INDEX.
385
(of Black Heddon, of Houndwood, of Denton Hall), 268–270; Thrumpin, 262; Tomte (Sweden), 250; Wag-at-the-wa’, 256–7; Water Kelpie (Scotland), 272; Wryneck (Lancashire), 254
Stable guarded from witches by horseshoe and broom in rack, 193
Stainmore, story of Hand of Glory at, 241
Stamp-strainer, one who cures sprained limbs by stamping on them with his foot, 155
Stang, riding the, 28–30
Stars: unlucky to point at or count them, 119
Steel placed in cradle of unbaptized child, 230; thrown by bathers into water in Sweden, 231
Stithy, firing the, at a stingy bride, 42
Still-born, see Child, still-born
Stockings: bride’s crossed on wedding-night, 42; lucky if left put on inside out, 111; hung up for presents at Christmas, 67
Stokesley, the Wise man of; consulted on bewitched pigs, 206; in great request as a godfather; a natural clairvoyant; describes a diseased cow, 215–16; foretells the return of stolen goods, 216–17; his warning against giving away salt; cures a diseased bull, 217–18; fixes two men in their seats before a fire, 218
Stott (Mr. J.), on Auld Betty, the Halifax witch, 209, 213–15; on heart stuck with pins and buried to torment, 223
Stones: at Belford church porch, over which bridal party leap—the “louping” or “petting” stone, 38; charm stones gave virtue to Loch Monar, 164; used in Lewis for cattle disease, 165; Irish stones cure sores; holy or self -bored stones protect from witchcraft, 166, 194; St. Peter’s stone a charm for a sore, 156
Storms, word-charm against, 170
Stumbling upstairs, unlucky; forebodes marriage, 113
Sturfit hall, a Hob attached to the family at, 264
Subterranean passages: a belief in their existence very general; one between Finchale and Durham; contain iron chests guarded by cocks or ravens; attempts to gain the treasure at Maiden’s castle and Kirkstall abbey, 320
Sun, carrying the dead with the, 61; circling a person with or against the—an ancient Icelandic belief; circling a room at midnight against, 62; dancing on Easter morning—maidens get up to see it rise—in Devonshire they expect to see a lamb therein, 83; see Deazil, Withershins
Superstitions, list of, condemned in Apostolical constitutions; by St. Chrysostom, 4; by St. Eligius, and by Abbot Cameanus in Scotland, 5
Surname, marriage unlucky between persons with same initial letter of, 41
Surtees’ History of Durham quoted on Brown Man of the Muirs, 251; on Redcap, 254
Swallows, descending chimney, a death omen, 48; good omen their nesting in a place; protect a house from fire and storms; penalties for destroying them; the Hull banker’s sons, 122; called the “devil’s birds”—they doom men to perdition by picking a certain hair from their heads (Ireland), 123; rhymes on their sacred character, ib.
