Publisher's Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1888 edition. Excerpt: ... THE LAND BEYOND THE FOKEST. CHAPTER XXVII. ROUMANIAN SUPERSTITION CONTINUED: ANIMALS--WEATHER --MIXED SUPERSTITIONS, SPIRITS, SHADOWS, ETC. Op the household animals the sheep is the most highly prized by the Roumanian, who makes of it his companion, and frequently his oracle, as by its bearing it is often supposed to give warning when danger is near. The swallows here, as elsewhere, are luck-bringing birds, and go by the name of galinele lui Dieu --fowls of the Lord. There is always a treasure to be found where the first swallow has been espied. The crow, on the contrary, is a bird of evil omen, VOL. II. A and is particularly ominous when it flies straight over the head of any man.1 The magpie, when perched on a roof, gives notice of the approach of guests,2 but a shrieking magpie meeting or accompanying a traveller denotes death. The cuckoo is an oracle to be consulted in manifold contingencies. This bird plays a great part in Roumanian poetry, and is frequently supposed to be the spirit of an unfortunate lover. It is never permissible to kill a spider, but a toad taking up its residence in a cow-byre should be stoned to death, as assuredly standing in the service of a witch, and sent there to purloin the milk. The same liberty must not, however, be taken with the equally pernicious weasel, and when these animals are found to inhabit a barn or stable, the peasant endeavours to render them harmless by diverting their thoughts into a safer channel. To this end a tiny threshing-flail is prepared for the male weasel, and a distaff for his female partner, and these are laid at some place the animals are known to frequent. Those houses which can boast of a house-snake are particularly lucky.3 Food is regularly placed for it near the hole; and...
