RUSSIAN SUPERSTITIONS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 1647, 7 December 1916, Page 4

RUSSIAN SUPERSTITIONS.

In that most superstitions part of the Russian Empire which is known as “White Russia,” it is considered unlucky to meet a priest on the road, so that if that happens to a peasant on his way back to work, he usually goes back homo and takes a holiday, but if be desires to continue iiis journey, lie adopts a rase to deceive tho evil spirits. Waiting Die side of the road until the “batiushka” has passed, he turns and walks back and across the road for some distance until he thinks he has convinced the watching spirits that he could not possibly have met the priest on that path, and then goes on his way with an easy mind. Witches and wizards are believed in, the latter —as in Irish legends — often being millers, who, because they generally live at some distance from their village, have plenty ot opportunity for intercourse with Die devil. There is no difficulty ahmil Diis in White Russia, as all you have to do is to stand still in a strong wind, spit three times, and shout, “Devil, devil, let mo see your tail!" He will then appear. It is customary iu Russia to make the sign of Die cross when yawning, in case the devil should be waiting to jump in. Evil spirits, perhaps by association with “spirits” of another kind, are generally believed to enter by Die mouth.