Chapter War of Wartburg to Warning-Givers of W by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Warner, the old steward of sir Charles Cropland, who grieves to see the timber of the estate cut down to supply the extravagance of his young master.—Colman: The Poor Gentleman (1802).

Warning-Givers. (See pp. 1055–1062.)

(1) ALASNAM’S MIRROR, This mirror remained unsullied when it reflected a chaste and pure-minded woman, but became dim when the woman reflected by it was faithless, wanton, and light.—Arabian Nights (“Prince Zeyn Alasnam”).

(2) ANTS. Alexander Ross says that the “cruel battle between the Venetians and Insubrians, and also that between the Liegeois and the Burgundians in which 30,000 men were slain, were both presignified by combats between two swarms of ants.”—Arcana Microcosmi (appendix, 219).

(3) BAHMAN’S KNIFE (Prince). W hen prince Bahman started on his exploits, he gave his sister Parizadê a knife which, he told her, would remain bright and clean so long as he was safe and well, but, immediately he was in danger or dead, would become dull or drop gouts of blood.—Arabian Nights (“The Two Sisters”).

(4) BAY TREES. The withering of bay trees prognosticates a death.

’Tis thought the king is dead…
The bay trees in our country are all withered.
   —Shakespeare: Richard II. (1597).

(The bay was called by the Romans “the plant of the good angel,” because “neyther falling sicknes, neyther devyll, wyll infest or hurt one in that place whereas a bay tree is.”—Lupton: Syxt Book of Notable Thinges, 1660.)

(5) BEE. The buzzing of a bee in a room indicates that a stranger is about to pay the house a visit.

(6) BIRTHA’S EMERALD RING. The duke Gondibert gave Birtha an emerald ring which, he said, would preserve its lustre so long as he remained faithful; but would become dull and pale if he proved false to her.—Davenant: Gondibert.

(7) BRAWN’S HEAD (The). A boy brought to king Arthur’s court a brawn’s head, over which he drew his wand thrice, and said, “There’s never a traitor or a cuckold who can carve that head of brawn.”—Percy: Reliques (“The Boy and the Mantle”).

(8) CANACE’S MIRROR indicated, by its lustre, if the person whom the inspector loved was true or false.—Chaucer: Canterbury Tales (“The Squire’s Tale”). (9) CANDLES. A film of tallow called a winding- sheet, shot from the top of a lighted candle, gives warning to the house of an approaching death; but a bright spark upon the burning wick is the promise of a letter.

(10) CATS on the deck of a ship are said to “carry a gale of wind in their tail,” or to presage a coming storm. When cats are very assiduous in cleaning their ears and head, it prognosticates rain.

(11) CATTLE give warning of an earthquake by their uneasiness.

(12) CHILDREN PLAYING SOLDIERS on a road is said to forebode approaching war.

(13) COALS. A cinder bounding from the fire is either a purse or a coffin. Those which rattle when held to the ear are tokens of wealth; those which are mute and solid indicate sickness or death.

(14) CORPSE CANDLES. The ignis fatuus, called by the Welsh canhwyll cyrph or “corpse candle,” prognosticates death. If small and of a pale blue colour, it denotes the death of an infant; if large and yellow, the death of one of full age.