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 round a person or an animal gave them immunity from the influence of trows. Three kinds of food offered by three times three mothers was the last and best restorative for a patient that had been rescued from the trolls. The bite of an otter was healed by the application of three hairs from its tail. Live coals falling three times on the hearth was an infallible evidence that statements made at that time were true. These examples may suffice to show how this mystic number is inwrought with our folk-lore.

In addition to the rude obelisks which bear no trace of the workman's chisel, two beautiful examples of sculptured stones have been met with. One of these was found in the ancient churchyard of Collinsburgh, Bressay, and the other discovered in the churchyard of Papil, Burra, in 1877. The latter (Fig. 6) is a slab of finely