Horse

: BIRDS AND BEASTS.

A white horse figures in the superstition of school children. When the

writer was a lad in school at Llanidloes, it was believed that if a white

horse were met in the morning it was considered lucky, and should the boy

who first saw the horse spit on the ground, and stealthily make the sign

of a cross with his toe across the spittle, he was certain to find a coin

on the road, or have a piece of money given to him before the day wa


over; but he was not to divulge to anyone what he had done, and for the

working of the charm it was required that he should make sure that the

horse was perfectly white, without any black hairs in any part of the

body.



In Welshpool a like superstition prevails. Mr. Copnall, the master of

the Boys' National School in that town, has kindly supplied me with the

following account of this matter:--It is lucky to meet a white horse on

the road, if, when you meet it, you spit three times over your little

finger; if you neglect this charm you will be unlucky. I asked the

children if it signified whether it was the little finger on the right or

left hand; some boys said the left, but the majority said it made no

difference which hand.



It was said that horses could see spirits, and that they could never be

induced to proceed as long as the spirit stood before them. They

perspired and trembled whilst the spirit blocked the way, but when it had

disappeared, then the horses would go on.



More

;