Mythology

Elle Woman: In Danish superstition it is the spirit of the elder tree.
Elmo s, St. Light: In Brittany it is called a wandering candle, and is a menace. It is
sometimes a lost soul for whom prayers are asked. In Greece this light is a bad omen;
it is a demon which breaks masts, destroys ships and crew, and can be expelled only
by the diabolical cries of a pig. According to the German sailors, it is a good omen
when it mounts up, and the contrary is shown by its descent. It is the spirit of a defunct
comrade.(BASSETT, P. 314).
Elyll: In Welsh superstition it is a hairy, clumsy creature, and is the same as a brownie.
Emerald: Emerald promotes friendship and constancy of mind.
If a serpent fixes its eye on an emerald, it goes blind.
The emerald is an emblem of success in love. In the Zodiac it signifies Cancer; it is
dedicated to Mars and May; in Metallurgy it means iron, and in Christian art it is given
to St. John.
Empusa: Gr. Myth. A demoniac apparition that appeared sometimes at midday, sometimes
at night. She had the power of continually changing her shape, but could be
detected by the donkey s leg which was her constant attribute.
Emu: Some Victorian tribes regard the fat of the emu as sacred. Anyone who threw
away the fat or flesh was held accursed. (FRAZER, G. B., Vol. III., P. 203).
Enceladus: Gr. Myth. One of the most celebrated of the Titans who revolted against
Zeus. He fled to Sicily, but was captured on the way, and imprisoned in Mt. Etna. His
vain efforts to free himself and his breath of fire made Etna a fire-emitting volcano.
Enchantment: Alectoria (q.v.) is an antidote for enchantment.
Endor, Witches of: Name of the three supernatural beings who appeared to Macbeth.
(SHAKESPEARE: Macbeth.)
Enemy of God and Man: An epithet of the Devil.
En-lil : Babyl. Myth. In the oldest inscriptions Bel is styled by this name, thus designating
him as the chief god (or demon) Nipur. The name merely describes him as a powerful
demon, but he manifested himself in storms and other violent disturbances of
nature.
Entrance: As a rule, ghosts and spirits must leave a place the same way as they
entered it. (cf. THORPE, Northern Myth.; GRIMM, Deut. Myth.; WUTTKE,
Volksaberglaube, etc.) Vide Exit.
Enyo: Gr. Myth. One of the Graeae.

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Elder: If you burn elder on Christmas Eve, you will have revealed to you all the witches
and sorcerers of the neighbourhood (RAGNER).
Elderberry Tree: The Danish women will never break off a branch of an elderberry tree
without first apologizing to the spirit of the tree.
Electra: Gr. Myth. A daughter of Agamemnon. Her role is to urge Orestes, her brother,
to vengeance; and, in Euripides version, actively to assist him.
Vide Aegisthus.
Elementals: They are nature spirits, such as those of land, water, fire, etc., and are personifications
of natural phenomena, or are associated with particular departments of
nature.
To rise to intercourse with these elemental spirits
of nature was the highest aim of the philosopher.
–Lecky: Ration. (1865).
Elephant: The Hindus believe that earthquakes are caused by the earth-bearing elephant
shaking himself.
In popular superstition elephants are supposed to celebrate religious rites.
Elephants have no knees. (HAZLITT, P. 207).
The flesh of an elephant is thought by the Ewe-speaking peoples of West Africa to
make the eater strong. (ELLIS, Ewe-speaking People, p. 99).
Eleusinian Mysteries: The most famous religious mysteries of the world.
Eleutheria: Gr. Myth. The goddess of liberty was called by this name.
Elf: The name of a class of supernatural beings supposed in early Teutonic belief to
possess magical powers. They were of a dwarfish form, produced diseases of various
kinds, stole children, caused nightmares, acted as succubi (q.v.) and incubi (q.v.), etc.
Elian, St.: Leads to the discovery of lost goods.
Elixir: In Alchemy, a preparation by the use of which it was sought to change metals
into gold. It was a supposed drug or essence with the property of indefinitely prolonging
life. (Elixir Vitae).
I know too where the Genii hid
The jewell d cup of their King Jamshid
With life s Elixir sparkling high.
–MOORE, Lalla Rookh. (1815).
Ellefolk: The Elves of Danish superstition.

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LAND, Sc. F.T., p. 65.)
The eel is a totem of the Munda Kols of Bengal, and of the Oraons, neither of whom
will eat it.
Egeria: Class. Myth. A nymph endowed with prophetic powers. According to a Roman
legend, Numa is said to have asked her advice in the forests of Aricia.
Egg: If you eat a raw egg, fasting, on Christmas morning, you can carry heavy weights
(RAGNER).
The tenth egg is always the largest. (Gr. Byitain).
If you steal an egg, you will have seven years of poverty. (Jews of Pinsk, Byelostok,
Jew. Enc. Vol. IX., p. 600).
To find an extremely small hen s egg in the house, is an omen of an impending death.
(STRACKERJAN, Vol. I., P. 25).
Dragons come out of the egg of a black cock. (ALPENBURG, Mythen, P. 376, WUTTKE,
P. 235).
It is unlucky to dream of eggs (U.S.A. KNORTZ, P. 43).
It will addle eggs if you bring them over running water. (N. Lincoln, LEAN, Vol. II., p.
149).
Bringing eggs into a house after sunset brings ill luck (ib.)
Eggshell: After you have eaten eggs, you should crush the shells; you will never suffer
from epilepsy if you take this precaution. (Gt. Britain; Alsace, LAMBS, P. 39).
Ladies, take care! If you step over an egg-shell, you will go mad. (Japan. GRIFFIS,
M.E., P. 469).
It is lucky to find egg-shells (Silesia, WUTTKE, P. 96; Gr. Britain).
Ehlose : The guardian spirit of the Zulus, which may take many forms, and warn a person
of an approaching danger. (HAGGARD, Nada the Lily, Pp. 11, 22, 94, 99).
Eirek: Scand. Myth. Eirek, journeying toward Paradise, came to a stone bridge guarded
by a dragon; he entered its maw, and found that he had arrived in a world of bliss.
Ekimmu: In Babylonian superstition it was the ghost of a man it represented a class of
demons that infest the graves. cf. Ghoul.
Elathan: Celt. Myth. A king of the Fomors, father of Bress.
Elbow: Itching of the elbow denotes a strange bed (Gt. Britain), or that you will sleep
with a stranger. (Boston, Mass.)
If you accidentally knock your elbow, look out for a disappointment; the evil, however,
may be averted by knocking the other one. (Gt. Britain, India.)
If someone is speaking deprecatingly of you in your absence, and you have the natural
desire of punishing him by getting him drenched, just bite your elbow! Easier said than
done! (STRACKERJAN, Vol. I., P. 31).

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approaching sickness. (HAZLITT, p. 205).
In Bengal strangers, especially women, are not allowed when a child is eating, for fear
of the evil eye (cf. Ethnologie du Bengale, p. 85 and n. 2).
Ebisu: Jap. Myth. A god of luck who is represented as carrying a fish.
Eblis: English spelling for Iblis.
Echidna: Gr. Myth. A monster, half maid and half serpent. She gave birth to other monsters,
such as Cerberus, the Hydra, the Chimera, the Sphinx, the Dragons, the
Gorgons, etc.
Echinus: An echinus fastening itself on a ship s keel, will arrest its motion like an
anchor. (BASSETT, p. 258). cf. Remora.
Echo: Class. Myth. A nymph who, having displeased Juno, was changed into a rock
and condemned to repeat the last words of anyone speaking to her.
The Anglo Saxons thought that the echo was a spirit. (A.S.: wudu-moere = echo; from
wudu = wood, moere = elf, spirit; hence, wood-spirit.)
Among the primitive races, the echo is believed to be an evil spirit.
In Bengal the echo is a wood-spirit mocking people speaking to it, or in its presence.
Eclipse: The eclipse of the sun and the moon is supposed by many people to be
caused by a demon swallowing them (Ethnologie du Bengale, pp. 101, 102).
The Irish and the Welsh run about beating kettles and pans during eclipses. (HAZLITT,
p. 341).
In Sumatra it is the sun devouring the moon, or vice versa. (MARSDEN, p. 194).
Among the Caribs, it is caused bv Maboya, a demon and a hater of all light, attempting
to devour the sun or the moon.
Among the Hindus, it is caused by the demons Rahu or Ketu devouring the sun or the
moon.
During an eclipse of the sun, poison falls from heaven; therefore cattle must be herded,
wells kept covered, and other precautions taken. (Hessen, Westphalia. WUTTKE, p.
145. cf. the Jewish and Indian superstitions. (CROOKE, P.R.I., Vol. I. p. 21). Vide
Rahu, Ketu, Maboya, Aracho.
Edgewell Oak: This oak indicated the coming death of an inmate of Castle Dalhousie
by the fall of one of its branches. cf. Death Warnings. (DALYELL, Dark. Sup., p. 504;
HAZLITT, p. 205).
Eel: In Scottish superstition eels grow from horse hairs. (CAMPBELL, Sup. Scot. High.
p. 221).
An eel skin tied round the leg is a cure for cramp. (India, CROOKE, P.R.I., Vol. II, p.
258; Ethnologie du Bengale, p. 115.)
Eel fat is used as a magic ointment, and gives the power of seeing the fairies. (HART

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NANT, Zoology, 1776, Vol. I., p. 167.) Ear : Small ears indicate that a person is mean; large ones show that he is generous.
If the left ear tingles, it indicates that someone is talking evil of you; if the right ear,
someone is praising you. (ABBOTT, p. III). The evil foreboded by the tingling of the left
ear may be averted by biting the little finger of the left hand.
A burning sensation of the ear indicates that someone is speaking of you; thus
Left your lover,
Right your mother.
Gt. Britain.
A burning sensation in the ear denotes that you will receive some news (CAMPBELL,
Sup. Scot. High., p. 258). cf. Bells in the ear, Death Omens.
Earth Mother: Vide Great Mother.
Earthquake: Among the North American Indians earthquake is supposed to be caused
by the movement of the earth-bearing tortoise; in Celebes, by the world-supporting Hog
rubbing himself against a tree; among the Caribs, because Mother Earth is dancing.
The Elephant of the Hindus, the Bull of the Moslems, the Frog of the Mongol Lamas
are creatures who carry the earth on their backs or heads and shake it when they
stretch or shift. According to the Japanese, earthquakes are caused by huge whales
creeping under the earth.
In European mythology earthquakes owe their origin to the struggles of Loki (q.v.),
Atlas (q.v.), Prometheus (q.v.), Drebkuls (q.v.), etc.
Cattle give warning of an earthquake by their uneasiness.
St. Christopher protects from the dangers of earthquakes.
These are things
An earthquake brings:
At nine of the bell
They sickness foretell;
At five and seven they betoken rain;
At four the sky is cleared thereby
At six and eight comes wind again.
LEAN, Vol. II. p. 325.
If you dream of an earthquake, it warns you to be cautious.
Easter:
He who is born on Easter morn
Shall never know want, or care, or harm.
BERGEN: Cur. Sup. p. 21.
Eating: In Congo if a king be looked at while eating, he will shortly die. (ELWORTHY, E.
E., p. 426).
It is a bad omen to dream of others eating.
In eating, if you miss your mouth and the victuals fall, it is very unlucky, and denotes

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Dutchman, Flying: Vide Flying Dutchman. Dvorvoy: A Russian household spirit who lives in the yard. Dwarf: Teut. Folklore. Diminutive old men with large heads and long, white beards.
They shunned the light of day, for the sun s rays would transform them into stones.
They became invisible at will and their principal occupation was smith s work.
For a man to meet a female dwarf (a person of a short stature) and for a woman to
meet a male one, is considered lucky. (Great Britain, India, Canada.)
Dyaks: Vide Head-hunting.
Dyaus: In Vedic mythology: (i) heaven; (ii) the father of the gods; hence also called
Dyaus-pitri.
Dying: St. Barbara relieves the dying.
Dylan: Celtic Myth. A Cymric sea-god, son of Arianrod.
E
Ea: Assyro-Babl. Myth. A deity belonging to the supreme triad. He was god of the
watery element, giver of arts and sciences, healer of the sick, and according to one
version, creator of mankind. His consort was Damkina. Vide Bel.
Eabani: Babl. Myth. A wild man created by the goddess Aruru to withstand Gilgamesh,
but is lured into the service of the latter by Ukhat.
Eacus: Gr. Myth. Son of Zeus. He was celebrated for his justice, and after his death,
was made one of the three judges of the infernal regions; the other two being Minos
and Rhadamantos (q.v.).
Eagle: The eagle is an emblem of royalty.
Tarquinus Priscus was assured that he would be king of Rome by an eagle which
swooped down upon him, took off his cap, rose in the air and let the cap fall again
upon his head.
Aristander assured Alexander of his victory over Darius in the battle of Arbela, by the
flight of an eagle (LLOYD: Stratagems of Jerusalem, 290). Vide Mountain Climbing.
Eagle-Owl: The screeching of the eagle-owl is especially considered as a portent of
disaster. (Macedonia, ABBOTT, p. 108).
Eagle-Stone: The pebble commonly called the aetites, or eagle-stone was found in the
eagle s nest, and . . . the eggs could not be hatched without its assistance. (PEN-

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208.). Sometimes a luminous light is perceived at the exact spot where the body of a
drowned person lies (FRAZER, in Folklore Journal, III, p. 281; BASSETT, p. 311.).
Idiots cannot be drowned because it is the weight of the brain that drags a person
down to the bottom of the water; it is the same with persons who have a mole mark
above their mouth (GOODRICH-FREER in Folklore, XIII, p. 61).
When people drown at sea, a water-sprite appears in the shape of a headless old man.
(GRIMM, Teut. Vol. I, p. 491.)
Where a person has been drowned, a button from his waistcoat, mounted on a piece of
wood, will indicate the spot where the body lies, by ceasing to float on its arrival thither.
(HAZLITT, p. 193.)
Druj nasu: Corpse-fiend ; in the Avesta it is the veritable incarnation of pollution and
contagion arising from decomposition of a dead body.
Drunkard: Vide Song, Splashing.
Dryad: Certain kinds of nymphs. In Classical Mythology, she was a wood-nymph, or
more correctly, a nymph whose life was bound up with that of a tree.
Dullahan: Irish lore: A malicious sullen spirit, or goblin.
Dumb: Children if, while eating, you strike anything with your chopsticks, you will be
dumb! (Japan. GRIFFIS, M.E., p. 470.) Vide Wolf.
Dumu-zi: Child of life. A Babylonian god of the solar type.
Dumu-zi-zuab: Babyl. Myth. A deity of a local character. Nebo (q.v.) appears under this
form, which describes him as a son of the deep.
Dung: Dung is considered offensive to ghosts.
In India, cow-dung is a panacea for all evils; it cures various diseases, purifies everything
and serves many other purposes. (DAY, Folktales of Bengal; Ethnologie du
Bengale, p. 133 ; LAROUSSE, Grande Dic. du XIXe Si cle, Vol. XIV, P. 1255b.)
Horse-dung placed before a house, or inside the door brings good luck. (Great Britain.)
Dun-shagga: Babyl. Myth. A deity of a local character.
Durga: Hindu Myth. Devi (q.v.) in her malignant form is known as Durga the inaccessible.
She is represented as a yellow woman riding a tiger.
Dusou: The Dusou or Giavanel of the Swiss peasants is a big supernatural bird of the
owl family, which speaks to belated travellers and says: Doumlou (donne-le-moi give
it to me). Woe betide the man who answers in the affirmative. (JALLA, L g. Vaud., p.
28.)

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Jacob, had an historic dream revealing to him his future greatness (Gen. xxxvii. 5-10).
Daniel had an historic dream about four beasts which indicated four kingdoms (Dan.
vii.). Pharaoh s butler and baker had warning dreams, one being prevised thereby of
his restoration to favour, and the other warned of his execution (Gen. xl. 5-23).
Nebuchadnezzar had an historic dream which Daniel explained (Dan. ii. 1, 31, 45).
Abimelech, King of Gerar, was warned by a dream that Sarah was Abraham s wife and
not his sister (Gen. xx. 3-16.) Joseph, husband of Mary, was warned by a dream to flee
from Judea; and when Herod was dead, he was warned again by a dream to turn
aside into the parts of Galilee (Matt. ii. 13, 19, 22). In the Old Testament Pharaoh had
a warning dream of a famine which he was able to provide against (Gen. xli. 15-36).
For the interpretation of dreams see under different headings.
Drebkuls: The Lettish equivalent of Poseidon, the Earth-Shaker.
Dress: If a girl breaks the needle (STRACKERJAN, Vol. I, p. 34) or pricks her finger
while making a new dress, it is an omen that she will be kissed wearing that particular
dress.
If you dream of being dressed in gay dresses, you will be blessed with good health.
It is considered lucky to put on any article of dress, especially stockings, inside out; but
this should not be done on purpose, neither should it be changed (CHAMBERS, Book
of Days, Vol. II, p. 321; ABBOTT, p. 144.)
Drink : Drinks should not be stirred with a knife, as this will cause stomach-aches.
(STRACKERJAN, Vol. I, p. 49.)
If you dream you are drinking something cold, it is a good omen; but if something hot,
you will have a severe illness. Vide Amethyst.
Drinking Horn: King Arthur had a horn, from which no one could drink who was either
unchaste or unfaithful.
The Cuckold s Horn, as this was called, was brought to King Arthur s court by a mysterious
boy who also brought the Mantle (q.v.); it gave warning of infidelity inasmuch as
no one unfaithful in love or unleal to his liege lord could drink therefrom without
spilling the liquor.
The Coupe enchant e of the French possessed a similar property. cf. Brawn s Head,
Mantle.
Drowning: It is caused by water-nixies who keep the souls of the drowned inside pots.
These souls must become water-nixies themselves, unless the pots are turned over by
some human being. (WOLF, Beitr ge, Vol. II, pp. 293, 297.)
The body of a drowned sailor is preserved as long as he would have lived had he not
been drowned. (M lusine, Vol. II, Col. 253.)
The body of a drowned person may be located by floating some straw, which will come
to rest above the spot where the body lies (HADDON, in Folklore, IV, p. 360); or by
floating a loaf of bread at the spot where the person fell into the water; the bread will
come to rest and begin to turn round where the body lies submerged (GREGOR, p.

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to be inspired by departed souls (TYLOR, P.C., Vol. II, p. 6); sometimes they are said
to be animated by the souls of lovers (India).
Witches cannot assume the form of doves. (cf. St. Mark, i, 10; St. John, i, 32, 33; St.
Matthew, iii, 16).
According to a legend, doves were the messengers of Venus.
In sailors superstition, doves are birds of good omen. (BASSETT, p. 276.) cf. Swallow,
Lamb.
Dragon: A mythical monster, represented as a large and terrible reptile with strong
claws like a beast or bird of prey and a scaly skin. It is generally represented with
wings and sometimes as breathing out fire. The dragon was consecrated to Minerva,
goddess of sagacity and wisdom, in order to symbolise that wisdom is ever-awake.
In Corea it is the embodiment of all forces of motion, change and power for offence
and defence in animal life, fin, wing, tusk, hom, claws, with the mysterious attributes of
the serpent. (GRIFFIS, Corea, p. 301.) It can transform itself and fly away.
In China the dragon is not a myth, but a real mysterious animal with all the qualities
attributed to it by the imagination of the Coreans. (DE GROOT, Rel. Sys. Chin.)
In modern superstition there are four dragon kings, each bearing rule over one of the
four seas, which form the border of the habitable earth. A peculiar description of pearl,
possessing magic virtues, is said to be carried by the dragon upon its forehead.
(MAYER, Chin. Read. Man., p. 153.)
Dragons must be killed by one blow only. (KUNOS, T.F.T., pp. 139, 276, 304, etc.)
A black cock when it is seven years old, lays an egg, from which a dragon comes out.
It has the body of a snake, has four feet and devours human beings. (ALPENBURG,
Mythen, p. 376; WUTTKE, p. 235.)
In Teutonic literature the favourite food of the dragon is said to have been a virgin.
Dragon is another name of the Devil, and in Christian legends it is the personification of
the spirit of evil. Vide Sturgeon, Treasure.
Dream: According to some people, e.g., the Indians of North America, dreams are
caused by the soul leaving the body during sleep and wandering over strange lands.
The Karens say that dreams are what the l (soul) has seen on its journey.
Generally speaking, dreams are interpreted by contraries in Japan (GRIFFIS, M.E., p.
472, and in India); thus, it is lucky to dream of being murdered and unlucky to dream of
finding money.
If you dream the same dream three times in succession, it is sure to be fulfilled.
(U.S.A. KNORTZ, p. 43.)
It is lucky to forget your dreams of the previous night. (Great Britain, India.)
If one has a bad dream which it is desired to forget on waking in the morning, the
advice is given to spit three times in order that the desired effect may be produced.
(Mittheilungen der Gesellschaft f r J dische Volkskunde, X, 114; Jew. Enc., Vol. XI, p.
599.)
St. Christopher protects from bad dreams.
Historic Dreams:
Jacob had an historic dream on his way to Haran (Gen. xxviii. 12-15). Joseph, son of

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weather to ensue. (BRAND, Observations, Vol. III, p. 241 Ethnologie du Bengale, p.
114.) Dolya: Slav. Myth. A personification of the good or the evil fortune of an individual; theDolya accompanies the person throughout his life. (Dic. Rel. Eth., Vol. IV, p. 625.) Domovoy: In Slavic folklore it is a domestic spirit. Every house has its domovoy, wholives with his wife and family. Generally speaking, he is of a merry disposition. cf.
Brownie, Nisse, Gardsvor. Don: Celt. Myth. A Cymric goddess, ancestress of gods. Donauf rst: An Austrian water-spirit who asks all who come to the river what they wishmost, and then ducks them in the river where is all and everything, (SIMROCK, D.M.,p. 150 ; BASSETT, p. 161.)
Door: Maras (q.v.) and other evil spirits never come in through doors.
If doors open themselves without any apparent cause, it is a sign that a ghost has just
entered. (Silesia, Lower Saxony. WUTTKE, p. 223; Ethnologle du Bengale, p. 91.)
In Scotland, doors and windows are opened at the moment anyone is dying in the
house. (GREGOR, p. 206; FRAZER, Death and Burial Customs, Scotland, Folklore
Journal, Vol. III, p. 282.) Vide Slamming, Window.
Dotterels: When dotterels do first appear,
It shows that frost is very near;
But when that dotterels do go,
Then you may look out for heavy snow.
Salisbury Sayings.
Double Fruits: If fruits which are growing double, be divided and eaten by two persons,
they are sure to have a fulfilment of their desires. (Great Britain, India.)
If a pregnant woman partake of such fruit, she will give birth to twins. (Mecklenburg.
WUTTKE, p. 193; India; FRAZER, G.B., Vol. I, p. 40; Cf. KARSTEN, Indian Tribes of
Equador, p. 74; Ethnologie du Bengale, p. 81, n. 2.)
Doubles: The apparition of a living person visible either to himself or to some other person
and superstitiously believed to foretell a great calamity or death.
The appearance of a double or fetch has ever been held . . . to signify approaching
death. PROCTOR, Light Sc.
Doubt: If one is in doubt, he should count the number of buttons on his coat; if they are
of an even number, he is right; if of an odd number, wrong. (Jews of Bohemia.)
St. Catherine resolves doubts.
Dove : In Popavan doves are immune from attacks or slaughter, as they are supposed

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