CHARM

Entries

• #816

  To keep fire always burning on the hearth will prevent cholera among chickens.

  Alabama.
• #817

  If a fish-hook pierces the hand, stick it three times into wood, in the name of the Trinity, to prevent festering or other evil consequences.

  Newfoundland.
• #818

  If you scratch yourself with a rusty nail, stick the nail immediately into hard wood, and it will prevent lockjaw.

  Salem, Mass.
• #819

  A man who “stuck a nail in his foot” was told by a neighbor to pull it out, grease it, and hang it up in the “chimbly,” otherwise he might have lockjaw.

  New Brunswick.
• #820

  To cure nose-bleeding, write the person’s name on the forehead.

  Newfoundland.
• #821

  For rheumatism, carry a horseshoe nail in the pocket.

  Central New York.
• #822

  To get rid of rheumatism: “You go in de lot an’ go up to fence. Den put you breas’ on it and say, ‘I lef you here, I lef you here,’ tree times, den you go ‘way and don’t you never come back dere no more.”

  French Canadian.
• #823

  To cure fits, the first time the child or person has one, tear off the shirt of the patient and burn it up, and no more fits will return.

  Chestertown, Md. (negro).
• #824

  If you don’t want the cramp in your foot, turn your shoes bottom up at night.

  Nashua, N. H.
• #825

  To keep off nightmare, put your shoes at night with the toes pointing away from the bed.

  Central New York.
• #826

  To ward off nightmare, sleep with shears under the pillow.

  Central New York.
• #827

  Nightmare is caused by the nightmare man, a kind of evil spirit, struggling with one. It is prevented by placing a sharp knife under the pillow, and stuffing the keyhole with cotton.

  Windham, Me.
• #828

  Sores can be cured by those who possess magical powers going through certain incantations, which are to be followed by applications of oatmeal and vinegar.

  Newfoundland.
• #829

  For a sty on the eye, take a small piece of paper, rub it on the sty, go across the road three times, and say each time,—

  Sty, sty, go off my eye,
  Go on the first one that passes by.

  This is a sure cure in two or three days.

  Talladega, Ala.
• #830

  To cure a sty repeat at a cross-roads,—

  Sty, sty, leave my eye,
  And take the next one that passes by.

  Massachusetts, Indiana, and California.
• #831

  Toothache may be cured by conjurers, who apply the finger to the aching tooth, while muttering a charm, or tie a number of knots in a fishing line.

  Newfoundland.
• #832

  Toothache may be cured by a written charm, sealed up and worn around the neck of the afflicted person. The following is a copy of the charm:—

  I’ve seen it written a feller was sitten
  On a marvel stone, and our Lord came by,
  And He said to him, “What’s the matter with thee, my man?”
  And he said, “Got the toothache, Marster,”
  And he said, “Follow me and thee shall have no more toothache.”

  Newfoundland.
• #833

  For toothache take an eyelash, an eyebrow, trimmings of the finger-nails, and toe-nails of the patient, bore a hole in a beech-tree, and put them in. The sufferer must not see the tree, and it must not be cut down or burned.

  Cape Breton.
• #834

  Treat biliousness by boring three holes in a tree and walking three times around it, saying, “Go away, bilious.”

  Eastern Shore of Maryland.
• #835

  The most powerful charm is a piece of printed paper called “the letter of Jesus Christ.” This, in addition to the well-known letter of Lentulus to the Senate, contains many absurd superstitions, such as the promise of safe delivery in child-bed, and freedom from bodily hurt to those who may possess a copy of it.

  Newfoundland.