Show www I 1 buhy I 1 X II 11 of I 1 I 1 sup superstitions 0 X 13 by ii KI KINQ N Q ESKINS T PO 0 THE ancients an eel way was merely a water snake in fact philologists derive the word eel primarily from a sanskrit word meaning snake thus in superstitions and folklore folk lore eels and snakes are one here flere are a few popular superstitions regarding or eel skins the localities from which they are gathered ranging from maine to virginia and kansas an worn around the waist will cure or prevent cramp and rheumatism for sprains wear such auch a skin around the wrist for rheumatism wear one around the leg eskins worn vorn around the wrist or leg will cure rheumatism the skin of a snake workaround worn around the waist prevents backache when you go in swimming wear a snakeskin around your ankle and you will ivill not have cra cramps nips A dried snake kin stuffed into the ear will cur t toothache these superstitions are merely survivals from the serpent worship of our far off ancestors estors a cult which persists among civilized man today in the form of these and many other current superstitions ions the idea af the curative properties of n snakeskin Is inherited directly it would emild appear from the connection of the snake with the greek god of medicine the survival of serpent worship in the form of popular superstitions ions recalls the words of frazer regarding such survivals ile he says they show tile the existence of a solid layer of savagery beneath the surface of society unaffected by the superficial chances chant es of religion and culture which lip regards us its a standing menace to civilization lon adding we ve seem to move on a thin crust which may tit at tiny any moment he be rent by the sub terron ikenn ean forces slumbering below r by mcclure newspaper Newe paper |