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PO T A TO . — Although introduced into Europe as late as
1584, the Potato [Solanum tuberosum) has been made the subjecit of
several popular superstitions. In Birmingham and many other
districits, it is believed that a Potato carried in the trousers pocket is
a sure charm against rheumatism so long as the tuber is kept there;
and the Dutch believed that a Potato begged or stolen is a preservation
against the same malady. In Germany, they take
precautions against the Potato demon or wolf [Kartoffelwolf) : after
the last Potatoes have been dug up, the peasants dress up a puppet
which they call Erdapfelmann, and carry the figure in procession to
the house of their master, where they recite a doggrel verse. A
luminosity, powerful enough to enable a bystander to read by, issues
from the common Potato when in a state of putrefaction ; this
was particularly remarked by an officer on guard at Strasburg, who
thought the barracks were on fire in consequence of the light that
was emitted from a cellar full of Potatoes.
P r i c k M a d am .— See Stonecrop.
P r i e s t ’ s P i n t l e .— See Arum.
P R IM R O S E .—Anciently the Primrose was called Paralisos,
after the name of a handsome stripling, the son of Priapus and
Flora, who died of grief for the loss of his betrothed Melicerta, but
was snatched from the jaws of death by his parents, and metamorphosed
into “ the rathe Primrose that forsaken dies.”------
The name Primrose anciently appertained to the Daisy, and is
written by Chaucer Primerole, from the old French Primeverole, the
first Spring fiower; Primerole became changed to Primrolles, and
then to Primrose, the first Rose of Spring; and it was not until the
sixteenth century that it attached itself to the fiower which now
bears its name. In Worcestershire, it is regarded as exceedingly
unlucky in Spring-time to take less than a handful of Primroses or
Violets into a farmer’s house, as a disregard of this rule is popularly
believed to invite destruiition of the good wife’s brood of ducklings
and chickens. In East Norfolk, it is thought that if a less number
of Primroses than thirteen be brought into a house on the first occasion
of introducing any, so many eggs only will each goose hatch
that season. Henderson, in his ‘ Folk-lore of the Northern
Counties,’ gives the following superstitious custom : “ Let a youth
or maiden pull from its stalk the fiower, and after cutting off the
tops of the stamens with a pair of scissors, lay it in a secret place
where no human eye can see it. Let him think through the day
and dream through the night of his sweetheart; and then, upon
looking at it the next day, if he find the stamens shot out to their
former height, success will attend him in love ; if not, he can only
expe<5t disappointment.” Browne tells us—
“ The Primrose, when with six leaves gotten grace,
Maids as a true-love in their bosoms place.”
Shakspeare makes it a funeral fiower for youth:—
“ With fairest flowers
Whilst summer lasts, and I live here, t'idele,
r i l sweeten thy sad grave : thou shalt not lack
The flower that’s like thy face, pale Primrose.”
In recent times, the Primrose has become associated with the
memory of Lord Beaconsfield, and a society called the “ Primrose
League ” has been formed, having for its objedt the dissemination
of those constitutional principles which were so dear to the late
E a rl. In Germany, the Primrose is called the Schlüsselblume, or
Key-fiower, in reference to the numerous legends of a fiower opening
the locks of doors to treasure-caves, &c.; resembling in its
magical fundtions the Russian Rasrivtrava, the Eisenkraut (Vervain),
the Fern, Mistletoe, Hazel, Springwort, and Moonwort. The
goddess Bertha is supposed to entice children to enter her enchanted
halls by offering them beautiful Primpses. Astrologers claim
the Primrose as a herb of Venus.
P r o c e s s io n F l o w e r .—See Milkwort.
P T E R I S E S C U L E N T A .—The New Zealand tohunga, or
priest, professes the following rite to be a cure for headache.
The officiant pulls out two stalks of the Pteris esculenta, from which
the fibres of the root must be removed; and beating them together
over the patient’s head, he offers a prayer to Atua.
P u cK -F isT .—See T o ad s to o l.
P U L S A T I L L A .—In the Ukraine, the Pulsatilla patens is called
Sontrava, the Dream-plant. It is believed by the p p p le of the
country that the fiowers of this plant, which blossoms in the month
of April, if placed between the pillow and the bed, will cause the
sleeper to dream of what will undoubtedly be accomplished.
P U M P K IN .—Among the East Indians, there is a legend that
there once existed amightymannamedIaia,whoseonlysondied. The
father wished to bury him, but did not know where. So he placed
him in an enormous Pumpkin, which he conveyed to the foot of a
mountain, not far from his habitation. Impelled by his love for the
departed one, he one day had the curiosity to revisit the spot, and,
desirous of once again seeing his son, he opened the Pumpkin.
Immediately whales and other immense fish jumped out. laia,
affrighted, returned home, and told what he had seen to his neighbours,
adding that the Pumpkin appeared to be filled with water
and quantities of fish. Four brothers who had been born at one
time rushed off in haste to the spot indicated, in order to secure
the fish for food. laia followed, to prevent them from injuring the
Pumpkin. The brothers, who had succeeded in lifting the gigantic
vegetable, were frightened at seeing laia approach, and let fall the
Pumpkin, which was, in consequence, cracked in several places.
From the fissures thus made poured forth such a volume of water,
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