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part in a match for the silver snuff-box, which is the coveted 

 prize in the parisli chib, was in the habit of asking this woman to 

 throw snowballs or a broom after him for luck as he went over 

 the hill just beyond Kirkbean on his way to the pond. The 

 fairy loi-e is exceedingly meagre, and only relates to the appearance 

 of the " little folk " at one particular time and in one locality. 

 On Hallowe'en night tlie fairies were said to pass, with drums 

 beating, in procession through the village of Prestonmill, and to 

 repair to a neighbouring mound called Hangman Hill, on which 

 as I said in my paper on the antiquities of the parish, a kist vaen 

 had been found. Here they passed the night dancing, only dis 

 persing at dawn of day. 



A curious piece of folklore is the legend relating to the 

 existence of a lai-ge diamond on CriSel. It is many years since 

 I heard this for the tirst time when staying at Southerness. The 

 story is that seamen on board vessels coming up the Solway can 

 on clear nights, see the gleaming of a large diamond, which is 

 lying on Criffel, but although it can be seen a long distance off, 

 when searched for it cannot be found, although the search may 

 be most carefully made. As a matter of course, no consideration 

 is given to the matter-of-fact reasoning which would point out 

 tliat a diamond which could be visible so far off must be of 

 dimensions which would make the Koh-i-noor and even larger 

 gems pale into insignificance. If anything of the nature of a 

 brilliant light is seen it is probably due to that of the moon 

 glittering on some granite block or some small streamlet flowing 

 over a boulder, a sight less likely to excite the cupidity of the 

 observer, but immeasurably more full of delight to the lover of 

 the beautiful than any diamond, however brilliant it may be. 

 With this legend I close meanwhile, leaving to a future time if 

 you will allow me that pleasure, the story of the remaining folk- 

 lore, including the lucky and unlucky omens and miscellaneous 

 superstitions, which it takes some time to collect. Sin^ulai-ly 

 enough, as it seems to me, this little parish, laved by the waters 

 of the restless Solway, which has claimed its many victims in 

 storm and in calm, seems to have no traditions of ghosts whicli 

 haunt the Firth, nor of the visions which in other waters have 

 lured to destruction those who risk the dangers of the deep. 



