Folklore of the Negroes of Jamaica. (Continued) Source: Folklore, Vol. 15, No. 4 (Dec. 25, 1904), pp. 450-456 Published by: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. on behalf of Folklore Enterprises, Ltd. Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1254041 . Accessed: 15/06/2014 10:23 Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at . http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp . JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected]. . Folklore Enterprises, Ltd. and Taylor & Francis, Ltd. are collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Folklore. http://www.jstor.org This content downloaded from 195.34.79.228 on Sun, 15 Jun 2014 10:23:53 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
Transcript
Folklore of the Negroes of Jamaica. (Continued)Source: Folklore, Vol. 15, No. 4 (Dec. 25, 1904), pp. 450-456Published by: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. on behalf of Folklore Enterprises, Ltd.Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1254041 .
Accessed: 15/06/2014 10:23
Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at .http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp
.JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range ofcontent in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new formsof scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected].
.
Folklore Enterprises, Ltd. and Taylor & Francis, Ltd. are collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve andextend access to Folklore.
http://www.jstor.org
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mountain-god under the form of a tiger, I can only guess. One of these alternatives seems likely.
The custom of depositing a stone or a stick or a rag on the shrine is well known all over the world. It is unnecessary to consider it here.
E. S. HARTLAND.
FOLKLORE OF THE NEGROES OF JAMAICA.
(Continued from p. 214. See Prefatory Note,p. 87.)
V.
THE following are chiefly from the southern districts of St. Andrew. An endeavour has been made to render the classification, in some respects, compatible with that indicated by Mrs. Daniel's pro- spectus.
Those relating to the Human Body.
A mole on the lip, abdomen, leg, or neck indicates a lying tongue, edacity [sic], love of travel, and wealth respectively.
Open teeth indicates lechery. White spots on the finger nails indicate good luck. A trembling of the lips prognosticates kissing. " Dancing " of the right or left eye prognosticates laughter or
weeping respectively. If a first born strikes his right foot against a stone it betokens
good luck, and vice versa. If the person be not first born the left foot is the fortunate one.
If sugar-cane be broken on the knee you will be estranged from a dear friend.
"Ringing " of the ears signifies that somebody is calling your name. If you call the names of your acquaintances successively, you may hit on the one who is calling your name, and the "ringing " will cease.
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Turning down the hollow of a hat on a table prognosticates a single life.
A rainy wedding-day betokens an unhappy marriage life; and vice versd.
If a friend offers a pin, penknife, or pair of scissors to another their friendship will be broken.
If one picks up pins or sits on a table he will for ever be single.
The breaking of a wedding-ring vaticinates an unhappy marriage life.
If lovers offer money to each other they will soon be separated.
Birth and Death.
The flying of crows in funeral procession prognosticates death in the district over which they fly.
The presence of a firefly or the chirping of a cricket in a house betokens sudden death in that house.
The sudden fall of a green tree prognosticates sudden death at the spot.
Cackling of fowls in the early morning, cooing of a ground dove, the flight of crows at twilight, the screeching of an owl, or the crying of a pond-coot at night prognosticates death in a certain vicinity.
The crying of a pond-coot also prognosticates birth.
Miscellaneous.
The flight of swallows in large numbers indicates approaching rain.
Walking on salt in a house prognosticates contention among the members of the family.
If a pair of scissors, a penknife, or a needle falls accidentally from the hand, and sticks up vertically, or two fowls put their beaks together, expect a stranger.
If a promise be made over running water and not ratified the defaulter will encounter a misfortune.
An itching of the palm of the hand betokens the reception of
money. 2G2
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He who eats from a pot will never have a beard. A man of mediocrity in the spiritual matters of life becomes a
"rolling calf" after death, for he is too good for hell and too wicked for heaven.
Cotton trees should never be cut down because they are the abode of spirits, and he who cuts them down will surely die.
If a child comes into the world with a " caul " over the face it will be able to see ghosts
Before throwing away water at nights we should utter a caution so that spirits may get out of the way.
He who washes the back of a dead person will be for ever haunted by the spirit of the deceased.
E.
VI.
Marriage, Courtshiz, and Lovers.
If a woman gives a necktie to a man it breaks friendship. If a young lady gives away a handkerchief she will never marry. If a lighted thread burns past several knots love is strong
between the persons whose names were called at the beginning of the performance.
If a branch of a certain yellow weed grows when thrown upon bush it shows that the person whose hand you are seeking is getting to love you more and more.
A young lady who sits on a table never gets married. Opening an umbrella over your head in the house prevents you
from getting married. When a young lady's stockings loose down her lover is thinking
of her. If a man's necktie is turned to one side his lover is thinking of
him. If a knife or other cutting implement is given away it cuts love
unless a pin is bent. If a young man turns down his hat on a table he never gets
married. If a young man puts his hat on a bed it prevents him from
getting married.
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When ants take a house someone is about to die. A louse on a clean person's head indicates coming sickness. The howling of a dog foretells the death of someone. The lengthy bellowing of a bull foretells the death of someone. The assembling of many blackbirds together in some place
where they do not often frequent foretells the death of someone. The crowing of a hen foretells the death of someone. The crying of a cricket in the house foretells the death of one
of its occupants. The screeching of a cricket near to the house foretells the
death of a friend of the occupants. The screeching of owls near to the house foretells the death of
someone in the house. The breaking of a green branch indicates the death of someone
near by. The moaning of a cock indicates the death of someone. Piecing a house causes the death of someone of its occupants. If the corpse is not stiff a few hours after the person has died
some near relative is going to follow. If the grave sinks soon after it has been moulded some near
relative will follow. If a person dies with his eyes open someone is going to follow
soon. Good people die and are born again as babies somewhere else
or as some good animal. Wicked people are born again in shape of some savage animal. The person who shaves the dead must take the razor or he will
be haunted. Knives, pipe and tobacco, &c., should be put in the coffin for
future use by the dead. If you meet a coffin in the road you must return some distance
with it or you will be haunted. When a dead body wishes to go forward is easily carried; when
it does not wish to go gives great trouble [sic]. When a good person dies we have a fair day; when a wicked
the day is rainy. The death of an animal prevents the death of a person.
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If you roast yams the vine is injured. If you roast breadfruit with the heart the tree will in future
bear smaller breadfruit than it used to. When pepper bears plentifully there will be hard times, scarcity
of food. If you put pepper in your pocket you will become poor.
The Body.
The Ear.-Big ears are signs of riches. The tingling of the ear tell that some one is calling your name. The Head.-A bald head indicates coming riches. The Feet.-If you knock your right foot it is a sign of good
luck. If you knock your left foot it is a sign of bad luck. The Eye.--Dancing of the eyes indicate that you will soon cry. The Lzps.-Dancing of the lips tell of a coming quarrel. The Hand.-Scratching of the hands tell that you are about to
get some money. The Knee.-Itching of the knee tells that you are about to
sleep in a new bed. The Elbow.-Itching of the elbow foretells that you are going
to shake the hand of a stranger. The Nose.--Itching of the nose foretells that you are going to
kiss a fool. The Hair.-Dropping of the hair tells of coming illness.
Births, Babies, and Children.
If the person who finds the baby's first tooth gives it nothing its teeth will rot as it gets them.
If you want a baby to walk soon, sweep his feet with a broom. If you want a baby to walk soon, draw its feet in wet grass. If you want your baby to be good, give it pot-black in milk to
drink. When a baby has hiccup, put a scrap of wet paper on its head. Don't give away firesticks when you have a young baby, or else
it will produce a bad effect on the baby. When a woman has a young baby she must speak to no one
outside.
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Washerwomen must not beat the baby's clothes, lest it give it a pain in the bowels.
If you take a child through a window it will become a thief. If an insect is killed in a house where there is a young baby, it
will have a bad effect upon the baby.
Miscellaneous.
The barking of a dog while it is asleep tells the hunter of success in the coming day's chase.
If you shut a penknife half-way when a horse is galloping away from you it stops him immediately.
The removal of firesticks from side to side while boiling nut-oil diminishes the quantity of oil.
The peeling of an orange near to a sugar works diminishes the
quantity of sugar. A cricket in the house at night tells of a coming stranger. Fireflies and moths in the house at night tell of coming
strangers. If a bug drops dead before you it is a bad sign. If a cock crows in the early part of the night ships are near. If a cock crows near to the door it is an indication of hasty
news. If two cocks put their heads together male friends are coming
to see you. If two hens put their heads together female friends are coming
to see you. If you turn over your money at new moon it will increase as the
moon grows. The vomiting of a pig in the early dry morning indicates
coming showers of rain. If a looking glass gets broken it causes seven years' trouble If anything is broken during a marriage festival the marriage
life is going to be an unhappy one. The flogging of a prickly pear situated in a provision ground
causes a person who has stolen something from the ground to
split up and die just as the beaten plant splits up. If a certain plant called wangra is in a provision ground every
thief that visits the field will die.
People who take false oaths die from swelling.
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If you want to find out and kill a thief go to a grave-yard twelve o'clock at night, and push a walking-stick into one of the graves. Then say what is your request, and carrying the stick to the field which has been plundered stick it up in it.
If after leaving your house you forget anything only return as far as the gate, or bad luck will follow you.
If you are going into an uninhabited house say something before you enter, so that the spirits may know you are coming.
If you see a ghost tell no one of it for some time, or you will
get sick.
People who die unbaptized become wandering spirits. Never credit out the first thing you sell in the morning for it
gives you bad luck. Whatever you do on the first day of the year you will have to
do it every day in the year. All people who are born on the Ist day of April grow up fools. If milk is thrown away in the fire the cow will get dry. If you drink coffee it prevents you from studying. If ghosts are haunting your house nail a horse-shoe over the
door. If a phantom is following you mark the letter X on the ground. If you are travelling and do not want phantoms to interfere
with you turn the inside of your coat out. If you dream of gold it is a sign of success. If you dream of silver it is a sign of disappointment. A circle around the sun tell of coming rain. A circle around the moon tell of coming dry weather. Red clouds in the morning indicate a dry day. Red clouds in the afternoon indicate a coming rainy day. When the sun is shining during a shower the devil and his wife
are fighting. A mole on the neck indicate that you will be hung. A mole on the wrist indicate that you will be handcuffed.
F.
(To be continued.)
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