SUPERSTITIONS OF CHILDBIRTH.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3061, 19 April 1881, Page 4

SUPERSTITIONS OF CHILDBIRTH.

In Denmark children born on Sundays have characteristics by no means enviable. Mr Thorpe, in his " Northern Mythology," tells us that in Eyen there was a woman •who was born on a Sunday, and therefore had the faculty of seeing much that was ;.1 '~n from others. Unfortunately, on this ii 0b... ' " could not pass by the church at account, sn_ -eing a hearse or spectre ; night without .. ~. a burden t0 hep< hence this gift becaiu -Vice of a man She therefore sought the au. ner skilled in such matters, who direct... -< 4 whenever she saw a spectre, to say, " fcrvto heaven," but when she met a hearse, " Hang on." Happening, some time afterward, to meet a hearse, she, through forgetfulnoss, cried out, "Go to heaven," and straightway the hearse rose in the air and vanished. Soon after, meeting a spectre, she said to it " Hang on," whereupon it clung around her neck, hung on her hack, and drove her down into the earth befora it. Eor three days her shrieks were heard before the _pectre would put an end to her wretched life. In some parts of Scotland the newlyborn child was bathed in salt water, and made to taste it three times. Baptism, too, has been supposed to be a good remedy ; and Mr Napier, in his " Folk-lore of West Scotland," quotes an instance in which the baby was born on a Saturday and carried two miles to church the next day rather than a week's delay be risked. In the North of England, when a child pines or Wastes away, the case assigned is the " Evil Eye." In days gone coral beads were hung found the necks of babies, from an ancient superstitious notion that these would protect them from evil influences of every description. Herrick, too, has given us the following charm:— " Bring r,he holy cru=t of bread, Lay H underneath tbe head ; Tis a certiin charm to keep Hags away where children sleep. Let the superstitious wife Near the child's heart lay a knife, Point be up nnd haft be down ; Thi». 'mongst other mystick charms, Keepß the sleeping child from harmes." In the north of England women still wear around their necks blue woollen threads, or small cords, till they wean their children, for the purpose of warding off fevers, or, a3 they are nicknamed, " weeds and onfas." These threads are handed down from mother to child, and esteemed in proportion to their antiquity. According to a Yorkshire notion, a new-born infant should be laid first in the arms of a maiden before anyone touches it, and in some places the infant's right hand is left unwashed, in order that he may gather riches. It is, too, considered very important by many that an infant should go up in the world before it goes clown. Thus, in Cleveland, says Mr Henderson, "if a child shoxdd be born in the top story of a house, for the want of a flight of stairs one of the gossips will take it in her arms and mount a table, chair, or chest of drawers, before she carries it dowßs-au's." In the north of England, when an infant for the first time goes out of the house, it is presented with an egg, some salt, a little loaf of bread, and occasionally with a small piece of money — these gifts being supposed to insure that the child shall never stand in need of the common necessaries of life. In the East .Hiding of ork-hiiv a few matches are added, '■:■■■ light the .ihihl to heaven. it was, 100, in former times customary, and the practice is not yet obsolete, of providing a large cheese and pake, and cutting them at the birth of a child These were called the " Groaning Cake and Cheese," and were distributed among all the neighbours. In Yorkshire this cake is termed tho " Pepper Cake," and in some localities ■ the " Sickening Cake." It is the source of a species of vivination, for, being cut into small pieces by the medical man, it is divided among the unmarried of the female sex, under the name of "Dreaming Bread." Each one takes a piece, places it on the foot of the left stocking, and throws it over the right shoulder. This being done, they must retire to bed backward, without uttering a word, and those who are lucky enough to fall asleep before mi (night are favoured with a sight of their future husbands in their dreams.