Gypsies were also known among the
folk in BIH as children kidnappers. According to folk belief they broke an arm
or a leg to the kidnapped child or they blinded him so that it can beg for money
in such a disfigured form. To individual gypsy women, magical properties were
ascribed which allowed them to mug anyone they wished. Usually they did it with
the help of a small finger from a child's corps and by uttering secret magical
formulas. For that purpose they usually used a wing from a bat. Gypsies were
even mentioned in magical formulas for curing fear such as salijevanje strahe
(melting lead) when the stravarka banishes the fear with the following words:
"Let the gypsies take your fear and your tears in their sack far away from you!"
