450 Miscellanea.
The numbers rise to nine, which is probably considered a mystic number. The other condition is that the charm is to be repeated at a breath and counted over a small buckle of the braces' belt.
Malcolm MacPhail. Free Church Manse, Kilmartin, Lochgilphead, N.B.
A Fairy Dogs Tooth.
(Cf. Vol. viii., p. 382.)
Slightly abridged from a report in the Weekly Scotsman (Edin- burgh), August 5, 1899, headed "Witchcraft in Lewis," and communicated by Mr. W. A. Craigie.
Kate MacCaskill or Campbell, a middle-aged woman, residing at Holm village, near Stornoway, was charged at Stornoway before Sheriff Campbell with committing a breach of the peace on 31st May last. Mrs. Mackay [the complainant], who gave her evi- dence in Gaelic, stated that on the occasion in question Mrs. MacCaskill had said to her that if she (Mrs. MacCaskill) had had the tooth she would use the peculiar properties possessed by said tooth to cause witness's immediate destruction. Mrs. MacCaskill had also remarked that had she the tooth she would have put it down witness's chimney, the result of which would be that witness's house would go on fire. The Sheriff asked witness various questions bearing on the subject. From her answers it appears that the tooth possessed certain curative properties, and that water in which it had been dipped could be used with most powerful healing effect on sick men or animals. Even the mere holding of the tooth produced this curing effect. His Lordship asked witness if the tooth was that of an animal. Witness replied that it was a fairy dog's tooth. At any rate that was the name it got. She did not know where the tooth was now. It was considered a lucky possession. The Sheriff asked witness if the tooth was considered lucky how could it put her house on fire ? Witness admitted she did not think it could do that. In further answer Mrs. Mackay could not tell if the person who owned the tooth made money out of it or went about showing it to people. She (witness) had it in her hand ten years ago, and paid one shilling for this. The tooth was said to have come down from time immemorial.
