SUPERSTITION. 



475 



during a portion of the spring, the peasants do not venture 

 to call him by his usual designation of Varg, as in that case 

 he will carry away their cattle the following summer, but 

 substitute in its stead that of Ulf, Grahans, &c. To meet a 

 wolf at certain hours, or under certain circumstances, is looked 

 upon as a bad omen ; and the appearance of those beasts 

 in numbers, to forebode war or other great calamity. Old 

 hags, moreover, reputed to deal in the black art, who dwell 

 alone in the recesses of the forest, are believed to be in 

 league with, and to harbour wolves ; and, in consequence, 

 they go by the hated name of Varg-Modrar or wolf-mothers. 

 The wolf having thus a bad name in every way, it is little 

 surprising that the hand of every man is raised against him. 



WOLF CHASE ON SKIDOR. 



A good many wolves are run down on Skidor, chiefly 

 however in the northern districts of Scandinavia, where 



