Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-10-02
SUPERSTITION ABOUT BREAD
What HOUSEWIVES for Centuries Have
Believed.
Bakers mark the Dough NowaAavs
with the Sign Of q Cross Just N
the Ancient Romans Did.
From Household Words.

Frum Household Words.
1t would he surprising. indeed. IL there
were not many superstitions about bread.
The one indispensable article Of food Is
naturally in every nation a favorfte SUBJ
ject of folk lore. No French peasant be-
gins a new loaf without crossing 1t with
tie knife. The English superstition that
bread cracked In the baking portends mis-
fortunes in the family has taken root in
America. In Germany, too, the housewife
still believes that cracks on the top of the
loaf Of bread indicate the death of some
one in the household, er, perhaps, mfsfor-
tune to a dear friend while cracks on the
lower side Of the bread are taken to indi-
cate q birth.
As many of US know. our bakers mark
the sign of a cross upon the dough before
placing 1t in tie oven. The reason for
making this sign becomes plain when we
know the origin cf the custom. Almost all
our superstitions about bread date back to
old pagan days, though they have been
greatly modified go as to conform to Chris
tan beliefs: With the ancient Romans. the
baking OF bread and cakes was often in
vested with a r,ligious Significance, espe-
cfally the cakes offered to the gods and
goddesses: Thes'' cakes were prepared in
particular way, and after being marked
with the symbol Of the deity In whose hon.
or they were offered they were supposed to
possess supernatural virtues.
The old domestic practice was modified
when Christianity became triumphant and,
In place of a pagan symbol, the early Chris
tan housewife not only used to make the
sign Of the cross when she began to knead
the dough, but she marked that sign upon
her loaf before placing 1t in the oven.
Why?' Simply because the sign of the
cross Is the recognized Christian protect
ing mark against the attacks of evil spir-
its. witches and the like. Hence. bread
marked with the cross Is supposed to be
witch proof, will bake all right, not crack
across the top, etc.
Just as the Jews have Passover cakes
and OTHER peoples have had specially pre-
pared fccd for their religious festivals so
Christians have cakes for certain seasons.
Our hot cross buns on Good Friday are
simply modern representatives of the cakes
USED at some old pagan festival. In days
gone by. the cakes and buns baked at Eas-
ter were supposed to possess great virtue.
Thus, 1t is an old belief that the obsery-
ance OF eating cross buns on Good Friday
tnsures. 30 to speak, the house from fire
Tor the coming year. We still eat certain
KIND OF pancake OIL Shrove Tuesday. The
practice is referred to in Ais Well That
Ends Well: where the clown SPEAKS of a
pancake for Shrove Tuesday" In PERI
cies" they are called "fapjacks'-a term
still Used in country districts.
In truth. to study the superstitions about
bread Is to take a wide lesson in folk lore.
These superstitions relate to the kneading
trough, the oven. bakers and bread. For
instance, in many parts of France the
archie, or kneading trough, is more than
rude kitchen utensil: it is often a pretty
bit of furniture. NJ. Sebillot who has COL
lected many of the superstitions of the
French folk relative to bread, quotes the
story OF a thief who entered the window of
q hoIise with intent to commit burglary,
but refused to step on the trough still con-
tanning the dough, believing that to do so
would be an impiety. This is similar to
the American story Of two hungry bur-
glars who refused to satisfy their hunger
with the meat which they found in a we'll
stocked larder because It was Friday
"A writer In one of our magazines says
that IN Cortland the cross is still signed be-
fore the oven fire Is lighted or the dough
kneaded. This practice is very common in
the country districts all over Europe In
Brittany the housewife makes the sign of
the cross with the right hand while she
places the left hand In the trough After
the dough is kneaded the lid Of the trough
Is shut, and SO is the door; for il a at
should enter the room the bread would lot
used to cause the bread to multiply itself
Thus. the peasant housewifs adjures the
dough to initiate the leaven, the wheat
the miller, and to rise. She would be very
angry II any one should sing or whistle in
the room while she is making the loaf.
III some parts of Europe the bake oven
Is almost sacred object. In certain places
OF Brittany, for example, 1t is dedicated
with blessed water; the proper heat is at
tested by the melting Of a bottle, and.
finally, an egg Is broken for luck Besides.
there are certain days en- which bread must
not be baked. as on Good Friday or dur
Ing the night Of All Saints when the ghosts
would be sure to oar it.
The loaf of bread itself is connected with
large number of superstitions. Accord
ing to an old English superstition, IL a loaf
accidentally parts in the hand while an
unmarried lady is cutting 1t. this may be
taken to indicate either that she will not
be married during the next twelve months,
or. what Is worse. that there will be dis
sessions OF some kind in the family. Some
folks have fear Of turning q loaf upside
down after cutting 1t. OF course It Is ey-
erywhere regarded as bad luck for a piece
OF bread to fall on the buttered SIDE Final
~ we may note the custom Of carrying a
crust Of bread in the pocket Just for luck"
"A practice which has not gone out of
fashion at the present day, and is alluded
to ty our poet Herrick:
III ye fear to be anrighted
When -ye are by chance benighted,
In your pocket for q trust
Oary nothing but q crust,
For that holy piece Of bread
Charms the danger and the dread" 81,