The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1888-07-13

LORE OF THE HAIR.
SOME OF THE suPERsTiTioNs EN-
TERTAiNED IN VARIOUS COUNTRIES.

TERTA,NEo IN VARIOUS COUNTRIES.
The Hair Not to Be Cut 1t Certain
Times-Combing TO Bs Performed with
Caution-A Remedy Tor ~Disease-Creel
Custom. +
The belief that the hair, like the nails,
must be cut At certain times only, and that II
Is unlucky to trim hair or beard at other
times, Is very old. Pet1vn;us say it must
not be done at sea, lest q storm ensue, and
forty blows were necessary to overcome the
evil effects Of such deed in a Roman vessel.
Propertius says the same; and Juvenal says
the hair was only given us as q final Offering
to the gods, and should not be cut at other
times. It was a bad omen even to dream Of
cutting the hair, as it portended shipwreck.
In Calabria, at the present day, the hair,
like the nails, must not be cut on Tuesday,
Wednesday or Friday. In England the old
rhyme says:
Friday cut and Sunday shorn
Better never had been born.
And in Devonshire, as in many places in our
OWL country, it must not be cut during the
waning moon, and Friday is an unlucky day
in Iceland, where it is said the one who cuts
his hair then will die soon, and in O%ldenburg,
where it is then cut, 'for SORROW"
The sudden loss of the hair, or a consider
able portion Of it, is also regarded in many
places as unfortunate. In England it is said
that loss Of children, health or property will
ensue. The attachment of the Chinaman for
his queue is well known. It is regarded as a
disgrace to have it cut of, as well as entail
ing bad luck upon the owner. This is the
more strange since it is a mark Of conquest
imposed upon the Chinese by their Manchu
princes.
USE CAUTION WHEN COMBINE.
Combing is an act that sometimes must be
pursued with caution. In Scotland it was
thought that combing it by candlelight, or
at night at all, would cause disaster to friends
at sea. Many fear to throw away their hair
when cut of or combed out. Ancient Greeks
offered it to the gods, and japanese present
it as a thank offering for preservation at sea.
Irish maidens Of the last century hung their
hair up before the shrine Of St. Urbane, that
it might be long and yellow. The Persian
Venidad forbade the casting away of the
hair or nails, as the devils would then gain
increased power. The hair must be buried
in q hole dug ten fingers deep, at a distance
of ten PAGES from the faithful, twenty-five
from fire, thirty from water and fifty from
the sacred brooms, and then three circles
drawn around it with a metal knife, and
three, six or nine prayers said
In parts Of England it is thought imprudent
to throw away cuttings and combings of the
hair, or to leave it lying about Some say if
birds get it and build nests Herewith, it will
be fatal to the person from whose head tho
hair was cut. II the bird were a magpie, he
would die in Q year and a day. Others say it
chou,lI not III h,,rnaI hut h,,,,;oI &c kho
owner will return for it at the resurrection
day. In Lancashire it is thrown into the fire,
and il it burns up brightly it is a sign of Ion
gevity, tho greater the higher the flame, but
il it smolders and burns slowly it is a sign Of
death. In Belgium it is thought that witches
will gain possession of hair carelessly thrown
away, and thus acquire power over the
former possessor of it. The Gauchos of
South America fear to cast tho hair to the
winds, but put it carefully away in holes in a
wall.
AS A REMEDY FOR DISEASE
As remedy for certain diseases, the hair
is sometimes cut off, or tho hair itself used
incidentally. In Devonshire, England, if
you have the ague, al you need do is to cut
off some Of your hair ard convey the disease
toyour < neighbor by burying these locks
under his door step. In Scotland, when a
child was afflicted with boils, it was formerly
a custom to cut off its hair and throw it in
the fire, and thus compel witches to com
and remove the disease. Irish peasants cut
of the hair from the head of any one suf-
fering from scarlet fever, and convey the
disease to al ass by examining the hair down
its throat. In Hertfordshire, to cure the
ague, peg a lock Of your hair into a young
oak tree, and wrench it from the head.
Mixed with nail parings and cinders. the
hair was formerly used as a Scotch remedy
for epilepsy. and, mixed with nail cuttings
and hair from the eyebrows, it was a specific
for commissions. The Arabs believe that the
smoke Of burning hair taken from a Christ
ian's head will cure any disease.
The hair is also used as q charm in Ireland.
Woman's hair is cut of, and locks of it made
into bracelets, rings, ETC., to be used as
charms. Perhaps the custom Of obtaining
lock Of hair from any one for whom you
have a regard arose from such a superstition.
Witches were said to desire a similar token !
for evil purposes.
Some instances Of divination by the hair
have been given. In Westphalia, when a
first sees the new moon, if he finds a
hair in his shoe or under his foot it is thought
to be an indication Of q speedy marriage, and
the color Of his wife's hair will be the same
as that found. The poet Gay records similar
notions in England. There was a singular
custom in ancient Greece connected with the
hair. A bride must have her hair combed
with q spear that had belonged to some one
slain in battle, or that had been dyed with
the blood Of some one slain thus. This would
assure her bringing forth brave sons.-F. S.
Bassett in Globe-Democrat.