86 FOLK-LORE AND SUPERSTITIONS IN DORSET. 



Some years ago my friend was coming down a ladder with 

 a pack of hay on his head, and fell backwards. In doing so 

 his foot slipped between the rungs of the ladder and got 

 terribly twisted. For weeks he was laid up, and had to go 

 on crutches. One day I called at his farm and found him 

 walking across the yard with a stick. I said, " Hallo, 

 farmer ! What has cured you ? " " Well," he said, " I 

 had tried all the doctors, and they couldn't cure me, so I went 

 to the Wise Woman. I couldn't go myself, so I sent Mrs. B., 

 who was the wife of a neighbouring cottager, and had been 

 under treatment by the Wise Woman. I asked what she did. 

 " Well,'' said he, " she sent word that old Jimmy Snook had 

 an evil eye on me because I didn't gee' him enough cider, 

 and that I was to get rid of him ; and she sent some bay 

 leaves which I was to boil and wrap my foot in tight on going 

 to bed, and the next morning I could walk across the yard 

 with a stick." " How about Jimmy Snook ? " said I. 

 " Well," said he, "he's worked on the farm for vifty years an' 

 more, and I have ge'en him the zack lots o' times, but he 

 wont go." I expect Jimmy got his extra allowance of cider, 

 and he died not long after. Possibly his death was accelerated 

 by this extra allowance ! The Wise Woman must have got 

 at Jimmy's existence and weakness through Mrs. B., who 

 either had a spite against the old man and wanted him to be 

 turned out, or else it was " a plant " between her and Jimmy 

 to get the extra allowance of cider. 



I discussed the merits of the Wise Woman with Farmer 

 Jones, and he observed a smile on my face and remarked, 

 "I zee you don't believe in her. I do. These wise 'oomen 

 be all very well zo long as they does good ; but if they has 

 an evil eye on yer I'd burn 'em, that I would," and he wrung 

 his fist in the air, and the fire which of old condemned the 

 witch to the faggots clearly flashed out of his eyes. 



On another occasion Farmer Jones told me that he had a 

 very bad and swollen knee and leg so bad that he could 

 not get up into his trap without help. As he had tried three 

 doctors with no result, he decided to try the Wise Woman 



