Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 25, 1914.djvu/280

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Collectanea.

was getting ready, a stranger drove up to the house and offered to escort her. She went with him, and on arrival found him a most assiduous partner; in fact he would allow her to dance with no one else. Somehow, — the tale is a trifle vague, — his Satanic character became apparent ; but whether or not the girl escaped from him does not seem to be known.

Another dance was given by a man of vicious characrer, in the absence of his wife, who was most virtuous. In a braggart mood, he declared that anyone might come, even the Devil. Sure enough, a strange guest appeared, and made himself disliked by his impolite refusal to take off his hat or gloves. On an attempt being made to turn him out, he merely answered that he was there by invitation, thus clearly showing who he was. Here again it does not appear whether his rash host escaped.

As a builder, the Devil is not prominent, as is natural in a country containing very {it\^! old buildings. But one of the Montreal churches employed him under the following circum- stances. As the walls were going up, it was noticed that one particular stone would not stay in place. However carefully it might be fastened in at night, by morning it was sure to be lying on the ground. Finally, the horse which had -brought the stone disclosed his identity, for, on being taken to the water to drink, he shook off his collar, which had prevented him up till then from leaving his assumed forrii, and vanished.

Miscellaneous. — On the first night one sleeps in a new house one ought to wish.

After supper on that night, one ought not to sweep for fear of sweeping one's riches away.

(L. B., from whom the above beliefs come, does not take the second very seriously).

At Father Point (Pointe-aux-Peres) on the St. Lawrence, the habitants will not slaughter any beast for. food during the ebb of the tide (which is quite perceptible there). The reason given is that if they did so the meat would shrink in cooking. (Communi- cated by Mr. L. V. King of M'Gill University).

E. H. AND H. J. Rose.