The burden of the Balkans / by M. Edith Durham.

182 THE BURDEN OF THE BALKANS. and his friends chorused round him. I remember several such. One day a hump-backed woman appeared. She was terribly distressed when told we could do nothing for her, and burst into tears. I was surprised, for it was a case of spinal disease that probably dated from childhood. She explained that, if we could not cure her, her husband would divorce her. I asked how this was possible, and was told that a divorce could be bought for a small fee from the Bishop. None of the women attendants seemed to think it at all out of the way, and the episode produced a crop of anecdotes about Bishops of a most unholy nature. One odd superstition, for which I cannot account, is that it is fatal for the wounded to taste fish. The wound will never heal. The lake supplied magnificent trout, but not one of our wounded dared touch it. Two refused fowl for the same reason. Most wore amulets. One boy wore an old silver Slavonic coin which I wanted to buy. He consulted his family, for he was afraid to sell it. They decided that it was on no account to be parted with. As a matter of curiosity, I asked them to name a price, and, to my surprise, was told that they would not sell on any terms, as it had cured many people. There are also some peculiar customs about the wearing of finger-rings. Village women who have brothers wear their ring on the first finger; those who have not wear it on the middle finger. They regarded this as important, but there seemed to be

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Title: The burden of the Balkans / by M. Edith Durham.
Author: Durham, Mary Edith, 1863-1944.
Canvas: Page 182
Publication: London :: Nelson,; [1905]
Subject terms: Eastern question (Balkan); Balkan Peninsula -- Description and travel.

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Collection: Travels in Southeastern Europe
Link to this Item: https://name.umdl.umich.edu/ans3900.0001.001
Link to this scan: https://quod.lib.umich.edu/b/bosnia/ans3900.0001.001/189

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Full citation: "The burden of the Balkans / by M. Edith Durham." In the digital collection Travels in Southeastern Europe. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/ans3900.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed May 1, 2025.

The burden of the Balkans / by M. Edith Durham.

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