The
use of red string and tying knots on it while repeating specific chants is a
traditional form of white magic which can be seen all around Bosnia. Usually
older women practice this form of magic since they are the ones that believe in
the effect of spellbound eyes the most. One of them is Fatima Dautović from
Velika Kladuša, for quite some time she used to tie 99 knots on a black thread
40cm long. Before every bind she utters the verse Ayetul Kursi, blows into the
string and strengthens the knot. This technique first of all requires calmness,
concentration and time. When she finished tying all of the knots, the string is
then wrapped around a small piece of yew (Taxus) tree in order to enhance its
apotropaic power. An amulet constructed using this technique will protect the
wearer from black magic, spellbound eyes, bad luck during travel. According to
Fatima, if this amulet is worn by married women, they will be more dominant in
marriage.
Ziba
Kovačević from Zenica also practices an identical method of amulet construction
against spellbound eyes, the only difference is that she uses red thread and
ties 41 knots. The thread with the knots is wrapped around a small piece of yew
tree. An amulet constructed in such a way is often wrapped around a child's
hand.
-Yew
is a tree that protects against evil and it is advisable that everyone carries
a piece of it with them, in their pocket or wallet, Ziba explains.
It
is also believed that the thread used to stitch the cloth used to wrap a dead
person, gains prophylactic powers. A thread of 10 cm is used and once it has
been threaded through the cloth, it is then divided into two equal parts. The
first part of the thread is thrown in a whirlpool of a river and the other half
is used to tie a knot and is carried alongside the user. Allegedly such a knot
protects against all forms of evil, spellbound eyes and black magic.
There
are various forms of spellbound eyes that are known among the Bosnian folk:
zazor is a name for jealousy which is manifested through spellbound eyes,
začud
is a name for admiration for one's beauty,
assets or health and that was the reason for the effect of spellbound eyes,
presjek is a name for spellbound eyes that cause loss of appetite in children
and it loses weight suddenly, etc.
In
order to find out if her child was a victim of spellbound eyes a mother uses her
tongue to lick specific places on the child's face, temple and the area between
the eyebrows, in order to justify her suspicion. If she feels a salty or sour
taste then the child has been affected.
Negation
of the effect of spellbound eyes should commence as soon as it is discovered,
since, according to folk belief, in the course of three days the power of
spellbound eyes dominates the entire body of the child and can cause serious
illness.
In
Bosnian tradition there exists a popular belief that every mother can best
protect her child from spellbound eyes which is illustrated by the first words
of this magical formula:
Mother gave birth, mother cured!
Scatter
spellbound eyes like the leaves in the forest,
like
the foam on water,
like gold among gentleman.
While
repeating this formula the mother uses her tongue again, this time she licks
the child up its nose continuing to the forehead and ending where the hair
starts. She repeats this procedure three times.
