376
INDEX.
Moon, new: turning money at sight of; looking at, through new silk handkerchief; through glass unlucky; on Saturday unlucky; curtseying towards, brings a present, 114; invocation to secure dreams of future husband; rhymes on mist; turning apron at sight of; in May, makes charms potent for cure of scrofula (Dorset), 115
Monar (Loch): its powers of healing derived from charmed pebbles thrown therein, 164
Mordiford, in Herefordshire: tradition of a combat there between dragon and malefactor; both perished; a representation in church, 298
Motherwell’s preface to Henderson’s Proverbs quoted on witches gathering May-dew, 199
Mountain-ash: rowan or wiggan tree or witchwood; twigs will make butter come, 184; used to burn hearts in incantations, 219; the dread of witches, 224; resembles the Indian palasa and mimosa, both of repute against magic; called care in Cornwall, and used to protect “overlooked” cattle, 225; keeps off witches when carried or grown near house, 225–6; relieves horses from power of a Silky, 268
Mount-folk, see Barrow-folk
Nails: specks on, indicate gifts on thumb; friends on first finger; foes on second; lovers or letters on third; journeys on fourth, 113; of dead men, a charm for ague, 150; see Child’s nails
Name: unlucky not to change initial of surname on marriage, 41
Napier’s Folk-Lore quoted on May marriages in Glasgow, 34; on minister kissing bride, 39
Naseby: the battle-field still haunted by echoes of the fight, 309
Neale and Littledale on the Psalms quoted, 312
Necklace of peony beads worn by children, 21
Need-fire: a charm against cattle disease, 167; produced by friction of two pieces of wood; proverb, “To work as if working for need-fire;” cattle driven through it, 168
Neirns (Kate): a Scottish witch burned at Crieff; gave bead to the laird of Inchbrakie, 245
Netherby Hall haunted by a rustling lady, 314
Nettle: child’s charm for sting, 26
Nevell, a knock-down blow (Durham), 308
Neville family house at Durham, ancient cradle found there, 19
Neville’s Cross: ghost of murdered woman haunts a path near, 326; noise of the battle heard after walking nine times round the cross and laying ear to turf, 308
New moon, see Moon
New Year’s Eve: unlucky to let house fire out; empty pockets or cupboards portend a year of poverty; Burns quoted, 72; direction of wind significant of year’s weather; old rhymes, 75; Hogmenay songs, 76–7; divination by the washed sark on, 101
New Year’s Day: visitors must not enter a house empty-handed; a new dress worn, 72; the “lucky glass,” or last in bottle; augury from name of first
