Part 6 (2/2)

[62] Napier, p. 40; ”F. L. Journal,” vol. i. p. 56; Kuhn, pp. 365, 196; Knoop, p. 155; ”Zeits. f. Volksk.” vol. ii. p. 33; Kennedy, p. 95; Carnoy, p. 4; ”F. L. Journal,” vol. ii. p. 257.

[63] Bartsch, vol. i. pp. 64, 89; vol. ii. p. 43; Kuhn, p. 195; Knoop, _loc. cit._; Jahn, pp. 52, 71; Thorpe, vol. ii. p. 174; ”Zeits. f.

Volksk.” vol. ii. _loc. cit._ W. Map, Dist. ii. c. 14; Brand, vol. ii.

p. 8, note; Lady Wilde, vol. i. pp. 71, 73; Schleicher, p. 93; Tertullian, ”Adv. Nationes,” l. ii. c. 11; Brand, vol. ii. p. 334 note, quoting Martin, ”History of the Western Islands”; Train, vol. ii. p.

132; ”Sacred Books of the East,” vol. xxiv. p. 277. As to the use of fire in China, see ”F. L. Journal,” vol. v. p. 225; and generally as to the efficacy of fire in driving off evil spirits see Tylor, vol. ii. p.

177.

[64] Grimm, ”Teut. Myth.” p. 468; Thorpe, vol. ii. p. 2, vol. iii. p.

45; Train, vol. ii. p. 133; Garnett, pp. 231, 315; ”F. L. Journal,” vol.

v. p. 225. In Eastern Prussia a steel used for striking a light, a hammer, or anything else that will strike fire, is used. This seems to combine the dread of steel with that of fire (Lemke, p. 41).

[65] Grimm, ”Teut. Myth.” _loc. cit._; Train, vol. ii. _loc. cit._; Henderson, p. 14; ”F. L. Journal,” vol. v. p. 224; ”Zeits. f. Volksk.”

vol. ii, p. 33; ”N. and Q.” 7th ser. vol. x. p. 185.

[66] Henderson, _loc. cit._; Bartsch, vol. ii. p. 192; Pitre, vol. xv.

pp. 154 note, 155; vol. xvii. p. 102, quoting Castelli, ”Credenze ed usi”; Horace, ”Ep. ad Pison,” v. 340; Dorsa, p. 146; Wright, ”Middle Ages,” vol. i. p. 290; Garnett, p. 70; ”Melusine,” vol. v. p. 90, quoting English authorities. Map, Dist. ii. c. 14, gives a story of babies killed by a witch. St. Augustine records that the G.o.d Silva.n.u.s was feared as likely to injure women in child-bed, and that for their protection three men were employed to go round the house during the night and to strike the threshold with a hatchet and a pestle and sweep it with a brush; and he makes merry over the superst.i.tion (”De Civ.

Dei,” l. vi. c. 9).

[67] Pitre, vol. xii. p. 304, note; vol. xv. p. 154; ”F. L. Espan.” vol.

ii. p. 51; De Gubernatis, ”Usi Natal.” p. 219, quoting Bezoles, ”Le Bapteme.”

[68] Bartsch, vol. i. p. 46; Jahn, p. 89; Grimm, ”Teut. Myth.” p. 468; Simrock, p. 418.

[69] There is another motive for the robbery of a human creature, mentioned only, I think, in the Romance of Thomas the Rhymer, namely, that at certain seasons the foul fiend fetches his fee, or tribute of a living soul, from among the underground folk. Several difficulties arise upon this; but it is needless to discuss them until the motive in question be found imputed elsewhere than in a literary work of the fifteenth century, and ballads derived therefrom.

Since the foregoing note was written my attention has been drawn to the following statement in Lady Wilde, vol. i. p. 70: ”Sometimes it is said the fairies carry off the mortal child for a sacrifice, as they have to offer one every seven years to the devil in return for the power he gives them. And beautiful young girls are carried off, also, either for sacrifice or to be wedded to the fairy king.” It is easier to generalize in this manner than to produce doc.u.ments in proof. And I think I am expressing the opinion of all folklore students when I say that, with all respect for Lady Wilde, I would rather not lay any stress upon her general statements. Indeed, those of anybody, however great an authority, need to be checked by the evidence of particular instances. I await such evidence.

[70] Sikes, p. 62; _cf._ Brand, vol. ii. p. 334 note; Bartsch, vol. i.

p. 46.

[71] Thorpe, vol. ii. p. 175; vol. iii. p. 43; Kuhn, p. 195; Schleicher, p. 92.

[72] Gregor, p. 61; Keightley, p. 393; Campbell, vol. ii. p. 64.

[73] Hunt, p. 96; Waldron, p. 30. This account was given to the author by the mother herself.

[74] Croker, p. 81. See a similar tale in Campbell, vol. ii. p. 58.

Gregor, p. 61, mentions the dog-hole as the way by which children are sometimes carried off.

[75] Bartsch, vol. i. p. 46; Kuhn, p. 196; Grimm, ”Teut. Myth.” p. 468; Poestion, p. 114; Grohmann, p. 113.

[76] Waldron, p. 29. The same writer gives a similar account of the changeling mentioned above, p. 107.

[77] ”Colloquia Mensalia,” quoted by Southey, ”The Doctor” (London, 1848), p. 621. As to the attribute of greed, _cf._ Keightley, p. 125.

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