Ulf
02-02-2009, 05:48 PM
Extracted and Excerpeted from Pennsylvania Dutch Folklore, Elmer L. Smith, Applied Arts Publishers, Lebanon, Pa, 1960
Pow Wow Practices
In the past many superstitious Pennsylvania Germans believed in Pow-wow practices and in the "hex." Almost every community had a "hex" doctor or pow-wow man who possessed special knowledge and magical power. Three books had a great influence on these superstitious people, one titled, Egyptian Secrets or White and Black Art for Man and Beast by Albertus Magnus is a centuries old source of suggested techniques for cures of sickness, obtaining holding powers over other people and other mehods of gaining objectives by unique practices. 6th and 7th Books of Moses or Moses' Magical Spirit-Art, was another popular source of superstitious practice which offered magicar markThe s, seals, amulets and symbols. In 1819, John G. Hohman published a booklet in Berks County titled, "Long Lost Friend or Pow-Wows" in which the author promised:
"I, Hohman, hereby swear and attest that whosoever shall use my secrets shall be safe from all his enemies, visible and invisible and whosoever shall follow the secrets revealed in my book and apply them should surely be able to obtain success, good fortune, and prosperity.' The author further assured the reader that "whosoever carries the book with him would be protected from drowning, burning, and would avoid any unjust sentence passed upon him."
Some of the most interesting remedies and cures offered by Hohman are:
For Ulcers, Boils, and other defects: Take the root of an iron-weed, and tie it around the neck; it cures running ulcers; it also serves against obstructions in the bladder.
To Stop pains in a Wound: Cut three small twigs from a tree-each to be cut off in one cut-rub one end of each twig in the wound, and wrap them separately in a piece of white paper, and put them in a warm and dry place.
To Destroy Warts: Roast chicken-feet and rub the warts with them! Then bury them under the eaves.
To cut teeth without pain: Boil the brain of a rabbit and rub the gums of the children with it, and their teeth will grow without pain.
To cure Epllepsy: Take a turtle dove, cut its throat, and let the person drink the blood.
A remedy for people who cannot keep their water: Burn a hog's bladder to powder and take it inwardly. To banish the Whoopinq Couqh: Cut three small bunches of hair from the crown of the head of a child that has never seen its father; sew this hair up in an unbleached cloth and hang it around the neck of the child having the whooping cough. The thread with which the cloth is sewed must also be unbleached.
A remedy for a Toothache: Stir the sore teeth with a needle until it draws blood; then take a thread and soak it with this blood. Then take vinegar and flour, mix them well so as to form a paste and spread on a cloth; then wrap this cloth around the root of an apple tree, and tie it very close with the above thread, after which the root must be well covered with ground.
A remedy for Weakness: Take Bittany and St. John's wort, and put them in good old rye whiskey. To drink some of this in the morning before having taken anything else is very wholesome and good.
To heal Bums: Pound or press the juice of male fern, and put it on the burnt spots, and they will heal very fast.
To strenqthen the Limbs: A tea made of the acorns of the white oak is very good for weakness of the limbs.
The booklet also offered several methods for general use such as:
A precaution aqalnst injuries: Whoever carries the right eye of a wolf fastened inside his right sleeve, remains free from all injuries.
A way of catchinq fish (Fishernan special): Take rose seed and mustard seed, and the foot of a weasel and hang these in a net, and the fish will certainly collect there.
To make chickens lay many eggs: Take the dung of rabbits, pound it to powder, mix it with bran, wet the mixture till it forms lumps, and feed your chickens with it, and they will keep on laying a great many eggs.
To win every qame one enqaqes in: Tie the heart of a bat with a red silken string to the right ann, and you will win every game of cards you play.
Albert Magnus's Egyptian Secrets claimed to be issued as a "great service to mankind. ..in order to bridle and check the doings of the Devil." But it warned owners of the book, "not to treat the same lightly or to destroy the same, because, by such action, he will defy the will of God, and God will. in return therefore destroy him, and cause him to suffer eternal punishment and grim damnation."
Some of Magnus's methods are listed below:
To cure a rupture: Cut three tufts of hair from the centre of his head; tie the same in a clean cloth, carry it into another district, (county) , and bury it under a young willow tree, so that it may grow together.
For Epilepsy or Fits: Take some part of the hind leg of a calf, also part of a bone of a human body from a graveyard; pulverize both, mix the mass well, and give the patient three points of a knife full.
To know if cattle are plagued by Witches: The hair stand on end, or bristles on the head, and they generally sweat by night or near dawn of day.
How to Wean Calves: On the third day before full moon, this should be done, and splendid large cattle will be the result.
To cause a Cow to become Pregnant: Take nine knots of an early tree in the spring of the year, pulverize them, and give to the cow on newly baked bread.
To Relieve Horses or Cattle from being Haunted: Take the left-hand glove of a woman afflicted with rheumatism in the right arm, steep it in fresh water, and allow the animals to drink thereof.
To Avoid Danqer of Fire in a Dwelling House: Take in the evening or in the morning a bl.ack hen from its nest, cut its thro'at, throw it upon the ground, cut the stomach of the hen out of the body, but nothing else, and be careful to leave everything else inside. After this proceeding try to obtain apiece of gold quartz. The piece must be large as a saucer. These two articles wrap up together; take an egg laid on Green Thursday.; wrap the three pieces thus obtained up in bees'-wax and put all in an octagon pot of clay, cover the same tightly, and bury it under the housedoor sill. Such a house is protected from all dangers of fire, although the flames may surround it.
To Cure a Cough: Roast an onion, rub the soles of the feet therewith, and the ailment will cease; or take strong brandy, dip a soft cloth therein and wet the soles of the feet, mornings and evenings.
For a Swelling: Take hogs manure, put it in a left shoe and tie it over the place where the swelling is, and it will cease.
For a Toothache: Write upon apiece of paper, Quosum sinioba zenni tantus lect veri, and hang it on a string over the back.
To Determine if a Sick Person will qet Well: Cut a piece of bread, rub the patient's teeth therewith, and throw it before a dog. If the dog eats it, the patientwill recover. Otherwise, the disease is dangerous.
To Restore Manhood: Take a new fresh laid egg, if possible, one that is yet warm. Pour whale oil over it, and boil the egg in it; the oil then should be poured into a running water, stream downward, never upward, then open the egg a little, carry it to an ant's hill of the large red specie. as are found in fir-tree forest, and there bury the egg. As soon as the ants have devoured the egg, the weak and troubled person will be restored to former strength and vigor.
To Extinquish a Fire without Water: Inscribe the following letters upon each side of a plate, and throw it into the fire, and forthwith the fire will be extinguished.
S A T O R
A R E P O
T E N E T
O P E R A
R O T A S
To make your Sweetheart love you: Take feathers from a rooster's tail; press them three times into her hand, or take a turtle dove tongue into your mouth, kiss your girl friend and she cannot love another.
If you would thrive, Be up 'by five;
For there is health, and certain wealth
When at the plough, Or milking a cow.
Is to be seen !but seldom heard.
A smoky chimney may be cured,
A scolding woman not endured;
A farmer's wife, like cream or curd,
Pork and beans make muscles strong
Something farmers seek;
It is a dish to make life long,
When cooked but once a week.
Of all the crops a farmer raises,
Or capital employes,
None can bring back such comforts and praises,
As a crop of girls and boys.
http://www.horseshoe.cc/pennadutch/culture/customs/powwow.htm
Pow Wow Practices
In the past many superstitious Pennsylvania Germans believed in Pow-wow practices and in the "hex." Almost every community had a "hex" doctor or pow-wow man who possessed special knowledge and magical power. Three books had a great influence on these superstitious people, one titled, Egyptian Secrets or White and Black Art for Man and Beast by Albertus Magnus is a centuries old source of suggested techniques for cures of sickness, obtaining holding powers over other people and other mehods of gaining objectives by unique practices. 6th and 7th Books of Moses or Moses' Magical Spirit-Art, was another popular source of superstitious practice which offered magicar markThe s, seals, amulets and symbols. In 1819, John G. Hohman published a booklet in Berks County titled, "Long Lost Friend or Pow-Wows" in which the author promised:
"I, Hohman, hereby swear and attest that whosoever shall use my secrets shall be safe from all his enemies, visible and invisible and whosoever shall follow the secrets revealed in my book and apply them should surely be able to obtain success, good fortune, and prosperity.' The author further assured the reader that "whosoever carries the book with him would be protected from drowning, burning, and would avoid any unjust sentence passed upon him."
Some of the most interesting remedies and cures offered by Hohman are:
For Ulcers, Boils, and other defects: Take the root of an iron-weed, and tie it around the neck; it cures running ulcers; it also serves against obstructions in the bladder.
To Stop pains in a Wound: Cut three small twigs from a tree-each to be cut off in one cut-rub one end of each twig in the wound, and wrap them separately in a piece of white paper, and put them in a warm and dry place.
To Destroy Warts: Roast chicken-feet and rub the warts with them! Then bury them under the eaves.
To cut teeth without pain: Boil the brain of a rabbit and rub the gums of the children with it, and their teeth will grow without pain.
To cure Epllepsy: Take a turtle dove, cut its throat, and let the person drink the blood.
A remedy for people who cannot keep their water: Burn a hog's bladder to powder and take it inwardly. To banish the Whoopinq Couqh: Cut three small bunches of hair from the crown of the head of a child that has never seen its father; sew this hair up in an unbleached cloth and hang it around the neck of the child having the whooping cough. The thread with which the cloth is sewed must also be unbleached.
A remedy for a Toothache: Stir the sore teeth with a needle until it draws blood; then take a thread and soak it with this blood. Then take vinegar and flour, mix them well so as to form a paste and spread on a cloth; then wrap this cloth around the root of an apple tree, and tie it very close with the above thread, after which the root must be well covered with ground.
A remedy for Weakness: Take Bittany and St. John's wort, and put them in good old rye whiskey. To drink some of this in the morning before having taken anything else is very wholesome and good.
To heal Bums: Pound or press the juice of male fern, and put it on the burnt spots, and they will heal very fast.
To strenqthen the Limbs: A tea made of the acorns of the white oak is very good for weakness of the limbs.
The booklet also offered several methods for general use such as:
A precaution aqalnst injuries: Whoever carries the right eye of a wolf fastened inside his right sleeve, remains free from all injuries.
A way of catchinq fish (Fishernan special): Take rose seed and mustard seed, and the foot of a weasel and hang these in a net, and the fish will certainly collect there.
To make chickens lay many eggs: Take the dung of rabbits, pound it to powder, mix it with bran, wet the mixture till it forms lumps, and feed your chickens with it, and they will keep on laying a great many eggs.
To win every qame one enqaqes in: Tie the heart of a bat with a red silken string to the right ann, and you will win every game of cards you play.
Albert Magnus's Egyptian Secrets claimed to be issued as a "great service to mankind. ..in order to bridle and check the doings of the Devil." But it warned owners of the book, "not to treat the same lightly or to destroy the same, because, by such action, he will defy the will of God, and God will. in return therefore destroy him, and cause him to suffer eternal punishment and grim damnation."
Some of Magnus's methods are listed below:
To cure a rupture: Cut three tufts of hair from the centre of his head; tie the same in a clean cloth, carry it into another district, (county) , and bury it under a young willow tree, so that it may grow together.
For Epilepsy or Fits: Take some part of the hind leg of a calf, also part of a bone of a human body from a graveyard; pulverize both, mix the mass well, and give the patient three points of a knife full.
To know if cattle are plagued by Witches: The hair stand on end, or bristles on the head, and they generally sweat by night or near dawn of day.
How to Wean Calves: On the third day before full moon, this should be done, and splendid large cattle will be the result.
To cause a Cow to become Pregnant: Take nine knots of an early tree in the spring of the year, pulverize them, and give to the cow on newly baked bread.
To Relieve Horses or Cattle from being Haunted: Take the left-hand glove of a woman afflicted with rheumatism in the right arm, steep it in fresh water, and allow the animals to drink thereof.
To Avoid Danqer of Fire in a Dwelling House: Take in the evening or in the morning a bl.ack hen from its nest, cut its thro'at, throw it upon the ground, cut the stomach of the hen out of the body, but nothing else, and be careful to leave everything else inside. After this proceeding try to obtain apiece of gold quartz. The piece must be large as a saucer. These two articles wrap up together; take an egg laid on Green Thursday.; wrap the three pieces thus obtained up in bees'-wax and put all in an octagon pot of clay, cover the same tightly, and bury it under the housedoor sill. Such a house is protected from all dangers of fire, although the flames may surround it.
To Cure a Cough: Roast an onion, rub the soles of the feet therewith, and the ailment will cease; or take strong brandy, dip a soft cloth therein and wet the soles of the feet, mornings and evenings.
For a Swelling: Take hogs manure, put it in a left shoe and tie it over the place where the swelling is, and it will cease.
For a Toothache: Write upon apiece of paper, Quosum sinioba zenni tantus lect veri, and hang it on a string over the back.
To Determine if a Sick Person will qet Well: Cut a piece of bread, rub the patient's teeth therewith, and throw it before a dog. If the dog eats it, the patientwill recover. Otherwise, the disease is dangerous.
To Restore Manhood: Take a new fresh laid egg, if possible, one that is yet warm. Pour whale oil over it, and boil the egg in it; the oil then should be poured into a running water, stream downward, never upward, then open the egg a little, carry it to an ant's hill of the large red specie. as are found in fir-tree forest, and there bury the egg. As soon as the ants have devoured the egg, the weak and troubled person will be restored to former strength and vigor.
To Extinquish a Fire without Water: Inscribe the following letters upon each side of a plate, and throw it into the fire, and forthwith the fire will be extinguished.
S A T O R
A R E P O
T E N E T
O P E R A
R O T A S
To make your Sweetheart love you: Take feathers from a rooster's tail; press them three times into her hand, or take a turtle dove tongue into your mouth, kiss your girl friend and she cannot love another.
If you would thrive, Be up 'by five;
For there is health, and certain wealth
When at the plough, Or milking a cow.
Is to be seen !but seldom heard.
A smoky chimney may be cured,
A scolding woman not endured;
A farmer's wife, like cream or curd,
Pork and beans make muscles strong
Something farmers seek;
It is a dish to make life long,
When cooked but once a week.
Of all the crops a farmer raises,
Or capital employes,
None can bring back such comforts and praises,
As a crop of girls and boys.
http://www.horseshoe.cc/pennadutch/culture/customs/powwow.htm