"EVIL EYE" SCARE

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 443, 30 January 1933, Page 3

"EVIL EYE" SCARE

RELIC OF DARK AGES MALICIOUS SUPERSTITION WHICH STILL SURYIYES.. ALARM AMONG NATIVES. Sydney, Saturday. Since the arrival of a number of foreigners in Blaclctown, the "Evil Eye" scare hns made its appearanee, according to a eorrespondent. • Blacktown need not be alarmed. The "Evil Eye" is only a • malicious superstition. The best remedy is a good Australian laugh'. Most humans, in an undevelope'd state, show an anxiety to find some reason for their misfortunes other than their own carelessness or ignorance. The "Evil Eye" therefore comes in very handy. When a cow falls sick and dies, it is not because the cow already had two hoofs in the grave when it was bought, but because a man with the "evil eye" looked at the cow. Strong in Italy. The superstition appears in various forms among nativ'es all over India. In southern Europe, especially Italy, it is fairly common, even to-'day. In Italy anybody is liable 'to be credited, or rather discredited, with the power of the "Evil Eye." The most devout peasants pointed two fingers even at the Pope Pio Nino while he was blessing them — this being supposed to check th'e menace. The belief was common in Great Britain about 50 years ago, n-nd in Scotland any stranger who looked at ! and praised a farmer's cow was at once given some of its milk to drink. This was thought to be a safeguard against possible harm from the "evil eye," which the stranger might have possessed. Special Laws. In ancient 'IRome the j^'menace" was well known. Pliny describes special laws to cope with its dangers. Spitting was thought to he an antidote by the Romans and Greeks. The Society for Physical Research in London investigated the "evil eye" i some ^rears ago, and no scientific j foundation for the belief could be found. j The only real "Evil Eye'1* that exists to-day is the glassy eye of the pessimist. e