Northern mythology

NETHERLANDISH TRADITIONS. 331
44. If a woman desires to have a compliant husband,
let her take old iron nails, of which let a ring be made on
a Friday during mass, and afterwards lay the gospels upon
it, and say a Pater noster daily. Then if she wears that
ring on her finger, she will have a husband ready to grant
her wishes for a year.
45. If a woman wishes her husband to love her, let her
take a portion of her hair and offer it on the altar thrice
with a lighted wax taper. As long as she carries that on
her head, he will cherish a fervent love for her.
46. When a cold trembling creeps over the limbs, it is
''
usual for a person to say : They are riding over my
grave. ^^
47. When it rains while the sun shines there is a fair
in hell.
48. Two knives laid across forebode misfortune.
49. W^hen a child falls into the fire, you must, before
taking it out, turn the loaf, if it lies topsy-turvy. In Dendermonde
and thereabouts they make a cross on the loaf
with a knife.
50. Unlucky at play, lucky in marriage.
51. He has a mole^s foot in his bag, is said of one that
wins at play.
52. WTien the cats sit with their backs turned to the
fire, it will rain.
53. If a person has long had the ague, to get rid of it
he should tie a wisp of straw to a tree at the moment when
the fit is coming on, and then run till the fit is past.
54. To turn a chair round forebodes fighting.
55. Mariners promise to eat no flesh on Easter-day, that
they may be safe from storms at sea.
56. A tickling in the palm of the htind betokens the
getting of blows.
57. In Furncs nobody will hire a maid-servant on a
Friday, nor will a maid enter her service on that day.