Folklore -- Isle of Man
THE reliable history of a country may be said to date from the period when its written records begin. Before that time, there is an epoch during which the place of history is usually supplied by tales of imaginary personages, whose doings are calculated to gratify the national...
THE reliable history of a country may be said to date from the period when its written records begin. Before that time, there is an epoch during which the place of history is us...
2. CHAPTER II.The following legends are of entirely different character and origin from the early myths. Those relating to the “Conversion of St. Maughold”, “St. Maughold and Gilcolm”, “The L...
3. CHAPTER III.THE belief in Fairies or Elves was formerly very prevalent in the Isle of Man, and cannot be said to have altogether died out even at the present day. The Manx conception of a F...
4. CHAPTER IV.THE distinction between Fairies proper and Hobgoblins seems to be mainly that the former are nimble, merry, and clever, and the latter heavy, plodding, and stupid. The character...
5. CHAPTER V.IT would seem that the inhabitants of Man and the other Western Isles of Scotland had acquired a reputation for magical powers at an early period. For the bard, who accompanied...
6. CHAPTER VI.IN the Isle of Man, as elsewhere, many customs and superstitions, as well as much weather-lore, have attached themselves to the different seasons of the year. Both the Celts and...
7. CHAPTER VII.THERE is but little trace of superstitions connected with the great objects of Nature, the mountains, rivers, glens, sea, &c., which were probably regarded by the ancient inhabi...
8. CHAPTER VIII.From the birth of a child, till after it was baptised, it was customary to keep in the room where the woman was confined, a _peck_, or wooden hoop, about three or four inches de...
9. CHAPTER IX.It may possibly be considered that the above heading is a contradiction in terms, for, as Dr. E. B. Tylor remarks, “the distinction between a law and an authoritative custom may...
10. Chapter VI.Horse racing and shooting with the bow and arrow seem to have been the chief amusements of the Manx. Prizes for these were given by the 7th and later Earls of Derby, the first r...
11. CHAPTER X.No account of the Customs and Superstitions of the Manx would be complete without touching upon their proverbs and characteristic sayings. For nothing shows the peculiarities in...