REVIEWS. FOLK-BELIEFS IN THE BALKAN PENINSULA. BALKAN HOME-LIFE. BY LUCY M. J. GARNETT. Pp. 309. Ar present the Balkan Peninsula has special interest for many of us, and this elaborate account of the home-life of its four chief races-Greeks, Albanians, Bulgarians and Osmanli Turks— is timely. The Author's knowledge of the people is wide, but she fully admits the difficulty of exploring the beliefs of the many races which are included in the population. "It would prove a stupendous if not an impossible task to collect all the folk-beliefs and customs of the Balkan Greeks and their neighbours. . . . One generally learns them only by transgressing them." As an example, she tells of the horror expressed when she took into the house a little owlet which she found outside her window. It is the bird of death, and sure enough, soon after the family pet kid was found dead in the garden. The "Old Religion" still survives with undiminished power, and, in spite of the veneer of doctrine and ritual prescribed by the Greek Church or by Islam, has a profound influence over the people. This is shown throughout the interesting survey of the life from cradle to grave. The Nereids, like our fairies, come out of their springs at night, steal babies, and leave changelings in their stead. "The Greek inhabitants of a village near Salonika relate that companies of Nereids may often be seen dancing in the moonlight on the adjacent seashore, and are careful to give a wide berth to these haunts of the 'Outlanders.'" Gifts must be given to the Fates and a libation poured to Mother Earth to save children from harm. The Evil Eye belief extends widely. The Kouchedra dries up the spring as the traveller seeks a drink; Peris and Dogsucklers beset his path; if he drinks from certain rivers he becomes a werewolf. The Nereids bring bad weather, and when it thunders they are scared by ringing the church bells. The custom of temporary burial of the -dead within the European area is interesting. After three years the body is exhumed; if "the earth has eaten him," the bones are taken to the church; if the corpse is undecayed, the man is believed to be a vampire. Of the Wallachs Miss Garnett writes: "A singular rite of purely Latin origin is now performed by the bride as she is lifted from her horse at the threshold; butter or honey is handed to her, with which she proceeds to anoint the door, signifying that she brings with her into the house peace, plenty and joy. The word uxor, originally unxor, is derived from ungere, 'to anoint.'' It is very doubtful if this custom is of Latin origin, and the suggested derivation seems to be a folk etymology. I learn on the best authority that the word probably means she who grows in size." Pliny, by the way, says that the bride should anoint the door with the fat of a wolf, possibly as a protective. Miss Garnett has given us an excellent and instructive book. Its value for students would have been increased if she had given us some indication of the source from which her materials were derived, and if she had provided an adequate index. W. CROOKE. Books for Review should be addressed to c/o MESSRS. SIDGWICK & JACKSON, LTD. INDEX TO VOL. XXVIII. (1917). Abul-Cassim Mohammed, ibn Abulfeda: his account of the Aegisthus: desecration of his victim's grave, 137 Agricultural rites in Formosa, 119 worship of, 280 All Saints' Day, 53, 67 Al Mas'údy: his account of the Ancestor worship: in Formosa, Animals at Christmastide, 417 at Hallow E'en, 62; in Lincoln- Ashes, wet tabu of, at Christmas- Auditor, honorary, of the Society : Australia, natives of; magic Balfour, H.: “Some Ethnological Barring-out, 175, 297, 304 Bays: houses dressed with, at Beans sown on St. Edmund the Begging customs: on St. Clement's Day, 171; at Hallow E'en, Bell-ringing: on St. Andrew's Bhil tribe cattle-driving among, Bird cult in Easter Island, 337- 355, 357; connexion of, with Bladebone weather omens from, Blanchard, E. C.: on "Christmas Blood to be spilt and sprinkled on the threshold on St. Martin's Eve, 168; on St. Martin's Day, Brabrook, Sir E. : on "Biblio- Brand: Popular Antiquities," Buddhism the doctrines of, 288 " Bussell, F. W.: on the "Persistence Cake Night: Hallowmas, 53; cakes Camberley folklore from, 317 at Candles Christmas, 106 et seqq.; Carpenter effigy of, paraded on Cattle killed on Lord Mayor's Day, 166; 9th November, 168 Charms exhibition of, 99 et seq.; Chatham Island: flint implements Childbirth purification after, in Children born at Christmastide, 311, 314 celebrations at, removed by the Devil, Clothes, new worn at Christmas- Coach: the phantom, 93 et seq.; Coirligheile puzzle: signification rights entered on at charms, 257 Council of the Society: report of, Court, Mrs. E. K. M.: "Queries on Crooke, W. review of A. S. 250, 255 Danes traditions of, in West David: cursing of, by Shimei, Days, unlucky, in Mexico, 330 Hallow E'en, 75; reappear at Dead Man's Day: St. Edmund Deity, two-faced, the, 236 et seq. Devil, the cult of, in Christian times, 233; his appearance, Divination at Hallow E'en, 58, Dogs folk beliefs regarding, 329 Duck's foot: working evil by Dumb cake baked at Christmas- Dy'gwyl Tomas: St. Thomas' Each Ceannan Dubh, an en- chanted horse in Ireland, Ior Ebionism, 289 Eel, the Master, 90 Egg: the first, competition for, in Elders their position in Formosa, 120 Elijah, the prophet: connected Elisha, the prophet: connected Elkesaites, the, 286 et seq. Esbat a meeting of witches, 247 423 Evil Eye, the, 318 Fairies: appearing at Hallow |