; on selling a cat to the devil, 208; on marks on pig’s leg, 313
Maree (Loch), sacrifices on an island in, 148; see St. Malruba
Marriage: days of week bring varying luck; Durham rhymes; Thursday auspicious in Scandinavia—in England and Germany the reverse; Friday most unfortunate, 33; also any day in Lent and the month of May in Scotland; Sir Walter Scott respected the prejudice in his daughter’s case; statistics of Glasgow marriages in 1874; proverb, “Marry in May, rue for aye;” unlucky for swine to cross the path of wedding party—proverb, “The swine’s run through it;” presence of bride’s mother inauspicious; a wet day also; green not worn lest fairies should resent the insult, 34; exclusion of all green things from Scotch wedding dinner; fowls indispensable—brides have side-bone; rubbing shoulders with bride or bridegroom an augury of speedy marriage; the next bride indicated by bride’s gift of cheese; struggle for the bride’s knife; “shapings” of wedding dress used in divinations; bride should wear something borrowed, 35; short-bread thrown over bride’s head on entering her new home—pieces secure dreams; plate of cake thrown in Yorkshire—augury from fate of plate; ladle and door-key placed in husband’s hands, tongs and keys in wife’s (Scotland); dreaming on wedding-cake; throwing a shoe: its symbolism, 36; Swedish bridal Folk-lore; wild mirth in the North on the occasion—“running the braize or brooze,” 37—firing guns; offering handful of money to clergyman; leaping over stone at Belford—the “louping” or “petting” stone; over bench at Embledon; bride jumping over stick (Coquetdale) and bridal party over stool—the parting-stool at Bamburgh, 38; kissing the bride the parson’s privilege and
