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Page 30
"Chaps ye, chaps ye,
Double, double daps ye,
Fire aboon, fire below,
Fire on every side o' ye."
After saying this, the boy spits over his head three times, and without
this the oath is not considered binding; but when properly done, and the
promise not fulfilled, the defaulter is regarded as a liar, and is kept
for a time at an outside by his companions.
When two boys made an arrangement (I am speaking of what was the custom
fifty years back), either to meet together at a stated time or to do
some certain thing, the arrangement was confirmed by each spitting on
the ground.
When a number of boys or girls were trying to find out a puzzle or guess
put to them, and which they failed to unravel or answer, and when they
were searching for something which had been hidden from them, and which
they could not discover, the usual method of acknowledging that they
were outwitted was by spitting on the ground; in the language of the
day, they would be requested to "spit and gie't o'er," that is, own that
they were beaten. The propounder of the puzzle, or the party who had
hidden the object, was then bound to disclose the matter.
When two boys quarrelled, and one wet the other boy's buttons with his
spittle, this was a challenge to fight or be dubbed a coward.
Mahomet held that bad dreams were from the devil, and advised the
dreamers to seek protection by addressing a short prayer to God, and
then spitting three times over their left shoulder. He further
counselled them to tell the dream to no one, and by following these
instructions no harm, such as the dreams had foreshadowed, would befall
them.
In the case of a person bitten by a dog, a few hairs taken from the
dog's tail, and placed upon the wound either upon or under a poultice,
was regarded as a protection from evil consequences, such as
hydrophobia. I know of an instance in which this remedy was applied so
lately as 1876. This practice is unmistakeably the origin of the toper's
proverb when suffering from headache in the morning,
"Take a hair of the dog that bit you."
I will not enter into the subject of faith in the influence of relics.
Such beliefs existed in Scotland in my young days, and it is almost
unnecessary to say that belief in such things is older than history. In
my youth there was also a belief in the virtue of precious stones, which
added a value to them beyond their real value as ornaments. An
investigation into this matter would tend to throw much light upon many
ancient practices and beliefs, as each stone had its own symbolic
meaning, and its own peculiar influence for imparting good and
protecting from evil and from sickness, its fortunate possessor.
Probably John's description of heaven with its windows of agate, its
doors of pearls or carbuncles, its foundations of amethyst, with
sapphires blue, and sardines clear and red, had relation to the popular
beliefs of the time. I have seen at Mill More, Killin, stones which are
reported to have been used by St. Fillan for curing all sorts of
diseases; and there are not a few persons at the present day who wear
certain polished stones about their persons as a protective influence
against certain diseases.
The ancient Jews had a superstitious idea respecting precious stones,
which gave that strong desire for their possession, which is still
characteristic of the race.
The Diamond was an antidote to Satanic temptation.
Ruby made the possessor brave.
Topaz preserved the bearer against being poisoned.
Amethyst preserved from drunkenness.
Emerald promoted piety.
Sardonyx dispelled unholy thoughts.
There is a legend that God gave to Abraham a precious stone which had
the power of preserving him from all kinds of sickness.
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