Collectanea. 313
Minchinha mpton, Gloucestershire.
Weather Proverb. — The fickle weather of May is described by the proverb :
May, soon or late, Always makes the old cow quake. (Heard several times quoted by old natives, in May, 191 7.)
Stroud District, Gloucestershire.
Swallowing a Frog. — Early in 19 16 this story was being much talked about, and I heard it from several sources. A woman had lately swallowed a frog, or a frog's egg, which lived and grew inside her. She was taken to Stroud Hospital. "And they tried to open her, but they couldn't open her, because it moved about. And she was in such agony that she asked them to give her poison and put her out of her misery. So they wrote to the King to ask if they might poison her, and the King wrote back to say No, they mustn^t. Then the doctor put a piece of cheese on her tongue, and the frog smelt it and came up, but as it came up it choked her. And they do say that frog weighed half a pound."
(Enquiries at Stroud Hospital failed to discover any foundation for the story.)
Beesands and Beeson, S. Devon.
Ghosts. — An old woman was met by a coach and headless horses ; she died soon after.
A clump of trees (looking rather as if a tumulus had stood there) on the road between Beeson and Beesands, is said to be "a wisht place." "Things without heads or tails" have been seen there.
The ghost of a bad man used to be seen on a white horse at Matscombe Cross {i.e. cross roads).
In a haunted room, sleepers have been pinched black.
(From fisherman's daughter, cet. 40. 1910.)
Divination. — Fasten a pod of nine peas over the door, and you will see your future husband. An " even ash " [ash leaf with an even number of leaflets] will answer the same purpose.
(Same authority.)
