Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1881-01-06
Pins and Their Folk Lore

AlblOugu HlOSl OF us, In uhIy lie,
know the intrinsic value Of pin--wlich
in variety of ways is at all times in re-
quest, and often more than welcome
friend when an accident, it may be, of
some kind, or faulty workmanship, has
necessitated its assistance in temporarily
mending our clothes-yet, nevertheless,
few people would have imagined that,
under certain conditions, it is regarded
as ominous as salt-spiling, the breaking
OF looking-glass, or the bowling of
dog, not to mention that host of common
'uperstitions which are current among
us. Thus, for example, In some local
tiles it is said that ON seeing q PIN Que
should always pick it up for the sake of
good luck, as, by emitting to do SO, mis-
fortune will assuredly soon overtake
those who are Needless of this admoni-
ton. The following rhyme, embodying
this fanciful notion, is still i'll use:
Sec pin and pick II up,
All the day youll have good luck;
Bee lnn and let it lie,
All the day you'll have to cry.
Among the magical properties Of pins
we may mention their supposed efficacy
in the cure of certain diseases. Thus,
in lIeicestershire, in the case of warts,
the patient is taken to an ash tree, where
a pin is first stuck into the bark, and
withdrawn; wart is transtixed with it
till he feels pain, and then the pin il
again pushed into the tree. Every wart
thus treated IS said to die away gradual
~, until it entirely disappears. A few
years ago We are told that some trees
might be seen thickly studded over with
pins, each the index If n cured wart.
In connection with this superstition
there is n well-known couplet:
Ashen tree, ashen tree,
Pray buy these warts of me
In place Of a pin, nail driven into an
oak is reported to cure toothache. A
Worcestershire remedy consists in rub
hing the warts with a snail, after it has
been pierced with pin as many zines
as there are warts. As the snail by de-
grees wlthers away, so it is believed that
the wart impregnated with its matter
will do the same. 1t has been pointed
ont that most OF the charms OF this kind
are of the nature Of a sacrifice, the warts
being transferred toa substitute.
One of the most popular species of en-
chantmentNto which pms have been APP
Piled is their supposed influence in conn
teracting the i'll effects of witchcraft.
An interesting case of this kind occurred
within the last few years III Sussex
lady observed upon cottage hearth
quart bottle filed with pins, and on, IN
curing why they were put there, was
requested not to touch the bottle, rs 1t
was red hot, and because, If she dad SO,
she would spoil the charm. "What
charm 2" she asked, In some surprise.
"Why, ma'am, replied the woman, lit
has pleased God to affect my daughter
here with falling fits. and the doctors
did her no good so | wasrecommended
to go to a wise woman residing near
Guilford, and she said if she was well
paid for it she could tell me what allied
the glyl, and what woulu cure her. So
said was agreeable, and she told Iae
that people afflicted with falling tits
were bewItehed, and that / must get as
many pins as would till quart bottle, and
put them into ii, and let 1t stand close
To the fire, upon the hearth, until the
pins were red-hot As soon as this took
place, they would prick the neart OF the
witch who had brought this alliction ON
my poor girl, and then she wouid be glad
enough to remove it. A medical prac-
titioner OF the same neighborhood, in
illustration Of this superstition, narrates
that when house in Pulborough was
undergoing thorough repair a bottle
containing upward OF 200 pins was found
beneath the hearth-stone of one of the
rooms, every pin being bent, and some
of them nearly N q curve. This mode
Ut enchantment appears to have been OF
common occurrence, and the workmen,
who were engaged in doing up the house
ia question, affirmed they often made
similar discoveries III repairing houses.
Another curious case OF counteractipg
witchcraft by pin sticking" occurred at
recent period III the parish of Honiton
Clyst. A landlord having lost one OF
his tenants, certain repairs and improve
ments were found necessary to prepare
for TIE next. In carrying out the work
chimney had to be explored, when in
the course of the operation there was
found carefully secreted pigs heart,
stuck all over with thorn rrickles. This
is supposed TO have been done by the di-
rection of some "wise" or ''cunning"
person, % a means OF taking revenge on
the witch to whose incantations the party
considered some mischief due, in the be-
lief that the heart of the dl-wisher
would be pierced in like mar ner, until
it finally became as pulseless as that OF
the pig Chambers journal.
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