pPanC "bore, "IscyeT^^/, an^ Isnjncf, 509 



planted in every churchyard, and that " on a certain day in the 

 year everybody religiously wears a cross made of the wood, and 

 it is reputed to be a preservative against fascination and evil 

 spirits, whence perhaps we call it Witchen ; the boughs being stuck 

 about the house, or the wood used for walking-staves." (See 

 Rowan). 



RADISH. — The Germans have given to a species of wild 

 Radish bearing blue flowers the name of Hcdcrich, and they have an 

 old sui)crstition that whoever wears a crown composed of Hederich 

 is enabled to deteift witches. A wreath of Hederich is sometimes 

 placed on cows before leaving their stalls to be milked, in order to 



protect them from the effetfl of the Evil Eye. In England, to 



dream of Radishes signifies the discovery of secrets, domestic 



quarrels, and misfortime. In Germany, they call a certain evil 



spirit, or Geni of the mountain, Rubezahl, the Counter of Radishes; 

 and the legend relates that on one occasion this Geni took advan- 

 tage of the absence of her lover to pay his odious addresses to a 

 young princess, whom he kept confined in her castle. As the 

 princess expressed a desire for companions, the Geni gathered some 

 Radishes, which she touched with a magic wand, and changed 

 into young girls, who, however, onl}^ remained young so long as 

 the Radishes retained their juice. Then the Geni gave her some 

 fresh Radishes, one of which, on being touched with the magic 

 wand, became a bee. The princess, who was jealously guarded by 

 the Geni, sent off the bee as a messenger to her lover, to inform 

 him that she was in the Geni's power. The bee did not return. 

 She touched a second, which became a cricket, and despatched it 

 in search of her lover. The cricket never returned. Then the 

 princess desired the Geni to count the Radishes, and he, to please 

 her, did so. Whilst so occupied, the princess touched one of the 

 Radishes with her wand, and it became a horse. In an instant, 

 she sprang on its back, and rode away at full speed ; and fortunately 

 meeting her lover, they both escaped together. 



RAGGED ROBIN.— The Ragged Robin, Cuckoo Flower, 

 Meadow Campion, or Meadow Pink [Lychnis Flos cuculi) owes the 

 first of these names to the finely-cut but ragged appearance of its 

 petals. It is dedicated to St. Barnabas. 



RAG- WEED. — The large Rag-weed [Senecio Jacohcva) has a 

 traditional reputation of having been employed by witches as 



horses when they took their midnight rides. To the south of the 



famed Logan Rock on the Cornish coast is a high peak of granite 

 known as the Castle Peak, which is locally reputed to have been 

 for ages the midnight rendezvous for witches ; and thither, according 

 to tradition, witches were constantly seen flying on moonlight nights, 

 mounted on the stems of the Rag-weed, and carrying with them the 

 things necessary to make their charms potent and strong. The 

 Rag-weeds or worts were also called Stagger-worts because they 



