Cornish Superstitions

Superstitions of the Cornish Tin Miners

Snails in the Mine

"Bullhorns" (snails), if met with in the mines, were propitiated with a bit of tallow taken from the miner's candle.

Respect Shown to Miners

Children were warned to speak up clearly when seeing a miner on the way to work lest this light incivility send the man to work with a poor heart thinking of the dreaded "ill wisher".

Animal Name Taboos in the Mines

The old alluvial tin "streamers" had many taboos about using the names of animals and birds which they might meet with in the mines; and so referred to the owl as the "braced farcer,", the fox as "the long tayl," the cat as a "rooker," and the rat as a "peep."

Failure to observe these taboos could result in a fine of a gallon of ale.

A Surviving "Triad" of Good as Well as Ill Luck

The Cornish tinners had basic taboos but, in large, failed to have lucky omens as well. The older celtic tinners did once possess belief in fortunate omens, and expressed this in a 'triad' (a popular celtic form particularly in Wales). An old laborer related:

I can mind how the old people would say there are three things which are the ugliest sights in the world, and three which are the most beautiful. The first is a fat slatternly woman, a poor lean horse, and an old scat bal (disused mine); the other is a woman with child, a ship in full sail, and a field of corn waving in the wind.

The White Hare and the Black Dog at Wheal Vor Mine

There is the well known belief of the phenomena of the black dog and the white hare at Wheal Vor mine near Breage, whose appearance was always said to presage some fatal disaster at that mine.

Jenkin, Cornwall and the Cornish.)

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