Ancient Scottish ballads, recovered from tradition, and never before ...

144
knife, sister, and give yourself the trouble sometimes
to pull it out of the sheath ; while you see it clear as
it is now, it will be a sign that I am alive; but if you
find it stained with blood, then you may believe me
dead, and indulge me with your prayers." Bahman
having perished in his adventure, Perviz, his brother,
undertakes it against his sister's inclination ; but, that
she might be acquainted with his success, he leaves
with her a string of a hundred pearls, telling her, that
if at any time she counted them, and they did not run
upon the string, but remained fixed, that would be a
certain sign he had undergone the same fate as his
brother.
—
Scott's Transl. of Arabian Nights.
Somewhat similar to this, is the belief once, and per-
haps still, prevalent in the Western Islands, regarding
the Molucca bean or nut, called by the natives Cros-
pimk, which is drifted to their shores across the At-
lantic. They ascribe to it the virtue of changing co-
lour when any calamity is to befall its possessor
" There is a variety of nuts," says Martin, " called
Mottuka, some of which are used as amulets against
witchcraft, or an evil eye, particularly the white one
and upon this account they are wore about children's
necks, and if any evil is intended them, they say the
nut changes into a black colour. That they did change
colour, I found true by my own observation, but can-
not be positive as to the cause of it."
Id. p. 38.
—
Descrip. West.
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