in the west; Reginald Scot has a chapter[1] "How the lewd practise of the Pythonist of Westwell came to light, and by whome she was examined," and many other allusions to these wise women. Bears are still regarded in the east as possessed of magical properties.[2] When they are brought round to an Indian village, sick children are made to ride on them for a cure; and magical potions and drugs are made with their claws or hair.[3] Mr. Paton in 1894 found bears' hairs and claws held potent against the Evil Eye and fevers in Lesbos.[4] The sticks were probably wrapped in paper, with texts from the Psalms written on them, in order to find out something.
The Fate ((
Greek characters)) and Voice ((Greek characters)) need a more detailed examination. (Greek characters) appears to be the Italian risico, rischio, "risk," "chance;" and it is used in Greek for "fate, lot." (Greek characters) is the old Greek (Greek characters), "a voice," hence " an omen." The custom for Ægina has been carefully described by Epirotis in the (Greek characters) cited above; and it has also been noted in Thessaly and Cyprus, to which I now add Cos. It is a mode of divination for the married and the unmarried alike. In Ægina the custom is as follows: On the eve of St. John's Day, a girl collects from all those who wish to take part some token, a ring or what not, and puts them in a jar never used before. This is then filled with water ((Greek characters)), which must be drawn without speaking ((Greek characters)). The jar is covered with a red cloth and adorned with myrtle and laurel, at which certain verses are spoken. The jar is left out all night, and brought in at sunrise. Then a boy, with a red cloth over his head, uncovers the jar, while one of the girls
- ↑ Discovery of Witchcraft, p. 130, ed. 1584.
- ↑ My authority is Mr. W. Crooke.
- ↑ North Indian Notes and Queries, vol. iv. § 465.
- ↑ See a note by him in Folk-Lore, vol. vi. p. 90, and also vol. v. p. 275. The MSS. referred to in the last note are those I now have, Nos. I.—III. See also Grimm, Myth., p. 743; Weistumer, vol. i. p. 533.
