pPanfJS of tfte ^a'lneifb. 65 



exit. A similar belief is entertained by tlie Hindus, who consider 

 holes in trees as doors by which the inhabiting spirit passes in 

 and out. German elves are also fond of fretjuenting Elder-trees. 



The Esthonians believe that during a thunder-storm, and in 

 order to escape from the lightning, the timorous Elves burrow 

 several feet beneath the roots of the trees they inhabit. As a rule 

 these forest Elves are good-natured : if they are not offended, not 

 only will they abstain from harming men, but they will even do 

 them a good turn, and teach them some of the mysteries of nature, 

 of which they possess the secret. 



The Elves were in former days thought to practise works of 

 mercy in the woods, and a certain sympathetic affinity with trees 

 became thus propagated in the popular faith. The country-folk 

 were careful not to offend the trees that were inhabited by Prairies, 

 and they never sought to surprise the Elfin people in their myste- 

 rious retreats, for they dreaded the power of these invisible 

 creatures to cause ill-luck or some unfortunate malady to fall on 

 those against whom they had a spite. Even deaths were sometimes 

 laid at their door. 



A German legend relates that as a peasant woman one day 

 tried to uproot the stump of an old tree in a Fir forest, she became 

 so feeble that at last she could scarcely manage to walk. Suddenly, 

 while endeavouring to crawl to her home, a mysterious-looking 

 man appeared in the path before the poor woman, and upon 

 hearing what was the matter with her, he at once remarked that 

 she had wounded an Elf. If the Elf got well, so would she ; but 

 if the Elf should unfortunately perish, she would also assuredly die. 

 The stump of the old Fir-tree was the abode of an Elf, and in 

 endeavouring to uproot it, the woman had unintentionally injured 

 the little creature. The words of the mysterious personage proved 

 too true. The peasant languished for some time, but drooped and 

 died on the same day as the wounded Elf. To this day, in the vast 

 forests of Germany and Russia, instead of uprooting old Firs, the 

 foresters, remembering the Elfish superstition, always chop them 

 down above the roots. 



In the Indian legend of Savitri, the youthful Satyavant, while 

 felling a tree, perspires inordinately, is overcome with weakness, 

 sinks exhausted, and dies. He had mortally wounded the Elf of 

 the tree. Since the days of yEsop it has become a saying that 

 Death has a weakness for woodmen. 



In our own land. Oaks have always been deemed the favourite 

 abodes of Elves, and wayfarers, upon approaching groves reputed 

 to be hauntetl by them, used to think it judicious to turn their coats 

 for good luck. Thus Bishop Corbet, in his Iter Borcale, writes : — 



" William found 

 A means for our deliverance : ' Turn your cloakes,* 

 Quoth he, ' for Pucke is busy in these Oakes ; 

 If ever we at Bos worth will be found, 

 Then turn your cloakes, for this is Fairy groimd.' " 



