Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 4 1886.djvu/258

250 MÁRY. . RASTEION, a village in the commune of Kardamylês, in Máry, is also called Στριγγλυχώρι, the Stringla village, because many of the women living there are Stringlas (Στριγγλαις). Every night they go down to the seashore in Selinitsa, where they always find boats at anchor. Choosing one of the vessels anchored there, they embark on it, spread its sails, and steer it like men, and, after their voyage, return with a freight of sugar-canes, because they go to a place where they grow. A young man who one night fell asleep in the boat, into which the Stringlas entered, was not perceived by them, and when he awoke he saw the Stringlas take off their garments, and throw them in a heap together, after which one unfurled the sails, and another took the tiller, and off they went on their voyage. As soon as the young man collected his thoughts he suspected the whole affair, because he had previously been told how many Stringlas there were in that village, and that they went sailing every night. He was not able to recognise them, but was acute enough to snip off a small piece from each of the garments which were lying near him. So they all together made the journey. The Stringlas and the young man sailed out and returned. The next morning, however, the young man lost no time, but went to Prasteion, and exposed the whole thing, and so it happened that all the Stringlas were detected. Their husbands took every precaution afterwards, but it was all of no avail, for their Stringlas wives still found means every night to take their usual voyage.