Page:Lancashire Legends, Traditions, Pageants, Sports, Etc., with an Appendix Containing a Rare Tract.djvu/283

 oat-cake at every house; while some rattle at the door the rest sing—

At Christmas they are more jealous of one another, and are desirous of securing all the presents individually. Hence, each boy or girl visits the houses alone; and both early in the morning and late at night we may hear a feeble voice at our doors plaintively calling—

As will have been seen in the early portions of this work, several of our local legends turn upon the stratagems by which the devil has been outwitted. This is a portion of our folk-lore which we hold in common with many different races of people; and has probably been imported into our country by some of our earlier colonists. At Hothersall Hall, near Ribchester, a demon is supposed to be "laid" under a laurel tree until he can spin a rope from the sands of the River Ribble, which runs near the house. The same stratagem occurred to a schoolmaster resident at Cockerham, near Lancaster, on