WEASEL.J 



NATURAL HISTORY. 



339 



them from place to place, and changeth place and dwelling, 

 for her nest should not be found. The Weasel pursueth 

 and eateth serpents, and hateth and eateth mice. And their 

 opinion is false that mean that Weasels conceive at mouth, 

 and kitteneth at the ear. And if the Weasel's kittens fall 

 by any hap in chines or in pits, and be hurt or dead, the 

 Weasel healeth them with a certain herb, and reareth them 

 from death to life. And eateth rue, and balmeth herself 

 with the juice thereof, and reseth [rages] then on the 

 cockatrice, and assaileth, and slayeth him without any dread 

 boldly. The Weasel knoweth soon of the cockatrice, and 



goeth into his den and slayeth him there: And is a beast 

 that sleepeth much, and waxeth fat with sleep, and hath 

 gall that helpeth much against adders. And so if a man 

 fall into lethargy, the sleeping evil, by venom of an adder, 

 the ashes of a Weasel, tempered with drops of water, dis- 

 solveth and destroyeth the strength and might of the sleep. 

 His biting is malicious and venomous. 



Bartholomew (Bertkelet\ bk. xviii. 74. 



-. 



IF Weasels come unto dead men they will pull out their 

 es. Hunters hold opinion here in England that, if they 

 eet with a Weasel in the morning, they shall not speed 



