Page:Shetland Folk-Lore - Spence - 1899.pdf/32

 lest it should be a metamorphic Finn; and in the case of a gun being aimed at it, the weapon was sure to miss fire until a piece of silver money was placed above the shot.

A story is told of a Norway Finn that fell in love with a bonny lass of the ordinary rank. But her father refused to sanction the union. The Finnish lover, not to be deprived of the object of his ardent affection, succeeded in carrying her off in his boat. The father, being apprised of the elopement, gave chase with all possible speed. The Finn, on seeing that he was pursued, put the helm into the hand of his fair lady, while he cut chips off the shank of the oar and threw them overboard. These, falling into the water, appeared like boats to the onlooker, and the lady’s father, seeing the runaway craft escorted by a whole fleet, gave up the chase.

Even in recent times persons who were marked as being particularly lucky, and