DAISY PETALS.
211. Pull off the "petals" of a daisy one by one, naming a boy (or a girl as the case may be) at each one, thus, "Jenny, f.a.n.n.y, Jenny, f.a.n.n.y," etc.
The one named with the last petal is your sweetheart. The seeds which remain on the back of your hand after taking them up show the number of your children.
212. Common at the present time is the formula:--
He loves me, he loves me not.
213. To tell the fortune, take an "ox-eye daisy," and pluck the "petals"
one by one, using the same words as have been given above for b.u.t.tons.
_General in the United States._
In Ohio and other Western States where the ox-eye daisy is not common, children use instead the bloom of the despised dog-fennel.
214. Fortunes are told by pulling off leaflets of a compound leaf, such as the locust, repeating, "Rich man, poor man," etc.
_Central Illinois._
215. Name a daisy, and then pull off the petals (ray-flowers) one by one, saying "yes, no," and if "yes" falls on the last, the person loves you, and _vice versa_.
_Alabama._
216. A formula for daisy petals:--
He loves me, He don"t; He"ll have me, He won"t; He would if he could, But he can"t.
_New Brunswick._
217. If you find a five-leaf daisy (that is, one with five ray-flowers) and swallow it without chewing, you will in the course of the day shake hands with your intended.
_Alabama._
218. Another:--
Hate her, Have her, This year, Next year, Sometime, Never.
_New Brunswick._
219. Another:--
He loves, She loves, Hate her, Have her, This year, Next year, Now or never.
_Cape Breton._
Girls repeat the last three lines only of the above rhyme.
_Prince Edward Island._
DOORWAY.
220. Put the breast-bone of a fowl over the front door, and the first one of the opposite s.e.x that enters is to be your future companion.
_Alabama._
221. Hang over the door a corn-cob from which you have sh.e.l.led all but twenty grains. The first man that enters you"ll marry.
_Arlington, Ma.s.s._
222. Nail a horseshoe over the door, and the first one who enters is your true love.
_Ma.s.sachusetts._
223. Hang a wishbone over the door. The first one who enters will be your lover.
_Somewhat general._
224. Two girls break a wishbone together. The one who gets the longest bit will remain longest unmarried, or, as the familiar rhyme runs,--
Shortest to marry, Longest to tarry.
If the "knot" (that is, the flattened portion at the junction of the two p.r.o.ngs of the bone) flies away and does not stick to either p.r.o.ng, the two girls are to remain unmarried. Each girl puts her bit of the wishbone over a different door. The first man who enters either door is to marry the girl who has placed her bit of wishbone over the door.
_Prince Edward Island._
EGGS.
225. Take an egg to your window; break it over a knife; remember the day and date. Wish that your true love would come to you. If you go too high, he will be killed.
_Nashua, N.H._
226. Put two eggs in front of the open fire on a very windy day, and soon two men will come in with a coffin. The man at the foot will be your future husband.
_Chestertown, Md. (negro)._
227. One or more girls put eggs to roast before an open fire, seating themselves in chairs before it. Each puts one egg to roast, and when her egg begins to sweat (it will sweat blood), she is to rise and turn it. At this time the one whom that projector is to marry will come in through a door or window (all of which must be left open throughout) and take her vacant chair. If she is to die before she marries, two black dogs will enter, bearing a coffin, which they will deposit on her chair.
_Quaker Neck, Kent Co., Md._
228. Boil an egg hard, take out the yolk, and fill its place with salt.
Eat it before going to bed. The one you dream of as bringing you water is your future husband.
_Mansfield, O._
To be done by two girls in silence, going backward as they retire.
FINGERS.
229. Name each of the four fingers of one hand for some person of the opposite s.e.x, then press them tightly together with the other hand; the one that hurts the worst indicates whom you will marry.
_Prince Edward Island._
GARMENTS.
230. Scatter your clothes in the four corners of the room, naming them.
The man you are to marry will bring you your clothes in a dream.
_Maine._
231. The first time you sleep in a room, name the corners each a different (man"s) name. The first corner you face on waking indicates whom you will marry.
The same thing is done with bed-posts in Ohio.