Southern baby superstitions

            In the old days, out in the countryside, it might be a day's ride or more to get to the nearest doctor. That's why many Southerners took to doctoring themselves, using herbs to cure sickness. Or maybe something else.

            A 1980 article in the Baton Rouge State Times lists some area folklore used on babies to cure illnesses. Have you heard of any of these?

            To stop hiccups, cross two broom straws in the crown of a baby’s head.

            To cure whopping cough, ride a stud horse until he gets real hot, then let him breathe in a baby’s face.

            Mullin leaves soaked in water and wrapped around a limb will ease joint pains and strains.

            Babies born with veils over their faces will see ghosts.

            Boiled and steeped bitter weed used to bathe a child with malaria will cure he of it.

            Ivory soap cut into a small suppository will cure constipation.

            To cure chest colds, mix and heat tallow and camphorated oil, rub on chest and bottom of feet.

            Also good for chest colds is to brown a piece of flannel and put on chest.

            To cure colic, blow smoke from a pile in baby’s diapers and on soft spot of baby’s head.

            Strange sights seen by a pregnant mother will mark a baby. So will the mother’s strong cravings during pregnancy.

           If you cut a baby's fingernails with scissors, it will steal.

Cheré Coen is an award-winning travel writer specializing in the Deep South. She is also the author of “Forest Hill, Louisiana: A Bloom Town History,” “Haunted Lafayette, Louisiana” and “Exploring Cajun Country: A Historic Guide to Acadiana” and co-author of “Magic’s in the Bag: Creating Spellbinding Gris Gris Bags and Sachets.” Write her at cherecoen@gmail.com.

Sweep this! Southern broom superstitions

            I had a friend who freaked out when she spotted me sweeping my living room one night and attempted to sweep the dust out the door. She grabbed my hand and instantly informed me that sweeping out dust after dark invited bad luck and should be avoided at all costs.

            That’s just one of the many superstitions revolving around brooms, many of which are predominant in the South.

            For instance, I’ve heard that if a person sweeps a broom across your feet, you must spit upon the broom or risk either going to jail or having bad luck. Variations on this theme include being hit with the broom while someone is sweeping; again, you must spit on the broom in question or risk bad fortune.

            Sweeping around people or in front of them has also been known to cause that person bad luck. I think the idea here is that you are sweeping away their good energy or sweeping them away.

            Other sweeping superstitions include:

            Don’t sweep out a house on Fridays.

            Don’t sweep out a house on New Year’s Day.

            If you sweep under a sick person’s bed, you will get bad luck.

            If you sweep under someone's feet, they will never marry. 

            If you move, don’t bring the old broom with you or it will bring bad luck.            

            Never step over a broom, even if you have to cross over it to pick it up. Some people place a broom across the door, especially on Halloween, to keep witches from entering the house, assuming that they, too, know that stepping over a broom brings back luck.
            Do you have a broom superstition? Let us know.

Cheré Coen is the author of “Forest Hill, Louisiana: A Bloom Town History,” “Haunted Lafayette, Louisiana” and “Exploring Cajun Country: A Historic Guide to Acadiana” and co-author of “Magic’s in the Bag: Creating Spellbinding Gris Gris Bags and Sachets.” Write her at cherecoen@gmail.com.