Note 4 — Chapter IV · SOUTH SLAVONIAN AND OTHER GYPSY WITCH-LORE.—THE WORDS FOR A WITCH—VILAS AND THE SPIRITS OF EARTH AND AIR—WITCHES, EGG-SHELLS, AND EGG-LORE—EGG PROVERBS—OVA DE CRUCIBUS.
Reading edition
The many superstitions relating to cutting nails may be referred in part to the very wild legend of the ship Naglfara given in Sturleson’s “Edda.”
“Then in that Twilight of the Gods (the Norse Day of Judgment) will come the ship Naglfara, which is made of dead men’s nails. In that sea it will go forth. Hrymer steereth it. And for this cause no man should die with his nails unshorn, for so the ship is made, and the gods would fain put that off as long as possible” (“Edda, Gylfesgynning,” 26th tale). ↑