WITCHES AND THEIR FLOWER LORE 107 



attacks of witches and elves, and on this account 

 ash-sap was administered to newly-born children, 

 as a precaution against the fairies or witches 

 changing the child, or even stealing it. 



A bunch of ash-keys is thought as efficacious as 

 rowan wood in some districts for warding away 

 the witches. It was said that the ash appears 

 without its red buds on May Day, the witches 

 having bitten them off during the preceding night, 

 as they went on their way to the May-Day festivities. 



The Holly is another tree most obnoxious to 

 witches. In its name they see but another form 

 of the word " holy," and its thorny foliage and 

 blood-red berries are suggestive to them of Christian 

 associations, which they would rather forget. 



Pliny states that if the holly be planted near a 

 house it will keep away all malign spells and en- 

 chantments, and also defend the house from light- 

 ning. In those " good old days " of witches and 

 potions, which might be brewed for one's enemies, 

 there were doubtless many more herbs which went 

 to make up the choicest receipts of the witch; but, 

 alas, for any who should be thinking of practising 

 such magic spells in these prosaic days, methinks 

 the full instructions have not been handed down to 

 us severely practical mortals. Directions have got 

 lost in the dust of oblivion, and in the hurry and rush 

 of modern life no time remains for anything not 

 tangible and visible to our mortal eyes, such as 

 fairies, gnomes, elves, goblins, witches, and wizards. 

 Perhaps when the clock has beat its pendulum a 

 little further round, we shall find ourselves back 

 again in those entrancing days of spells, enchant- 

 ments, and incantations. 



