Fiji In the mountain country of the Fijis there is prevalent a superstition called by the natives eTuka? The priests profess to possess an elixir of life, which, preventing decay or disease, insures to faithful disciples of this faith everlasting youth and vigor and a robust enjoyment of life. The natives who give their adherence to these priests (and this means the giving up of all they possess to them) are promised the life of immortal youth, the imme diate resurrection of their ancestors, vengeance on all their enemies and oppressors, whose wives and property they should inherit, together with all the wealth of the white settlers, these latter being also promised to them for domestic slaves.
Perhaps the most common of all French spread superstitions is the belief met with through all the south of France, that the position of a drowned body may be discovered by a floating loaf of bread. Possibly the only scientific basis is that the loaf is apt to be car ried by a current of water just as a body is. The French peasant's faith in fermented grape juice is truly beautiful. If his children are stricken with the measles he gives them beakers of wine, well sweetened with honey and highly spiced with pepper. For a severe cold he ad ministers a quart of red wine and a melted tal low candle mixed. For scarlet or brain fever he gives eggs, white wine and soot, well beaten together. Not all their superstitions are curi ous — some are pathetic. A mother, for in stance, often buries her dead child with its favorite toy, or her own beautiful hair in the coffin, that it may not feel quite alone.* Along the sea coast, unless the waters are strewn with flowers by the fishermen's wives and daughters, there will be no fish to catch. A curious super stition which is current among the street gamins of Paris and the large cities of France, is that which makes it unlucky to pass a priest. To break the ill luck, the passer must immediately touch a piece of iron. Gamins carry in their pockets pieces of iron to touch, but none of them seem to know the wherefore.
Germany.— Throughout northern Germany and in the Low Countries the stork is held in beloved reverence, for the peasants believe that where the stork has its brood no fire can ever come. There is a German belief that any one who during his lifetime may have made cats his enemies, is certain to be accompanied to the grave amidst a storm of wind and rain. It is said to indicate good luck to have a spider spring his web downward toward you, but bad luck when he rises toward you. If one has a
four-leaved clover, and carries it about on Christmas eve it is believed the owner has the power to see witches. In Germany the apple has been deemed potent against warts. In Pomerania it is eaten on Easter morning as a preventive of fever. If on Christmas night,* says a German proverb, the wine ferments heavily in the barrels a good wine year is to follow.* Greece.— Before a Greek selects the day for his wedding he observes most minutely every omen, and with prayer and fasting and sacrifice, takes every precaution. The Grecian mother, before putting her child in its cradle, turns three times around before the fire while singing her favorite song, to ward off evil spirits.
Hawaii— In the Hawaiian Islands the su perstition that the Kanaka holds dearest is that concerning the power of the Kahuna, or native witch doctor. This power is almost limitless. If a native in any way offends a Kahuna he is in deadly fear that he will be condemned to die, and he immediately hunts up a Kahuna higher in rank than the one whom he has offended and asks to have the curse offset and neutralized.
Iceland.— The Icelanders have a supersti tion which they call aSkipamal,* or the speak ing ship. They conceive that utterances came forth from the motionless hulls of vessels; but few can understand the strange language.
India.— The natives of India have many COMM beliefs and superstitions, some of which are essentially Oriental in their nature. The Hindus think it brings a person ill luck to be openly admired or praised, and if you should praise or even look too admiringly at a child the mother will hastily withdraw it from notice, and either beat it or say something disparaging of it in order to counteract your ill-omened admiration and avert the jealousies of the gods. In Burma it is rather a suspicious thing to give money for a charitable object. It is supposed to mean that the donor has been very wicked and is desirous to make amends. The Hindu troubled with a wart looks at the new moon, picks up a pinch of dust from beneath his left foot, rubs the wart with it—and when the moon goes so does the wart. In India one may observe the quasi sign of the cross which a Hindu makes should he chance to sneeze while performing his morning ablutions in the Gan ges. Having touched his forehead, nose, chin and cheeks with the tip of his finger, he re commences his prayers from the very begin ning, and will do so as often as they are inter rupted.