“La Chaire de St. Bonit” (destroyed).
In the Island of Herm there are six or eight mutilated remains of Cromlechs. In Lihou, none are left. In Sark, none are left.
It will be seen that the druidical stones are believed to be the favourite haunt of the fairy folk, who live in the ant hills which are frequently to be found in their vicinity, and who would not fail to punish the audacious mortal who might venture to remove them.
[50] The name of “Pouquelaie” given in various districts of Normandy, and in the Anglo-Norman Isles to megalithic monuments appears to be composed of two Celtic words, of which the latter, the Breton lee-h or lêh means a flat stone. The former of these words—pouque, some etymologists say is derived from a Celtic word meaning, To kiss, or adore—and thus “Pouquelaie”—the stone we adore; but many others think with equal probability that Pouque is derived from the same root from whence we get Puck, the mad sprite Shakespeare has so well described in his “Midsummer’s Night’s Dream.” The pixies, or Cornish and Devonshire fairies, and the Phooka, or goblin of the Irish, are evidently of the same family.
[51] Editor’s Notes.—In Traditions et Superstitions de la Haute Bretagne, M. Paul Sebillot, says:—“En général les dolmens sont appelés grottes aux fées, ou roches aux fées; c’est en quelque sorte une désigation générique (p. 5). Les noms font allusion à des fées, aux lutins, parfois aux saints ou au diable. Comme on le verra dans les dépositions qui suivent, c’est à ces mêmes personnages que les paysans attribuent l’érection des Mégalithes (p. 8.), etc.”
In Croyances et Légendes du Centre de la France, par Laisnel de la Salle, he says, Tome I., page 100:—“Les fées se plaisent surtout à errer parmi les nombreux monuments druidiques … ou se dressent encore les vieux autels, là sont toujours présentes les vieilles divinités.”
“L’Autel des Vardes” at L’Ancresse.
This consists of five enormous blocks of granite, laid horizontally on perpendicular piles, as large as their enormous covering. Around it, the remains of a circle of stones, of which the radius is thirty-three feet, and the centre of which coincides with the tomb. Mr. Métivier says in his “Souvenirs Historiques de Guernesey” that this “Cercle de la Plaine,” in Norse Land Kretz, on this exposed elevation, could not fail to attract the attention of the Franks, Saxons, and Normans, and thus gave its name to the surrounding district.
In it were found bones, stone hatchets, hammers, skulls, limpet shells, etc., etc.
It is perhaps to this latter fact that we must attribute the idea which is entertained by the peasantry that hidden treasures, when discovered by a mortal, are transformed in appearance by the demon who guards them into worthless shells.