Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 18, 1907.djvu/289

 CHILDREN AND WELLS.

BY DAN M'KENZIE, M.D.

{Read at Meeting, 20th March, 1907.)

Why do so many wells cure children's diseases ?

Out of 139 wells in Mr. R. C. Hope's collection,^ which are or were credited with ability to cure disease : —

The disease cured is not specified in - - 34

Ailments in general were treated at - - 24

Eye diseases were treated at - - - 29

Skin complaints at - - - - - 16

Insanity was treated at - - - - 2

And children were associated with - - 34

Of these last : —

Children's diseases were treated at - - 7 Children were made to drink of the water of 8 Children were baptized at - - - - 10 Ceremonies were performed in which children participated, or tales are told with children as the heroes, in - 8 instances.

^ Hope, R. C, The Legendary Lore of the Holy Wells of England. London, 1893.