Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 13, 1902.djvu/293

 COLLECTANEA.

Scottish Charm against Witchcraft.

The accompanying illustration (Plate III.) represents a very old cottage on the Cawdor property, Nairnshire, which is inhabited by an old dame whose family have occupied it for four generations in succession. Leaning against the thatched roof may be seen an implement called the Bogle. It consists of the slim stem of a dead fir; devoid of branches, except at the very top, which is decked out into the semblance of a rude figure, like a scarecrow, with a white cap and an old jacket. The Bogle is set on the ground leaning against the wall and roof, overnight; and it is shifted every evening from the right to the left — et vice versa — of the doorway, in the belief that the house and its inmates will thus be secure from harm by the witch. These particulars were com- municated to me through Dr. J. Simpson.

The word Bogle is traced by Lye ^ to the Welsh Imgul, fear, bwgwly, to frighten. Its primary meaning is a spectre, a hob- goblin ; and in this sense we find it used by Burns : —

" Ghaist nor bogle shalt thou fear ; Thou'rt to love and heaven sae dear, Nocht of ill may come thee near,

My bonnie dearie."

Its secondary meaning is a scarecrow, and in this sense the n2iXi\.Q potato-bogle is common throughout Scotland.

Fred. R. Coles. Soc. Antiq. Scot,

National Museum, Edinburgh.

[Jamieson's Scottish Dictionary gives both meanings of bogle, viz., hobgoblin and scarecrow. For the history of the word see the New English Dictionary, s.v. We have to thank Dr. Sclanders, of Nairn, for a copy of the photograph. — Ed.]

' Edward Lye, Diet. -Saxon. -Goth. -Lat., 1772.

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