The Portland daily press., 1882-03-31
Some Scotch Superstitions.
"reminiscences of the Druids, Elves and
Fairies, Goblin Knights and Spirit War
riors. Concerning the Power of Divina-
ton.

The Catholic World discusses Some Scottish
Superstitions," many Of which are familiar to
Americans, and few of which are transcribed
as follows:
Celtic supersttions most descsnd from the
suppressed religion of the Druids, as understood
by the people. They have clung to old customs
because they were national, and to old beliefs
because these generally tended to the glorihca,
tion of their own clan or family. The Druid
among the old Gaels was magician. The
Druids were priests, prophets, philosophers,
teachers and judges-in word, the only learn
ed class. Their religion was originally mono
theistic, but it is supposed that they gradually
fell into idolatry, adoring as gods what had
been at first but symbolcal representations OF
the only God. Their chief divinity was the
sun, equivalent to Balder in the Morse mythol-
ogy, and to the Baal OF Eastern and the Apollo
of Western heathendom, as Hecateus, Greek
historian, quoted by Matthew Holbeche Blon-
an, in his treatise on "Sepulchral Remains of
Great Britain" seems to imply. Like the
prophets of Baal, they worshiped in thick
groves; their festivals were distinguished by
the use of fires and-some dispute this-human
sacrifices. AS the Druids were judges these
supposed victims may have been simply crimi-
mails regularly condemned to death.
The four festivals of the Celts were the eve OF
the LIST of May, Midsummer eve (since st. John
the Baptist's), the eve Of. the ist OF November
March. The Hallow Fires of st. Johns were
kept up in Scotland till very late period, and
probably in many remote places are so at the
present time. On the eve of the 1st of Novem-
Der all the fires in the kingdom were extin-
guished, and every master of a family was re-
ligiously bound to take portion of the conse-
Grated fire from the cairn or altar, with which
to kindle the fire on his own hearth anew for
the ensuing year. Ii he failed in this, none OF
his neighbors burst let him have the benefit OF
theirs, under pain OF excommunication; some
thing of this was adopted by the Christian
Church, or at least, the two customs, Eastern
and Western, were fused into one and COM
memorated in the symbolical ceremonies OF
Easter Eve, when fire is struck from flint.
and from it the candles Of the church are light
ed. In some parts of Aberdeenshire 1t is still
customary for tenant removing from one
house to another to carry "kindling" along
with him-that is, live Goals with which to
light the fire in his new dwelling. This custom
is believed to have come down from Druidical
times. The superstitions connected with Hal
lowe'en are as numberless as they are childish
but with what wonderful tenacity they survive
is we'll known to Celtic nations The Christian
Church put its seal on the day Of the LIST OF No
vember by calling it the festival OF All Hallows,
and on Midsummer eve by turning 1T into the
festival of st. John the Bsptist. The May fes-
tival, originally q commemoration of the change
of season, became Rood day, and was shifted to
the third of the month to correspond with the
Latin festival of the Holy Cross. Pagan and
Christian customs were 80 mingled that 1t was
difficult to tell one from the other. In remote
parts of Scotland though the observance OF fes-
tivals was discontinued after the so-called Ref
ormation, their traditional influence was more
or less felt down to the earlier portion OF the
present century; for instance, on Rood day 1t
was customary to make small crosses of twigs
Of the rowan tree, and to place them over every
opening leading into the house as protection
against evil spirits and malevolent Influences:
: 'Rowsn tree and red thread
Keep the witches frae their speed"
In which did the people believe most, in the
virtue of the wood of the rowan tree or OF the
shape of the cross?
The May day festivities, the May Queen, the
May pole and the attendant memories were un-
doubtedly relics OF the Druidical festival.
The belief in elves and fairies, water kelpies,
water wraiths and various other supernatural
beings was strong in Scotland, and many traces
of it remain to this day. They were considered
capricious creatures easily offended, and not SO
easily propitiated. Like other proprietors of
forests says Sir Walter Scott, with sly allu-
sion to the game laws, "they are peculiarly
Jealous of their right of vert or yenison." This
jealousy was also an attribute of the Scandina-
vian duergar, or dwarfs, to many OF whose dis
tnctions the fairies seem to have succeeded, ii,
indeed, they are not the same class OF beings.
The Danes and Norwegians brought over their
superstitions with them, and how much these
easily imagined. The Scotch called one class
of their forest deniZenS dltIe Shee in Gaelic, or
men of peace; but, despite their name. they
were peevish, discontented race, apt to do mis-
chief on slight provocatiOn, and particularly
offended at mortals who talked of them or wore
their favorite color-green-or in any wise IN
terfered in their affairs. This was especially
the case on Friday, when they were supposed
to be more active and possessed OF greater pow
er. In Germany a strong belief prevailed as to
fbo of cnu afu N ral Friday
as being OF old the day of Venus, and Christian
writer's have traced o natural connection be-
tween their activity on that day and the de-
spair with which the thought OF One who con-
quered heathendom on Friday always inspired
them. The Highlanders, especially, have
feeling as to green being an unlucky color and
no doubt it originated with the belief in fair
les. Particular clans, families and counties
hold 1t unlucky; the men OF CalthneSS because
their bands wore that color on the fatal day OF
Flodden; the Ogilvies for some similar accl-
dent, and the Grahames from time immemori-
al The elves were supposed greatly to envy
the privileges acquired by Christian initiation,
and gave to those mortals W 10 had fallen into
their power certain precedence in their un-
seen realm. A belief in the nocturnal reves
of the fairies still fingers among the people OF
Selkirkshire, where copious fountain upon
the ridge of Minchmore, called the Cheese
well, is thought sacred to them. 1t was usual
to propitiate them by throwing in something
and the ceremony is still sometimes practised
though rather in jest than in earnest.
Goblin knights and spirit warriors we're also
devoutly believed in by the Scottish as well as
the English and German people. In "Marmi-
on Sir Walter Scott tells how Alexander ILL.,,
King of Scotland, met Edward /. of England,
in these spirit lists, and vanquishsd him, COM
pelliDg the demon who had taken the kings
form to show the future. Edward l. was at
that time in Palestine. But these encounters
could only take place under certain favorable
circumstances. 1t was by the light of the full
moon, in deserted camp OF the ancient Picts,
and the king had to go alone. The circle was
deemed fatal to any one who trod 1t in the
night, unless shielded by supernatural power.
Will o the wisps and "spunkies" (Jack o
Lanterns) were commonly believed to haunt
the bogs or "mosses," and fairy fires were also
seen on various occasions. 1t is said that
mysterious beacon, lighted by no mortal hands,
greeted the sight of Bruce, who. before his
landing on the mainland, was watching on the
tower of Brodick on the Isle of Arran. For
several centuries it was said by the peasants of
the neighborhood that the flame rose yearly on
the same night of the year on which the king
first saw 1t, and some go so far as to say that If
the recollection of the exact time had not been
lost it would still be seen: The place has al
ways borne the name of the Bogie's Brae Il. e.,
the COLLINS Hill) In support of this curious
belief it is averred that the practice of burning
heath for the improvement of the land was
then unknown, and that any wandering flame
in the marshes could not have been seen across
the breadth of the Firth of Clyde between the
mainland (Ayrshire) and Arran.
The Celtic mind had a great reverence for
running streams, perhaps because the spirits of
the waters were considered more powerful than
their kindred of the air and forest 1t was
firm article OF popular faith that no enchant-
ment can subsist in living stream. If you
could interpose a brook between you and
witches, specters, or even fends, you were in
perfect safety. Burns's Tam o. Shsnter"
turns entirely upon such circumstance. The
belief seems to be Of antiquity. Brompton, in
q Latin chronicle, Apud decena Scriptores, in
forms us that certain Irish wizards could, by
spells, convert earthern cods or stones, into fat
pigs, which they sold in the market, but which
always resumed their proper form when driven
by the deceived purchaser across a running
stream. The river spirits must have been very
honest in their way. All fairy gifts had this
unsubstantialness and were apt to disappear
in moment, the most splendid palaces and
magnificent exhibitions vanishing away and
leaving their disconnected dupe with his robes
converted into the poorest rags, and instead of
glittering state finding himself suddenly in the
midst Of desolation and removed, no man knew
whittier. In many parts of Scotland charm
against witchcraft was rope made of the hair
of horses tails and names, and long after hemp
and chain tethers became common for plows,
it was no unusual thing still to see few feet