[1] Cerquand, Part I., p. 29, notes to Conte 8; Fr. Michel, “Le Pays Basque,” p. 152 (Didot, Paris, 1857).
[2] “Akhelarre,” literally “goat pasture.” This was the name in the 16th century.
[3] This belief in a toad sitting at the church door to swallow the Host is found in De Lancre.
[4] That is, one with bran, or herbs, wood-ashes, &c., or plain water.
[5] M. Cerquand gives this tale at length, Part II., pp. 10, 11. The incidents are very slightly changed.
[6] Compare this with the scene in Apuleius, “De Asino Aureo;” and, for a somewhat similar “fairy ointment,” see Hunt’s “Popular Romances of the West of England,” pp. 110–113.
[7] The blunder is confounding “dessus,” over, and “dessous,” under. This shows that the tale is originally French, or, at least, the witch’s part of it; for this punning mistake could not be made in Basque. The two words are not in the least similar in sound. “Gaiñetik” and “azpetik” are the words here used.
[8] Witches still appear in the shape of cats, but generally black ones. About two years ago we were told of a man who, at midnight, chopped off the ear of a black cat, who was thus bewitching his cattle, and lo! in the morning it was a woman’s ear, with an earring still in it. He deposited it in the Mairie, and we might see it there; but we did not go to look, as it was some distance off.
[9] Literally, “red misery.” In Basque the most intense wretchedness of any kind is always called “red.”
[10] There are several superstitions connected with cross-roads in the Pays Basque. When a person dies, the bedding or mattress is sometimes burnt at the nearest cross-roads, and every passer-by says a “Paternoster” for the benefit of the deceased. This custom is becoming extinct, but is still observed in old families.