Beans

Beans, like many other plants with strong-smelling flowers, are traditionally associated with death and ghosts, and have been so from early pagan
times. In ancient Rome, they were distributed and eaten at funerals. It is recorded in the Denham Tracts (1895) that until about the beginning of
the nineteenth century, a similar custom was observed at some, though not all, north country burials. When it finally lapsed, a memory of it was
preserved in the children's couplet: "God save your soul, Beans and all."

During the Roman festival of the dead, held in May, black beans were used in ceremonies intended to placate and ward off ghosts, and in early
Greek ritual, the scapegoat who annually died for the people was chosen by means of a black bean drawn in a lottery.

Many believed that the souls of the dead dwelt in the flowers of the broad bean. These flowers were still thought to be ill-omened in many districts.
Also the scent of the flowers is thought to induce mental disorder, bad dreams, and terrifying visions. A Leicestershire tradition says that if any
one sleeps all night in a bean field, he will suffer from appalling nightmares, and will probably go mad afterwards. Also if anyone grows beans, and
one of them come up white, this is a death omen to someone in the family that grew the beans.

Birch

The birch in popular tradition had protective powers. Its branches in or on a house brought good luck and averted the Evil Eye, and small twigs
worn in the hat or buttonhole served the same purpose. Throughout northern Europe it was associated with the return of Summer and was used to
decorate houses on the great festivals of that season, especially May Day, Whitsuntide, and Midsummer.

Blackberries

Some believe that it is unlucky to gather or eat blackberries after October 11th, Old Michaelmas Day. According to tradition, Satan cursed the fruit
because, when he was cast out of Heaven on the first Michaelmas Day, he fell into a blackberry bush. Since then he has spoilt the berries on
every anniversary of his fall by scorching them with his breath, or stamping or spitting upon them, throwing his cloak or his club over them, or
wiping his tail upon them.

Hawthorn

It is very unlucky to cut down a hawthorn. In Somerset, it is only safe to do so if a prayer is first offered. In Ireland, the fairies' permission has to
be asked beforehand. Also it is unlucky to bring white may, the flower of the hawthorn into the house. A death will follow, or some other serious
misfortune. Children are often forbidden from bringing it home because then their mother will die.

Hemlock

This plant is traditionally associated with the Devil and witches, because it is poisonous. They were said to use it in spells to evoke demons and
evil spirits, and to destroy love, cause madness or paralysis, and blast fertility in men and animals. It was also one of the ingredients of those
flying ointments with which they were believed to anoint their bodies before they flew to the Sabbat. In England it is known as Bad Man's or Devil's
Oatmeal, and children are warned not to touch it because if they do so the Devil may seize and fly away with them.

The hemlock although does have healing and soothing properties, and was used in folk-medicine for several painful ills. A poultice of water-
hemlock (cowbane) cured rheumatism. Hemlock roots roasted until they were soft eased the pains of gout in the hand. A sixteenth-century
sleeping-apple contained hemlock juice mixed with opium, mandrake, henbane-seeds, and musk, which was rolled into a ball and held to the
patient's nose until he fell asleep.

Hempseed

If a girl desired to see her future husband, she went at midnight to the churchyard and threw hempseed over her left shoulder, saying:

Hempseed I sow, Hempseed, grow,

He that is to marry me,

Come after me and mow

Henbane

Henbane is an extremely poisonous plant which sometimes causes convulsions or temporary insanity, and consequently it is not surprising to
find it listed among the herbs which witches employed in harmful spells. It was supposed to assist clairvoyance and, if it was burnt on a fire, its
fumes enabled those versed in the art to evoke spirits, not usually of the good variety. A Welsh superstition is that if a child falls asleep near the
growing plant, they will never awaken again.

Myrtle

Myrtle is usually regarded as a lucky plant in Britain. It is traditionally associated with love, marriage, and fertility and was widely used in bridal
wreaths. If it blooms freely in a garden during any one season, it is a sign of a coming wedding. It is grown indoors, it brings good luck to the
household. It is believed to grow best if it is planted by a woman (same thing with rosemary and parsley). Young girls used to drink an infusion
made from the leaves to increase their beauty. Also if a infusion or a flowering sprig is given to them by a love it is a way of securing and retaining
her love.

Nightshade

Deadly Nightshade is a valuable medicinal herb and is cultivated today for this reason, but It has a very evil reputation in folk-tradition. This is
easily understandable, since a plant which is highly poisonous, has a rather sinister appearance, and is often found growing near ruins is likely to
be looked at askance by the superstitious. Witches were supposed to use it as one of the ingredients of their flying-ointments, and also in spells
to induce madness and death. A chaplet of the leaves worn upon the head defeated spells, and a collar hung round the necks of cattle prevented
witches gaining power over them.

Plants