Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 10, 1899.djvu/303

 The Powers of Evil in the Outer Hebrides. 263

untoward event. The crow of a cock hatched in March has more effect against evil spirits than one hatched in autumn, especially if black.

In a certain house in Uist a guinea disappeared from the stocking. A suspicion, well-founded, it is said, fell upon a noted character in the country. Nothing was said at the time, but when the suspected person next asked for hospi- tality, the inmates were about to eject him, when the cock flew down from the couples, and flew about him with flapping wings, so they permitted him to come in out of the darkness and allowed him the shelter of the house.

A skipper of a vessel lying in Loch Skipport on three successive nights saw from his deck a curious phenomenon, a ball of fire, which came from the north towards a dwelling house on the shore, and which always turned back at the crowing of the cock, doing no injury. The skipper went ashore, bought the cock, and asked the people of the house to pass the night on his vessel. As they watched on deck, they saw the ball of fire approach the house as before, but this time it entered under the roof and the house was con- sumed by flames before their eyes. The owner was of opinion that it was a punishment from heaven for some wrangling with his wife during the last few days. ^

There is a house in Glengorm, Morven, in which no cock ever crows. Some years ago a man and his wife lived there who differed in religious opinions. She was a Catholic, and he put every obstacle in the way of her performance of religious duties. One Christmas Eve she said she wished to attend mass next morning, and would be obliged if her husband would wake her up in time.

" I shall do nothing of the kind," said he.

" It doesn't matter," she returned patiently, " I daresay the cock will arouse me."

" You will sleep long if you wait for him," he answered,

' This curious story is widely spread in Scolland. See Hugh Miller, Scenes and Legends, p. 72 ; Notes and Queries, 7th Series, vol. xi. p. 95. Ed.