[Gutenberg 57411] • The Magic of the Horse-shoe / With other folk-lore notes by Lawrence, Robert Means -- Read -- Imperial Library of Trantor

Index

THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE-SHOE PREFACE CONTENTS THE MAGIC OF THE HORSE-SHOE

I. HISTORY OF THE HORSE-SHOE II. THE HORSE-SHOE AS A SAFEGUARD III. HORNS AND OTHER TWO-PRONGED OBJECTS IV. THE SYMBOL OF THE OPEN HAND V. CRESCENTS AND HALF-MOON-SHAPED AMULETS VI. IRON AS A PROTECTIVE CHARM VII. BLACKSMITHS CREDITED WITH SUPERNATURAL ATTRIBUTES VIII. FIRE AS A SPIRIT-SCARING ELEMENT IX. THE SERPENTINE SHAPE OF THE HORSE-SHOE X. THE HORSE-SHOE ARCH IN ANCIENT CALEDONIAN HIEROGLYPHICS XI. THE HORSE-SHOE AS A SYMBOL OF THE HORSE XII. HORSES’ HEADS AS TALISMANS XIII. THE HORSE-SHOE AS A FAVORITE ANTI-WITCH CHARM XIV. THE POSITION OF THE HORSE-SHOE AS A PROTECTOR OF BUILDINGS XV. THE LUCKY HORSE-SHOE IN GENERAL XVI. THE HORSE-SHOE AS A PHALLIC SYMBOL XVII. THE HORSE-SHOE AS A SYMBOL ON TAVERN SIGN-BOARDS XVIII. HORSE-SHOES ON CHURCH-DOORS XIX. HORSE-SHOE LEGENDARY LORE XX. RECAPITULATION OF THEORIES OF THE ORIGIN OF THE HORSE-SHOE SUPERSTITION XXI. CONCLUSION

FORTUNE AND LUCK

I. TYCHE, THE GRECIAN GODDESS OF GOOD LUCK II. THE ROMAN GODDESS FORTUNA III. THE CHARACTER OF FORTUNE IV. TEMPLES OF FORTUNE V. LUCK, ANCIENT AND MODERN

THE FOLK-LORE OF COMMON SALT[252]

I. ORIGIN AND HISTORY II. SALT UNCONGENIAL TO WITCHES AND DEVILS III. THE LATIN WORD “SAL” IV. SALT EMPLOYED TO CONFIRM AN OATH V. SALT-SPILLING AS AN OMEN VI. HELPING TO SALT AT TABLE VII. SALT AS A PROTECTION TO YOUNG INFANTS VIII. SALT AS A MAGICAL SUBSTANCE IX. MISCELLANEOUS REMARKS ON SALT X. THE SALT-CELLAR

THE OMENS OF SNEEZING

I. IN ANCIENT TIMES II. MEDIÆVAL BELIEFS ABOUT SNEEZING III. MODERN SUPERSTITIONS ABOUT SNEEZING IV. THE DOCTRINE OF DEMONIACAL POSSESSION V. SALUTATION AFTER SNEEZING VI. LEGENDS RELATING TO SNEEZING

DAYS OF GOOD AND EVIL OMEN

I. EGYPTIAN DAYS II. ROMAN SUPERSTITION CONCERNING DAYS III. MEDIÆVAL BELIEF IN DAY-FATALITY IV. PREVALENCE OF SIMILAR BELIEFS IN MODERN TIMES V. THE SIXTH DAY OF THE WEEK VI. FRIDAY IN MODERN TIMES

SUPERSTITIOUS DEALINGS WITH ANIMALS

I. RATS AND MICE AS AVENGERS II. SPIRITS ASSUME THE FORMS OF BLACK ANIMALS III. EXORCISM AND CONJURATION OF VERMIN IV. CHARMS AGAINST ANIMALS V. IMAGES OF ANIMALS AND BIRDS USED AS CHARMS VI. WORDS USED AS CHARMS VII. SUPERSTITIOUS DEALINGS WITH WILD ANIMALS VIII. LEGAL PROSECUTION OF ANIMALS

THE LUCK OF ODD NUMBERS

I. EARLY SIGNIFICANCE OF NUMBERS II. THE NUMBER THREE III. THE NUMBER SEVEN IV. ODD NUMBERS IN WITCHCRAFT V. ODD NUMBERS IN FOLK-MEDICINE VI. THE NUMBER THIRTEEN

FOOTNOTES TOPICAL INDEX