VI.

CHARM AGAINST EVIL EYE.

The mistress has gone on her way with Joyana (Thursday one)

To feed her on the green field.

Well she did feed her,

Well did she satisfy her,

Well did she slake her thirst.

She turned her back.

In the middle of the way

She met an old woman

Dressed in a shirt of nettles,

With sandals of a black sow on her feet.

She broke Joyana’s horns,

Her eyes she caused to shed tears,

Her hair she ruffled (bristled),

The tail she cut off,

The breasts she squeezed (flattened),

The udders she emptied.

The cow lowed and the cow moaned.

No one saw her;

No one heard her;

But the Holy Mother saw her.

Only she heard.

She said to her:

“Thursday one, do not low, do not moan.”

“How am I not to low?

How am I not to moan?

As I went with my mistress to feed in pastures green,

She fed me well.

She slaked my thirst well.

Back she did turn me.

When in the middle of the way,

An old woman met me,

Dressed in a shirt of nettles,

With sandals of a black sow on her feet.

She lopped my horns,

She caused my eyes to run over,

My hair she made to bristle,

My tail she has cut off,

She has flattened my breasts,

She has emptied my udders.”

”(Joyana) ‘Thursday one,’ do not low, do not moan.

Go to N. N.

He will disenchant thee with the nettle in flour,

From the little horns

To the little tail,

From the little tail to the little horns.

The horns will become sharp again.

The hair will be smooth,

The breasts will be strong,

The udder will be full again.

Go to thy mistress,

And she will milk thee from the pail into the can,

From the can into the pail.”

This disenchantment is made with nettles in flour.