This vintage work contains a collection of the customs, usages, and ceremonies used among gypsies, as regards fortune-telling, witch-doctoring, love-philtering, and other sorcery, illustrated by many anecdotes and instances, taken either from works as yet very little known to the English reader or from personal experiences. Within a very few years, since Ethnology and Archaeology have received a great inspiration, and much enlarged their scope through Folk-lore, everything relating to such subjects is studied with far greater interest and to much greater profit than was the case when they were cultivated in a languid, half-believing, half-sceptical spirit which was in reality rather one of mere romance than reason. Now that we seek with resolution to find the whole truth, be it based on materialism, spiritualism, or their identity, we are amazed to find that the realm of marvel and mystery, of wonder and poetry, connected with what we vaguely call “magic,” far from being explained away or exploded, enlarges before us as we proceed, and that not into a mere cloudland, gorgeous land, but into a country of reality in which men of science who would once have disdained the mere thought thereof are beginning to stray.

Step into the mystical realm of the Romany with Gypsy Sorcery and Fortune Telling by Charles G. Leland. Drawing from his extensive travels and research, Leland explores the intriguing world of gypsy folklore, magic, and divination. From love potions to luck charms, discover a wealth of traditional gypsy knowledge and practices, presented with Leland's characteristic flair. Experience the magic with Gypsy Sorcery and Fortune Telling. Order your copy today and explore the world of gypsy magic.

Excerpt from Gypsy Sorcery and Fortune Telling: Illustrated by Numerous Incantations, Specimens of Medical Magic, Anecdotes and Tales His work contains a collection of the customs, usages, and ceremonies current among gypsies, as regards fortune-telling, witch-doctoring, love-philtering, and other sorcery, illustrated by many anecdotes and instances, taken either from works as yet very little known to the English reader or from personal experiences. Within a very few years, since Ethnology and Archæology have received a great inspiration, and much enlarged their scope through Folk-lore, everything relating to such subjects is studied with far greater interest and to much greater profit than was the case when they were cultivated in a languid, half-believing, half-sceptical spirit which was in reality rather one of mere romance than reason. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

Excerpt from Gypsy Sorcery and Fortune Telling: Illustrated by Numerous Incantations, Specimens of Medical Magic, Anecdotes and Tales Therefore there is nothing whatever in the past relating to the influences which have swayed man, however strange, eccentric, superstitious, or even repulsive they may seem, which is not of great and constantly increasing value. And if we of the present time begin already to see this, how much more important will these facts be to the men of the future, who, by virtue of more Widely extended knowledge and comparison, will be better able than we are to draw wise conclusions undreamed of now. But the chief conclusion for us is to collect as much as we can, while it is yet extant, of all the strange lore of the olden time, instead of wasting time in forming idle theories about it. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1891 edition. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER XIV.' A GYPSY MAGIC SPELL. HOKKANI BASO LELLIN DUDIKABIN, OR THE GREAT SECRET CHILDREN'S RHYMES AND INCANTATIONS TEN LITTLE INDIAN BOYS AND TEN LITTLE ACORN GIRLS OF MARCELLUS BURDI- GALENSIS. HERE is a meaningless rhyme very common among children. It is repeated while "counting off" --or "out" --those who are taking part in a game, and allotting to each a place. There are many versions of it, but the following is exactly word for word what I learned when a boy in Philadelphia: -- Ekkeri (or ickery), akkery, u-kcry an, Fillisi', follasy, Nicholas John, Queebee - quabee -- Irishman (or, Irish Mary), Stingle 'em--stangle 'em--buck! With a very little alteration This chapter is reproduced, but with much addition, from one in my work entitled "The Gypsies," published in Boston, 1881, by Houghton and Mifflin. London: Trubner Sc Co. The addition will be the most interesting portion to the folk-lorist. in sounds, and not more than children make of these verses in different places, this may be read as follows: -- Ek-keri (yekori) akairi, you kair an, Fillissin, follasy, Nakelas jan Kivi, kavi--Irishman, Stini, stani--buck! This is, of course, nonsense, but it is Romany or gypsy nonsense, and it may be thus translated very accurately: -- First--here--you begin! Castle, gloves. You don't play! Go on! Kivi--a kettle. How are you? Stdni, buck. The common version of the rhyme begins with-- "One--ery--two--ery, ickery an." But one-ery is an exact translation of ek-keri; ek, or yek, meaning one in gypsy. (Ek-orus, or yek-korus, means once). And it is remarkable that in-- "Hickory dickory dock, The rat ran up the clock, The clock struck one, And down he run, Hickory dickory dock." We have hickory, or ek-keri, again followed by a...

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This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923. This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book.

CHAPTER I.THE ORIGIN OF WITCHCRAFT, SHAMANISM, AND SORCERY.--VINDICTIVE ANDMISCHIEVOUS MAGIC.As their peculiar perfume is the chief association with spices, so sorcery is allied in every memory to gypsies. And as it has notescaped many poets that there is something more strangely sweetand mysterious in the scent of cloves than in that of flowers, sothe attribute of inherited magic power adds to the romance of thesepicturesque wanderers. Both the spices and the Romany come from thefar East--the fatherland of divination and enchantment. The latterhave been traced with tolerable accuracy, if we admit their affinitywith the Indian Dom and Domar, back to the threshold of history, orwell-nigh into prehistoric times, and in all ages they, or their women, have been engaged, as if by elvish instinct, in selling enchantments, peddling prophecies and palmistry, and dealing with the devil generallyin a small retail way. As it was of old so it is to-day-- Ki shan i Romani Adoi san' i chov'hani. Wherever gypsies go, There the witches are, we know.It is no great problem in ethnology or anthropology as to how gypsiesbecame fortune-tellers. We may find a very curious illustration ofit in the wren. This is apparently as humble, modest, prosaic littlefowl as exists, and as far from mystery and wickedness as an oldhen. But the ornithologists of the olden time, and the myth-makers, and the gypsies who lurked and lived in the forest, knew better. Theysaw how this bright-eyed, strange little creature in her elvish wayslipped in and out of hollow trees and wood shade into sunlight, and anon was gone, no man knew whither, and so they knew that it wasan uncanny creature, and told wonderful tales of its deeds in humanform, and to-day it is called by gypsies in Germany, as in England, the witch-bird, or more briefly, chorihani, "the witch." Just so thegypsies themselves, with their glittering Indian eyes, slipping likethe wren in and out of the shadow of the Unknown, and anon away andinvisible, won for themselves the name which now they wear. WhereverShamanism, or the sorcery which is based on exorcising or commandingspirits, exists, its professors from leading strange lives, or fromsolitude or wandering, become strange and wild-looking. When men havethis appearance people associate with it mysterious power. This isthe case in Tartary, Africa, among the Eskimo, Lapps, or Red Indians, with all of whom the sorcerer, voodoo or medaolin, has the eye ofthe "fascinator," glittering and cold as that of a serpent. So thegypsies, from the mere fact of being wanderers and out-of-doorslivers in wild places, became wild-looking, and when asked if theydid not associate with the devils who dwell in the desert places, admitted the soft impeachment, and being further questioned as towhether their friends the devils, fairies, elves, and goblins had nottaught them how to tell the future, they pleaded guilty, and findingthat it paid well, went to work in their small way to improve their"science," and particularly their pecuniary resources. It was an easycalling; it required no property or properties, neither capital norcapitol, shiners nor shrines, wherein to work the oracle. And as Ibelieve that a company of children left entirely to themselves wouldform and grow up with a language which in a very few years wouldbe spoken fluently, [2] so I am certain that the shades of night, and fear, pain, and lightning and mystery would produce in the sametime conceptions of dreaded beings, resulting first in demonology andthen in the fancied art of driving devils away. For out of my ownchildish experiences and memories I retain with absolute accuracymaterial enough to declare that without any aid from other peoplethe youthful mind forms for itself strange and seemingly supernaturalphenomena.

This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923. This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book.