PREFACE

1. HISTORY OF THE HORSE-SHOE

• The Nail.

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

• 1. 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

• 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

  • The Value of Salt. A Roman Folk-tale.

• X. THE SALT-CELLAR

THE OMENS OF SNEEZING

• I. IN ANCIENT TIMES

• II. MEDIAEVAL 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

• 1. EGYPTIAN DAYS

• II. ROMAN SUPERSTITION CONCERNING DAYS

• III. MEDIEVAL 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