Traditions, Superstitions and Folk-lore (Chiefly Lancashire and the North of England:) Their Affinity to Others in Widely-Distributed Localities; Their Eastern Origin and Mythical Significance.

CHAPTER XIII.

Chapter 13187 wordsPublic domain

THE DIVINING OR "WISH"-ROD, AND SUPERSTITIONS RESPECTING TREES AND PLANTS.

Searching for hidden treasure at Cuerdale, near Preston. Midnight excavations on the site of the Roman station at Walton, near Preston. How to prepare a divining rod. The rowan tree. Divination by upright rods. Recent attempt to discover metallic ores by the divining rod. Anecdote of M. Linnæus. Form of the wish-rod. The mystic number three. The mistletoe. Neptune's Trident. The horseshoe, a divining instrument. Other divining instruments. The mandrake. Resemblance in form to the human body. The caduceus or the rod of Hermes. Modern conjurer's magic wands. The palasa tree or the "imperial _mimosa_" of the East. Aryan legend of its lightning origin. The mountain ash, the thorn, etc. Bishop Heber's anecdote respecting the Hindoo form of the superstition. African sacred trees. Recent instances of this superstition in England, Scotland, and Australia. The pastoral crook, and the lituus, or staff, of the ancient augurs, etc. Phallic symbols. Novel use of the Bible. The divining rod but of recent importation into Cornwall. Recent instances of divination or "dowzing" for water. Finding drowned bodies. "Corpse candles." Page 252