“Mill Pond at the Vrangue.”
The manner in which they had acquired their riches soon became known, and, tempted by the hopes of gain, a man concealed himself in the oven of the ruined house near the Catioroc one Friday night. He had not long lain there before the wizards entered, but before a word was uttered they made a strict search through the house, and soon discovered the trembling man, whom they obliged to take the oaths of allegiance to their infernal master, to the eternal ruin both of his soul and body.[185]
[185] From Miss E. Chepmell.
See an incident somewhat similar in Chambers’ Popular Rhymes of Scotland, in the tale of Sir James Ramsay, of Bamff.
See also Suzet’s Veillées Bretonnes, Comte de Cocherard et Turquin, p. 258, and Folk-Lore Record, Vol. III., part 1., p. 40.
Editor’s Note.—This story is also told in Folk-Lore of Guernsey and Sark, by Louisa Lane-Clarke (2nd Edition, 1890, p. 24). She makes certain alterations in the narrative and her version of the cure for the Princess is:—“If they cut a small square of bacon from just over the heart, tied it to a silken thread, and made the Princess swallow it, then jerked it up again, the hair would stick to it, and come away from her heart, and she would recover.”
On the 16th May, 1900, the late Mrs. Murray-Aynsley read a paper on “Guernsey Folk-Lore,” to the Folk-Lore Society of England, and she also quoted this story, evidently taken from Mrs. Lane-Clarke’s version, only told in slightly different words.
A Witch in Disguise.
Sorcerers have the power of taking the forms of different animals, but when thus disguised cannot be wounded but by silver.