Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 2 1884.djvu/100

92 that many pretended reformers say miracles are false because they have never been able to do any in confirmation of their errors, as Moses and Joshua, and others mentioned in Holy Writ had done,—he caused the elf to disappear, and the boy to come forward, in order to know the conditions on which he was to be restored to his family. The conditions being told, the boy had to return to his invisible captivity, the elf again taking his place in his father's house until they would be fulfilled. The first condition was—To dip the elf three times in Lough Lane (a small lake in the eastern part of Westmeath), which being done, a curl came on the water, and up from the deep came the naked form of the boy, who walked on the water to his father on shore. The father wrapped his overcoat about his son, and commenced his homeward march, accompanied by a line of soldiers, who also came out of the lake. The boy's mother was enjoined not to speak until the rescuing party would reach home. She accidentally spoke, and immediately the son dropped a tear, and forced himself out of his father's arms, piteously exclaiming — 'Father, father, my mother spoke. You cannot keep me. I must go.' He disappeared, and, reaching home, his father found the sprite again on the hearth. Father came again for the second time. The boy was brought forward for a similar purpose. Mostly the same performances were required, and the same phenomena occurred. But this time the mother kept a profound silence. At every stream crossed on the way home from Lough Lane, the car on which the boy was carried was upset, and himself fainted. He was safely restored to his family. He had during his few months of preternatural exile acquired some extraordinary knowledge of several things. He has since grown to manhood, and was, for delivering some Land League harangues, one of the suspects arrested under Mr. Forster's warrant."

Sleeping North and South.—"A correspondent called attention in our last week's issue to the scientific confirmation that had been given to the custom mentioned in Jewish writings of sleeping north and south. This, or a similar custom, is, however, by no means so limited in area as our correspondent seems to think. The Hindoos believe that 'to sleep with the head to the north will cause one's