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Superstition

 Subject
Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Scope Note: Created For = CW

Found in 42 Collections and/or Records:

Superstition about killing beetles, 1901

 Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW110/35
Scope and Contents

Superstition about killing beetles in which boys from the Isle of Barra/Barraigh believe that if they take 'nine nines of heads' off a beetle then they will not go to 'the aite s miosa [Hell] with teeth'. The text has been scored through as if transcribed elsewhere.

Dates: 1901

Superstition about killing swans and seals and accompanying stories, 1887

 Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW120/338
Scope and Contents Superstition about killing swans and seals, it being deemed unlucky, and accompanying stories including how Mr Beatson of Sheildag in Gairloch [Sldeag/Shieldaig, Geàrrloch/Gairloch, Ròs is Cromba/Ross and Cromarty] killed a swan and soon after his wife and children died and he lost much of his money in a lawsuit with a servant. Similary, Mr Osgood MacKenzie of Inverewe [Am Ploc Àrd] killed a swan and he separated from his wife after that. Note asks 'Is it because maidens are sometimes turned...
Dates: 1887

Superstition about 'Slioc at Cillchiarain', June 1887

 Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW89/98
Scope and Contents

Superstition collected from Peggie Nic Eachain [Margaret MacEachan], pauper, from Dail, Ìle/Islay about 'Slioc[hd] at Cillchiarain' [Cille Chiarain/Kilchiaran] that 'where she is all holed third the end of the world comes - Two holes thr[ough]out already'.

Dates: June 1887

Superstition about the bird 'Naosg' [snipe], 24 June 1887

 Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW89/138
Scope and Contents

Superstition about the bird 'Naosg' [snipe] collected from John MacAulay from Gearrloch [Geàrrloch/Gairloch, Ros is Cromba/Ross and Cromarty] but living in Edinburgh [Dùn Èideann that if it is heard in the morning, death comes earlier than if heard later on. Wives, on hearing the snipe ask 'where the grioglachan [Pleiades] is in the Skye (sic)' for telling the time. Text has been scored through as if transcribed elsewhere.

Dates: 24 June 1887

Superstition about women combing their hair including a saying, 1884

 Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW120/265
Scope and Contents

Superstition about women combing their hair that they should not do so after dark on a Sunday night and a saying that a young woman with friends at sea should not comb her hair at night on 'Luan-Dhomnuich', which Carmichael queries as being the Sunday for giving alms to the poor. He also notes that 'La[tha] nam Marbh' is the day preceding 'La[tha] Samhna' when 'the dead stretch out their hand for relief on that day'.

Dates: 1884

Superstition and story under the heading 'Roin' about seals and accompanying song beginning 'Ach an ighean Aoidh ic Eoin', c1875

 Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW112/26
Scope and Contents Superstition and story under the heading 'Roin'. The superstition states that seals are enchanted people who travel around trying to find a way out of the enchantment. Seals have a sweet voice and if one seal is killed you can hear the others mourn it. Once on Teisgeir [Theisgeir/Heisker/Monach Isles] many seals were killed and a old man, who was sat on a rock fishing, saw a seal out at sea keening its dead partner with a song beginning, 'Ach an ighean Aoidh ic Eoin, Gu'm b eolach mu na...
Dates: c1875

Superstition entitled 'Staoin', 1868

 Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW7/43
Scope and Contents

Superstition entitled 'Staoin' [Juniper] stating that juniper had been placed in a ditch to enable Christ to cross it and this is done in South Uist [Uibhist a Deas] to enable cattle and horses to cross over ditches at which they have hesitated.

Dates: 1868

Superstition relating to the fairies, 3 January 1872

 Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW90/14
Scope and Contents

Superstition relating to the fairies probably collected in Gramasdail/Gramsdale, Beinn na Faoghla/Benbecula which states that the sithichean are said to be about when the fir chlis [aurora borealis] are out and that the only way to keep them at bay is 'to place an eitig live coal in the breast of a traveller!'.

Dates: 3 January 1872

Superstition that a cat washing his face brings strangers, 1884

 Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW120/263
Scope and Contents

Superstition that a cat washing his face brings strangers.

Dates: 1884

Superstitions linking birds and death, 1901

 Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW110/83
Scope and Contents

Superstitions linking birds and death that if a dove is seen at the house of a dying person, this is a good sign but a raven is a bad sign. A small curlew predicts death and like the sand piper gives a sharp pipe or screech. On the Isle of Barra [Barraigh] a 'Glugabhas' is a bird that comes the night before a death. Text has been scored through.

Dates: 1901