How much present the fear of a locked destiny or locked luck among the Bosnian girls throughout the decades is perhaps best shown by the words in short magical formulas which are pronounced in love spells. The most famous formula in Bosnian magic is "bah bahti" which when translated means "luck shining" or "luck coming". Bah i.e. baht is a Persian word which signifies luck or destiny. Besides this meaning this word has found use in spells, especially in those with bean beads, because of the similarity between the Persian word bah and Bosnian grah (bean), which fulfils the highest rule of any magical formula - rhyme. The girl places nine beads of white beans on the ashes of a hearth, close to the fire, and repeats the formula: "bah bahti, grah grahti..."
People always tried to influence destiny with magic so we shouldn't be surprised by the large number of love spells with which one wants to ensure and quicken the marriage process. In order to stimulate her destiny and see a man in her sleep which will be her husband, the girl would take three walnuts and would daub them in tar. At night she would go out with the walnuts and look at the stars of Vlaščići (Big Dipper) and she would repeat this love formula over each walnut.
I'm seeking infatuated to madness N.N. son of parents NN
I took his peace, put a spell on him.
I took his mind, put a spell on him.
I took his patience, put a spell on him.
I took his heart, put a spell on him.
If he lies in bed, let him not lie.
If he sleeps, let him not sleep.
If he is eating, let him not eat.
If he is drinking, let him not drin.
Let him not be calm until he sees me.
Let beads sheets be a snake to him.
Let the pillow be a cobra to him.
I made him my slave.
I imprisoned him for myself!
Then the girl enters her house and throws away the walnuts uttering:
Dear Allah, as these walnuts are burning on the fire, so too should the heart of NN burn for me!
Immediately after that the girl lays in bed, and if she performed the ritual with no mistakes, in her dream the man whose name she mentioned in the formula shall appear.
People always tried to influence destiny with magic so we shouldn't be surprised by the large number of love spells with which one wants to ensure and quicken the marriage process. In order to stimulate her destiny and see a man in her sleep which will be her husband, the girl would take three walnuts and would daub them in tar. At night she would go out with the walnuts and look at the stars of Vlaščići (Big Dipper) and she would repeat this love formula over each walnut.
I'm seeking infatuated to madness N.N. son of parents NN
I took his peace, put a spell on him.
I took his mind, put a spell on him.
I took his patience, put a spell on him.
I took his heart, put a spell on him.
If he lies in bed, let him not lie.
If he sleeps, let him not sleep.
If he is eating, let him not eat.
If he is drinking, let him not drin.
Let him not be calm until he sees me.
Let beads sheets be a snake to him.
Let the pillow be a cobra to him.
I made him my slave.
I imprisoned him for myself!
Then the girl enters her house and throws away the walnuts uttering:
Dear Allah, as these walnuts are burning on the fire, so too should the heart of NN burn for me!
Immediately after that the girl lays in bed, and if she performed the ritual with no mistakes, in her dream the man whose name she mentioned in the formula shall appear.
