The Myths and Fables of To-Day

In Short

This study surveys the persistent superstitions, signs, and folk traditions that quietly shape everyday modern life. Traversing the landscape of North American and European folklore, the text examines everything from childish counting-out rhymes and weather proverbs to wedding customs, omens of bad luck, haunted places, and fatal presentiments. It reveals how ancient pagan beliefs and European traditions survived the journey across the Atlantic, taking root in the New World. The book endures because it treats these widespread irrationalities not with cold contempt, but as a fascinating, deeply human poetic impulse that refuses to die out.

The Story

The narrative opens with an inventory of time and memory, asking what would become of literature and history if all mythological figures and poetic fancies were swept away. It establishes that superstition is the natural poetry of life, an inheritance carried across the ocean by European settlers. Even the strict Puritans, while chopping down May-poles and condemning heathen rituals, brought along a firm belief in omens, apparitions, and a very active personal devil.

From this historic foundation, the journey moves into the realm of childhood. Innocuous playground games, tag formulas, and nonsense counting rhymes like "Eny, meny, mony might" reveal themselves as surviving remnants of ancient incantations originally spoken to propitiate fate. Moving from the nursery to the outdoors, the text gathers weather lore and daily proverbs—such as cats washing behind their ears before rain or spiders crawling on walls—showing how observations of nature blend imperceptibly with irrational auguries.

The exploration deepens into active rituals and charms. It outlines the widespread search for luck through falling stars, loads of hay, and overturned coins, alongside protective plants like St.-John’s-wort, holly, and mountain ash used against the Evil Eye. Physical health and natural wonders follow, detailing annual healing pilgrimages to sea-beaches like Old Orchard or sacred shrines like St. Anne de Beaupré, where piles of discarded crutches bear witness to the power of belief. Gems, too, play their part, from the anti-inebriate amethyst to the legendary, glowing mountain carbuncle of New England Indian lore.

Domestic life offers its own rich harvest of customs. Wedding rituals—throwing rice, passing bride-cake through rings, and the noisy din of the charivari—are shown to be ancient binding ceremonies or attempts to ward off evil spirits. On the waters and battlefields, mascots like cats and goats are cherished by sailors and soldiers to ward off doom, while Friday retains its stubborn reputation as a day of ill omen for travel and business.

In its final stages, the book ventures into the uncanny. It investigates ghost stories, haunted houses, blood-curdling curses like that of the Essex "bleeders," and spectral apparitions brought before historical courts. It examines the eerie psychology of presentiments, noting how historical figures like Abraham Lincoln and General Hancock experienced vivid premonitions of their own deaths. Ending among astronomical terrors and mysterious dreams that save sailors from shipwreck, the text closes by showing that despite scientific progress, humanity still looks upon the unknown universe with a familiar, trembling awe.

How It Unfolds

The heritage of belief Ancient mythological figures and ancestral traditions arrive in the New World with the early Puritan settlers. Despite rejecting pagan ceremonies, these pioneers maintain an absolute belief in omens, witches, and the constant interference of the devil.

Echoes in the nursery Children playing traditional games repeat rhymed counting formulas without realizing they are chanting ancient magical words. These whimsical formulas demonstrate how primitive habits of propitiating fortune survive in daily play.

Signs of earth and sky Folk observations concerning household animals, crawling insects, and daily coincidences become an informal system of prophecy. Everyday occurrences like a cat racing through a house or a ringing in the ear are read as tokens of changing weather or impending news.

Charms and protective herbs People seek good fortune by wishing on falling stars or carrying lucky charms like dice and pieces of coal. Meanwhile, branches of holly, mullein, and mountain ash are hung in doorways to shield homes from lightning, witches, and malicious spirits.

Sacred waters and magical gems Sick seekers flock to annual ocean baths or holy shrines to be cured, leaving behind stacks of discarded crutches. Simultaneously, precious stones like the amethyst and carbuncle are prized as talismans capable of warding off disease, danger, or evil influences.

Rituals of hearth and voyage Weddings are celebrated with symbolic bride-cake and noisy mock serenades, while sailors strictly avoid launching ships or beginning voyages on Friday. On naval vessels and battlefields, mascots ranging from cats to goats are treated as vital protectors against calamity.

Shadows and presentiments Mysterious hauntings, family curses, and sudden premonitions shake the confidence of the rational mind. Historical leaders and ordinary citizens alike experience haunting double-reflections or vivid warning dreams that correctly foretell impending tragedy or escape from death.

The People

The Puritan Settlers They seek to build a righteous society free from heathen rituals, cutting down May-poles and simplifying religious observances. However, their profound fear of evil and strict biblical literalism keep them thoroughly bound to beliefs in witches, ghosts, and a personal devil.

The Sailors and Seafarers Living at the mercy of unpredictable winds and oceans, these men rely heavily on mascots, sea-rhymes, and traditional warnings. They refuse to set sail on Fridays, treat unlucky ship launches with deep dread, and trust warning dreams that caution them against fatal shipwrecks.

Tomas Cervera the Cat Found as the sole survivor aboard a destroyed Spanish cruiser after a naval battle, this black and white cat becomes a famed mascot. Passed from ship to ship and surviving multiple naval mishaps, he embodies the classic legend of feline longevity before finally perishing in America.

Abraham Lincoln Tired after his 1860 election victory, he rests in his chamber and discovers a double reflection of his face in a swinging mirror, one image significantly paler than the other. He shares the disturbing sight with his wife, who interprets it as an omen that he will be elected to a second term but will not survive it.

In Its Own Voice

"Some one has cunningly said that superstition is the poetry of life, and that of all men poets should be superstitious." Context: The author reflects on how deeply ancient myths and romantic legends enrich literature and history.

"To get rid of his tormentors the bridegroom is expected to hold an impromptu reception, or, in other words, 'to treat the crowd,' which is more often the real object of this silly affair..." Context: Describing the loud, chaotic rural wedding tradition of the mock serenade or charivari.

"In truth, we know comets as yet only as the accredited agents of destruction." Context: Examining the lingering fear and awe that celestial phenomena inspire in even the most educated minds.

What It's Really About

Underneath its wide-ranging collection of folklore, the book presents a thoughtful study of human psychology and cultural persistence. It argues that superstition is not merely an ignorant relic of the past destined to vanish with science, but a fundamental trait of the human mind. People hunger for agency in an unpredictable world. When faced with illness, bad weather, war, or sudden death, rituals and omens offer a comforting illusion of control. By tracing nursery rhymes, ocean dips, and ship mascots back to ancient pagan rites, the text demonstrates how deeply linked modern civilization remains to its primitive roots. Ultimately, it asks whether humanity can ever truly outgrow the need for magic, mystery, and protective signs.

Why Read It Today

This book appeals to readers who delight in historical curiosities, social history, and the origins of modern customs. Reading it feels like taking a leisurely, reflective walk through a late nineteenth-century museum of human habits, guided by a well-read companion who balances gentle skepticism with genuine affection for his subject.

The prose is clear, direct, and unpretentious, though modern readers should be prepared for its episodic nature and frequent historical digressions. It offers an authentic look at the period's lingering prejudices and rustic dialects, preserving regional folk rhymes and old newspaper reports exactly as they were recorded. What stays with you long after reading is the realization of how many everyday habits—from flipping a coin to avoiding a path—are secret handshakes with a far older, wilder world.