Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 7 1889.djvu/373

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THE WITCH.
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chimney) of Jeanie's house. The farmer entered the house and found Jeanie on bed. "Ye've got sehr hips the nioht, Jeanie," said he. "Aye," answered she; "bit (but) your wife 'ill ha'e sehrer, or she get quit o' faht ye ga'e 'er." The wife died in childbed.

(D) On one occasion she paid a visit to a farmer, a great friend of hers. He had a son in bad health. A cow was ill and almost at the point of death at the same time. About midnight Jeanie heard a voice calling, "Will I tack the coo or Duncan?" (the son). "The coo, the coo, an leave Duncan," answered she. Next morning Duncan was restored to health, and the cow was dead.

(E) Jeanie's house caught fire one day when she was from home. Some neighbours were doing their best to save the house when the old woman arrived. She at once went into the smoke, crying, "If a'm yours, give me three puffs an three blaws, an in the diel's name oot it goes."

(F) She was passing a house after a heavy rain and whilst it was raining heavily. The river Don was in high flood. The gueedewife and children were standing in the door "greeting sehr" (crying bitterly). "Faht ails you?" quo' Jeanie. "See my peer man (husband) gan (going) to wide (wade) the wattir, an he'll be droont," said the weeping wife. "Gee me yer corn-riddle," quo' the witch, "an I'll tack 'im ower." The corn-riddle was brought and given to her. She launched it, stepped on it, and reached the middle of the stream without any mishap. When in mid -stream the riddle began to shake, and toss, and whirl to such a degree that it looked as if it would upset. The man saw what he thought the danger, and cried out, "God save you, Jeanie." In a moment Jeanie disappeared with the riddle and was never seen again.

(g) Jeanie had a son. He was a glutton and had a liking for milk. If a gueedewife refused to give milk when he asked it, her cows yielded little or no milk for the season. My informant assures me many firmly believed this. (Corgarff.)

5.—(A) L— D— had the reputation of being a witch. On several occasions J— F—, of P—, observed a hare in his garden. He tried to shoot the animal at three separate times, but to