Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1907-08-28
THE LOAF OF BREAD.
superstitions Of Many Lands
Connected Herewith.
THE CROSS UPON THE LOAF.

n
Survival Of an Old Pagan Custom.
What a Crack Across the Loaf
Means--The Oven Sacred Object.
onens on Birth, Marriage and Death.
One morning enc summer, when
was spending a few days at farm
house in eastern Ohio, the good house
wife showed that she was troubled.
Naturally l inquired the cause. ooh,
she said, .'I'm afraid something dread
full will happen. This morning put
batch Of bread into the oven, and all
the loayes except one cracked across
the top" #
What if they did?'' / replied in
tones of curiosity. M 55.
"Don't you know" she said, with an
air of surprise, that when bread
cracks across the top it means misfor-
tune to some one in the family? l
would not have had it happen for the
world 20 VII. 81
As left a few days after this mis-
hap to the bread / never learned
whether the sign was true omen or
not. However, the housewife had con
tributed to my stock Of information
and had given me an item Of folklore
that led to further investigation.
One of my German friends tells me
that in many parts Of his native coun-
try the housewife still believes that
cracks on the top of the loaf of bread
indicate the death of some one in the
household or perhaps misfortune to q
dear friend, while cracks ON the lower
side Of the bread are taken to Indicate
| "a birth. =
| AS many of us know, bakers in many
places mark the sign of a cross upon
the dough before placing it in the oven.
The reason for making this sign be-
comes plain when we know the origin
| Of the custom. Almost all our super
stitions about bread date back to old
pagan days, though they have been
greatly modified SO as to conform to
Christian beliefs. With the ancient
!, Romans the baking of bread and cakes
| was often invested with religious
Significance, especially the cakes offer
ed to the gods and goddesses. These
cakes were prepared in d particular
way, and after being marked with the
symbol of the deity In whose honor
they were offered they were supposed
4 to possess supernatural virtues.
The old domestic practice was modi-
4 fed when Christianity became trium-
plant, and in place of a pagan symbol
the early Christian housewife not only
used to make the sign OF tie cross
when she began to knead the dough,
but she marked that sign upon her loaf
4 before placing it in the oven. Why:
Il Simply because the sign Of the cross
1 is the recognized Christian protecting
4 mark against the attacks Of evil spirits,
i witches and the like; hence bread
marked with the cross is supposed to
be waterproof, will bake all right, not
crack across the top, etc,
r. Just as the Jews have passover cakes
and other peoples have had specially
A prepared food for their religious fes-
i tivals, SO the Christians have cakes for
certain seasons. Our hot cross buns
/ on Good Friday are simply modern
i representatives of the cakes used at
4 some old pagan festival.
4 In truth, to study the superstitions
about bread is to take wide lesson in
4 folklore. These .superstitions relate to
the kneading trough, the oven, bakers
4 and bread. For instance, in many parts
4 of France the archie, or kneading
i trough, is more than rude kitchen
Z utensil. 1t is often pretty bit of
4 furniture. NJ Sebillot, who collected
} many of the superstitions of the
i French folk. relative to bread quotes
! the story of thief who entered the
window of a house with intent to com
nit burglary, but refused to step on
the trough still containing the dough
! believing that to do so would be an
4 impiety. s -
j A writer In an English magazine says
that in Cortland the cross is still sign
s ed before the oven fire is lighted or
4 the dough kneaded This practice is
very common in the country districts
all over Europe In Brittany the house
6l wife makes the sign of the cross with
4 the right hand while she places the left
4 hand in the trough After the dough is
kneaded. the; lid Of the trough is shut
and so is the door, for IL the cat should
4 enter the room the bread would moi
rise. Certain charms or invocations
are used to cause the bread to multiply
itself Thus the peasant housewife ad,
4 lures the dough to initiate the leaven,
the wheat the miller and to rise She
4 would be very angry If any one should
4 sing or whistle In the room while she
Il IS making the loaf. S
In some parts Of Europe the bake
oven is almost q sacred object IN Ger.
tain places OF Brittany, for example, Il
q Is dedicated with ceremonies. The
wood is sprinkled with blessed water
The proper heat is attested by the
melting of bottle, and finally an egg
4 is broken for luck Besides. there are
certain days on which bread must not
q be baked, as on Holy Friday or during
q the night Of All Saints. when the ghosts
would be sure to eat 1t.
a q y rrlE n ~ 49, .