Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 27, 1916.djvu/449

 Collectanea. 421

disease is engendered in cattle by a worm found on the herbage in dewy mornings, and can be cured in either of the two following ways — namely, by procuring a specimen of the insect and crushing it between the palms of your hands, and allowing the oily matter to dry on them. "Thereafter," he continues, "the first water in which your hands are washed each morning acts as a specific for the complaint. Which same," he adds, " I accordingly did, and was assured by many that came to me for the remedy that it proved efficacious." The ailment referred to apparently is one which both cattle and pigs suffer from, and in veterinary practice goes under the name of " Blaines," a disorder which, however, is rarely mortal. The other method is to bore a sufficiently large hole in the stem of a hawthorn tree, and put a conagh worm therein and plug it securely in. The leaves of that tree then become impregnated with virtue, and given to a sick beast will cure them. I may mention in connection with the subject that in the collection of antiquities of the Royal Irish Academy are two beautiful jewelled models of the larva in question, of the natural size, which seem to have been used as an amulet or charm.

The Eft or Neivt}

This harmless little amphibian goes by several names among the peasantry. The aire or alp (from alpaiii = I divine) luachra in Waterford, often pronounced and spelled earc or al luachra or och luchera, elsewhere derives this appellation from the genitive of luachair, rushes. In Kildare and in Wicklow it is called also Delecha luachra and " the dark looker," which, I presume, is a corrupt derivative. Its reputed objectionable propensity to jump into the mouth of anyone either drinking of the water or sleeping open-mouthed beside a stream or pond frequented by these "Man-keepers" makes it an object of terror throughout the country districts of Ireland. In Waterford I was told by an intelligent man named Molony that a young woman, whose stomach was inhabited by an alt-luachra, suffered terribly when a

^ For similar Gaelic stories, see The Vision of J/aiCoiig/iniie, K. Me}er (1892) ; Hyde, Beside the Fire, p. 47 (1890) ; Campbell of Islay, Popular Tales of the West Highlands, ii. p. 366.