Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1880-10-21
Superstitlons of Childbirth.


In Dtnmsrk children born on Sundays
have characteristics by no means envia-
Bile. Mr., Thorpe, In his "Northern
Mythology" tells US that in Fyen there
was woman who was born on a Sunday,
end therefore had the faculty of seeing
much thst was hidden from others, I'm.
fortunately, ON this account, she could not
pass by church al night without seeing
hesrse or So, cire; hence this gift be.
come periec. burden to her She there.
tore sought the advice of man skilled
IN such m st,ers, who directed her, when.
ever she SAW spectre, TO say, $50 to
heaven" but when she met hearse,
Hang on Happening, sometime after.
ward 10 meet a hearse, SHE, through for
gefulness, cried out go to heaven"
and straightway the hesrse rose In the air
and vanished, Soon after, meeting
spectre, she said 10 Il, Hang on" where.
upon it chung round her neck, hung on
her Back, and drove her down into the
earth before II. For three DAYS her
shiieks were heard before the spectre
would put IN end 10 her wretched lite.
In some parts Of Scotland the newly
born child WAS bs;hed in salt water, and
made TO taste 1t three times. Baptism,
edy; and Mr.. Napier, In his Folklore
OF West Scotland quotes an instance in
which the baby was born on Saturday
and carried two miles to church the
Gext DAY rather than weeks delay be
risked. La The north OF England. when
child pines or wastes away, the cause
assigned is the Evil Eve" In days
gone coral beads were hung around the
ntpEa nf hahtaa from, npp,.,t
tious notion that these would protect
them iron evil influences OF every DO.
scrlpuon. Herrlcs, too, has given US the
following charm
Ing the holy crust OF bread
Lay A. underneath the head;
'Tea ce-ts;n charm Ia keep
HSgs away while children sleep.
Let the supefutiuour wife
Near the child heart lsy knife,
Point hc up ard hsft bs down;
THIS, 'mongst other mystic charms,
Keep the sleeping child nom hsrmes."
In the north Of England women still
wear round their necks blue wooden
threads, or small cords, till they wesn
their children, for the purpose OF ward.
ing of ievers, or, 40 they are nick.
named, weeds and oniasn These threads
are handed down from mother to child,
aud esteemed in proportion to their an.
tiquiy According TO a Yorkshire no.
tion, newborn infant should be laid first
IN the arms OF maiden before any ono
touches 1t; and In some places the in.
tsnt's right hand is left unwashed in order
that he may gather riches. IL is, too, con.
/ sdeTed 10y many that an infant should go
/ mp in the word before IL goes down.
Thus, in Cleveland, says Mr.. Henderson,
al child should be born in the top story
Of a house, for want OF a flight of 3 airs
one OF the gossips will tskeit IN her arms
and mount table, chair or chest of
drawers before abe carries 1t down stairs"
In the north of England, when nn infant
tor tho first time goes out OF the mouse, 1t
is presented with an egg, some salt, little
loaf OF bread, and occasionally with
small piece of money-'hese gifts being
/ supposed TO ensure that the child shall
/ never stand in need of the common neces.
/ sar!es OF life. In the East Riding OF
/ Yorkshire few matches are added, to
! light the child to heaven.
/ II WAS, too, in former times customary,
and the practice Is not yet obsolete, OF
providing a large cheese aud cake, ard
cutting them al the birth of child.
These were called the "Grosning Cake
and Cheese" and were distributed among
all the neighhors In Yorkshire this cake
is termed the pepper Cake" and in some
localities the "S,ckening Cake" II is the
source OF species of divinatioD, tor being
cut into small pieces by the medical man,
i, Is divided among the unmarried 81 tho
female sex, under the name Of dreaming
Bread" Each one takes piece, places
ii in the foot Of The left stocking, and
throws IT over the right shoulder This
| being done, they mus retire TO bed back.
ward, without uttering word, ana those
who are lucky enough to fall asleep be
fore midnight are favored with sight Of
their future husbands In their dreams.