Gaelic Incantations, Charms, and Blessings of the Hebrides; With Translations, and Parallel Illustrations from Irish, Manx, Norse, and Other Superstit - William MacKenzie

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1895 Excerpt: ... the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. So much by way of introduction. I will now proceed with the mode of curing the sufferer from the supposed effects of the Evil Eye, as the same is practised in Uist. In the first place, the performer goes for water, and, if possible, it is taken from a burn across which the living pass, and over which the bodies of the dead are from time to time carried. Having brought the water into the house, he repeats the Paidir (Pater), and the Crevd (Credo). He then takes a coin, or coins. My informant was not very precise as to the use of the three metals, as stated in the former description, but she significantly added, "Mar is treise 'n t-airgiod 's ann is fhearr e," meaning that the more valuable the coin, the more powerful it is! The coin, or coins, are then, in the name of 1 Here the name of the afflicted person is to be said. tho Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, put into the water. Thereafter three palmfuls (tri boiseagan) are sprinkled, in the name of the Trinity, on the person or animal suffering. The performer then goes with the dish of water to the fireside, and sprinkles three palmfuls on the fire, repeating these words: --"An till teine t'armad 1 Tillidh teine farmad." (" Will fire turn envy? Fire will turn envy "). The remainder of the water is then taken outside, and spilled on a flag, or rock--on what my informant called "air lie dhilinn," that is, a flag or rock in situ. At the present day, in Perthshire, a similar performance is gone through when a tenant finds that a ram of his flock is sick. The practice, doubtless, has its origin in the belief that such sickness was due to the Evil Eye. The ceremony is somewhat similar to that described in the first charm; and it was considered a g...