In Scotland tales of ghosts, brownies, fairies, witches, are the frequent entertainments of a winter's evening, it is common among them to fancy that they see the wraiths of persons dying, which will be visible to one and not others present with him.
Regarding seeing a ghost, it is considered an omen of one's own death ...
| “ | The season in the natural day at which the spectre makes its appearance, is understood as a certain presage of the time of the person's departure. If seen early in the morning, it forebodes that he shall live long, and even arrive at old age; if in the evening it indicates that his death is at hand. | ” |
Regarding the premature death of a woman who's love was not so readily returned, they say in Cornwall that ...
| “ | when a maiden, who has loved not wisely, but too well, dies forsaken and broken-hearted, she comes back to haunt her deceiver in the shape of a white hare. This phantom follows the false one everywhere, mostly invisible to all but him. It saves him sometimes from danger, but invariably the white hare causes the death of the betrayer in the end. | ” |
Watching in the church porch for death omens on the Eves of St. Mark and St. John, in Cornwall, is a practice that in days gone by was much in use, especially amongst young people. The time observed was from eleven o'clock at night until one in the morning. In the same year, for this had to be done three times, it was supposed that the ghosts of all those who were to die the next year would pass into the church. Thus, when anyone was seriously ill who was supposed to have been seen in this manner, it was soon whispered abroad that he would not recover.
| “ | Tis now, replied the village belle, St. Mark's mysterious Eve - And all that old traditions tell, I tremblingly believe.How, when the midnight signal tolls, along the churchyard green, A mournful train of sentenced souls in winding-sheets are seen ! | ” |
In Ireland, Camden describes the looking through the blade-bone of a sheep, to try and discover a dark spot which foretells a death. The practice is called reading the speal-bone.
| “ | Coffins out of the fire are hollow oblong cinders spirted from it, and are a sign of coming death in the family. I have seen cinders which have flown out from the fire, picked up and examined to see what they presaged; for coffins are not the only things that are thus produced. If the cinder instead of being oblong is oval, it is a cradle, and predicts the advent of a baby ; while, if it is round, it is a purse, and means prosperity. | ” |
In Cambridgeshire it is thought that if a child speaks of itself in the third person or giving itself a soubriquet, as it is considered a sign of its death in early youth.
It was formerly believed that dogs saw the ghosts of deceased persons. The German cottager declares that if a dog howls looking downwards, it portends a death ; but, if upwards, then a recovery from sickness.
In Devonshire, a plentiful season for hazel nuts is believed to be unlucky; hence the saying :—
| “ | Many nits (nuts), Many pits (graves). | ” |
| “ | Many slones (sloes), many groans ; Many nits, many pits. | ” |
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while researching fairies and the world of fae in folklore,
I thought there was enough here to share with other people on these other topics.
these pages are meant as an introduction or a bit of fun reading,
for those interested in delving deeper ...
find the source material on the reference page
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