School: Naas (Mercy Convent) (roll number 15040)

On this page

1. Superstitions

   

   Share Share Post

   Never turn your head, if you are out walking, and you fancy you hear footsteps behind you, on November Night, because the dead are out and their glance could kill.
   Animals born at Whitsuntide will grow up dangerous and kill someone. Whitsuntide is the most unlucky part of the year.
   A child born at Whitsuntide will have an evil temper and may commit a murder.
   To vanish ill-luck from a child born at Whitsuntide, dig a grave, and lay the infant in it for a few minutes. After that the child is safe.
   If a child is fairy-struck give it a cup of cold water in the name of Christ, and make the Sign of the Cross over it.
   If you want to have money always, carry about with you, the back tooth of a horse, as long as you live, but the tooth must be found by chance.
   If you want to have money always, kill a black cock, go to the meeting of three crossroads, where a murderer is buried, throw the dead bird over your left shoulder, after nightfall in the name of the devil, at the same time holding a piece of money in your hand. Ever after, no matter what you spend you will find the same piece of money on your pocket.
   A sick person's bed should be placed north and south and not crossways.
   When a family had been carried off by fever, the house where they died may be again safely inhabited if a certain number of sheep are allowed to sleep there for three nights.

   (continues on next page)

   

   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. genre
      1. belief (~391)
         1. folk belief (~2,535)

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Patricia Meade

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   Poplar Square, Co. Kildare

   Informant

   Mrs Alice Meade

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   Poplar Square, Co. Kildare