Northern mythology

27G
NETHERLAXDISII TRADITIONS.
had been given to him by a monk. It had been bought
at the hour in ^vhich Mars ruled ;
the cross was forged on
a Tuesday, and on that day was finished; in the hilt a
piece of wood was enclosed that had been struck by
thunder. All this was performed in the hour of ]\Iars.
A sword so prepared causes the sw^ords of all opponents to
lly in pieces.
If a man desires not to be wounded by any one, let him
bind on his right arm a serpent^ s skin covered over with a
tanned eel-skin.
Then let an iron token be forged from
a piece of an exccutioner^s sword, but in the hour of ]\Iars,
and set it in a ring. Then if the person be about to light,
let him press the ring against his forehead, and place it
on the finsrer next to the little fin2:er of his right hand.
Round the ring let there be engraven the words, " Castres,
prince of arms, through the God of Abraham, Isaac
and Jacob. ^^
WITCHES' OINTMENT.
Sorceresses destroy with their ceremonies both baptized
and unbaptized children (especially the former, when a
cross has not been made or a prayer said over them), as
well in the cradle as by the side of their parents, whence
the latter often think that they have smothered the child.
When the infant is buried, the witches steal the corpse
out of the coffin, put it into a kettle, and boil it until the
flesh falls from the bones. From the more solid parts of
this decoction they make an ointment, by means of which
they exercise their arts, transform themselves, etc. The
fluid they pour into bottles, and whoever drinks of it and
lets certain ceremonies be performed over him by the sorceresses,
becomes initiated in their arts and a master
thereof.
MILK-TAKING.—MILK BEATEN.
An old sorceress would from envy take the milk from a
neighbour's cow, and for this purpose went with a knife