San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-11-30
WATCHING THE BABES.
THE WIDESPREAD BELIEF IN M
FANCY'S UNSEEN FOES.

The Fears Of superst3tious Mothers-ward-
ing Away Evil spirits-Curious Customs OF
Different Countrses-Keeping of Fairies.
Detection Of Changeiings-
As soon as the babe Is ushered into the
world, a host Of superstitious observances
surround It, In many countries, for it's enc
mics are many. Aside from it's natural foes
disease, teething, oohc and the like, there Is
widespread belief in unseen foes, fairies,
witches, and the goblins that terrify the
mother long before the child is susceptible Of
fright at their bare mention The greatest
danger is that the fairies will, in an IN
guarded moment, exchange the healthy.
mortal child for one of their puny offspring.
Mothers in every European country fear
this, and arious devices are adopted to pre-
vent such an undesirable exchange Such
precautions have reference also to other evil
spirits which may harm the infant, and espe-
cially to the influence Of the EVIL eye"
All these influences are especially potent
before the child is christened, and it is at this
early period Of its existence that measures
are taken to thwart all these evil influences
In Denmark, salt, bread and iron are placed
in the cradle, and it is thought necessary in
Scotland to put iron in the bed with the
mother, that she may be protected also. In
Brittany, even though these precautions may
- taken, it is still thought dangerous to
cave the child alone in the house, for fear
est the "Korrigan" will carry it off. In
modern Greece the mother, before putting
he child in its cradle, turns three times
round before the fire, while singing her
ravorite song, to warp away evil spirits.
THE SPANISH CUSTOM
In Spain, the child's face is swept with
pine tree bough, ii key is hung up before the
cradle, or fennel seed or bread and cheese are
lung about its neck. A coral necklace that
las been stepped in the baptismal font is
equally efficacious. The Turks load the child
with amulets as soon as it is born, and a
small bit of mud well stepped in a jar of hot
water, prepared by previous charms, is stuck
On its forhhead. A small bit OF red ribbon is
all the Roumanian infant requires to secure
it from harm, while the Esthonian mother
attaches bit of asaf9tida to the child's neck
Garlic, salt, bread and steak are first put in
ohe cradle of new born child in Holland
A sufficient preventive for an Irish babe is
belt made of womans hair
The following process was used in Scotland
to render the child safe from evil influences:
Sixpence was borrowed from neighbors,
fire was kindled in the room, the door locked
and the child placed in chair before the
ire. An old woman then placed in table
spoonful of water the sixpence and as much
salt as would dissolve. She then stirred the
contents with her forefnger until the salt
was dissolved, after which she moistened the
soles of the child's feet and the palms of its
hands three times, gave it to taste of the
water twice, and touched its head with her
forefinger, saying: God preserve fra a
skaith." The balance of the spoonful was
then thrown into tle fire.
TIE oPEN BIBLE
In some parts of Scotland and Germany
an open Bible left with the child will efPec-
lually keep off the fairies Should an ex-
mango of infants be made by the fairies, the
Scotch mother has way of getting her own
child back. She must carry the changeling
t. fairy spot, or ring, in the field, or in a
shady dell, where ''soughing" is frequently
heard, and she must also take with her butter,
milk, cheese and eggs. If these gifts disap-
Pear after a while, she may safely return
home, to find her own child in the cradle A
pair OF tongs or knife put in the cradle
will satisfy the Welsh mother as to her
child,s safety. The knife is also used in parts
OF England. In the Scotch highlands ash
sap will protect the child from all evil inhu-
enceS, as the ash is all powerful against
witches and such folk
in Wales, it is believed that changelings
may be detected by certain summary tests.
Battle the child with solution of fox glove or
bold it in a shovel over the fire. This last
test is said to have been applied as late as
1851. The changeling will die as result of
either test. Fire is used in the same way in
Denmark, but the child is only threatened
with the test, but the hot shovel is used in
ireland. Whipping it or throwing it into
the water was deemed a sure test in Den
mark. Luther believed in changelings, and
counseled the Prince Of Anhalt to throw a
suspected child into the river
A SINGULAR PREVENTIVE.
But the most singular preventive of evil
to the babe is used in Thuringia, where the
fathers breeches are nailed against the wall
II is odd that similar custom should exist
in China, where the trousers are fixed to the
bedpost so that the waist shall hang lower
than the legs, and on them is pinned a piece
of red paper, with a charm, sending all evil
evil influences into the trousers away from
the child.
In Germany, as well as in Scotland, some
article of the fathers wardrobe is thrown
over the new born child, so that it will grow
strong. 1t is bathed in salt water, in the
latter country, for like reason. In York
shire it is thought essential to place the iD
FAINT in the arms of maiden first of all. The
lights or fire in the room where the child is