Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 2 1884.djvu/129

Rh Lochcarron—Superstitions concerning Suicide.—An elderly woman, the wife of Donald M'Rae, crofter, township of Erbersay, parish of Lochalsh, committed suicide by hanging herself on Thursday last. Great difficulty was experienced in getting a tradesman to make the coffin, owing to the superstitious belief entertained by the natives that it is not "lucky" to make a coffin for a suicide. Any tradesman known to make a coffin for a suicide will get no employment from the natives afterwards. —The Scotsman, January 31, 1884.

Witchcraft in the North.—A curious instance of the survival of superstition was revealed on Monday at the Inverness police-court. An elderly Highland woman, named Isabella Macrae, or Stewart, residing at Muirtown Street, Inverness, was charged with assaulting a little girl. The evidence showed that the little girl had used insulting language to the prisoner, while the prisoner, on the other hand, had alluded to the little girl's grandmother as a witch. Towards the close of the case great amusement was caused in court by the accused producing a clay image, or corp creagh, which she believed was made by the so-called witch. The legs had been broken off the image, and since then the prisoner believed that her own legs were losing their strength. A gentleman who wished to purchase the image after the accused had left the court was promptly told that on no account would she part with it, for if anything happened to it in this gentleman's possession she might die, and she was not prepared to die yet. She therefore wished to keep the image in safety so long as it would hold together, for so long as the image lasted she believed its baneful influences upon her would be ineffectual. Her husband had died some time ago, and also three horses, and she grieved to think that all these calamities were attributable to witchcraft. The image was about four inches in length; green worsted threads containing the diabolic charm were wound around, while pins were pierced through the part where the heart should be. Bailie Mackay, notwithstanding the illustration of demonology which he witnessed, found the accused guilty, and passed sentence of fine or imprisonment.—Macclesfield Courier, December 22, 1883.

Couvade in Yorkshire.—We heard lately, from a source that is above suspicion, of the survival in a certain district of Yorkshire of a