i84 THE WITCH IN KENT 



feeding them one would suddenly fall over on its back 

 and die. She had lost several in this mysterious way, 

 when one morning, just as a chick was in the act of 

 tumbling over, she snatched it up, and took its liver 

 out. This she carried indoors, and, sticking a pin 

 through it, set it up on the mantelshelf. Then she 

 told the boys to watch, and tell her if they should 

 see Mother Pocock coming that way. Presently, 

 " * Mother,' they says, ' here she comes ! ' " She came 

 along till she got to the bottom of the lane, and then 

 she stopped, and turned back. She could not come 

 any further, and she never came that way again, nor 

 did any more of the chickens die. 



Another remedy consists in burning a bottle contain- 

 ing portions of the victim. For instance, the following 

 story is gravely told : — " Farmer So-and-so's daughter 

 was terrified uncommon by old Dame White. She 

 couldn't get no peace nohow. So he goes to the 

 ™* cunning man, and he tells him what to do. Says he^ 

 'You get a little bottle, put some water, some pins, 

 and some of her hair in it, and then set it in the fire, 

 and watch that till it's burnt. Mind you close up every 

 chink, crack, and keyhole, and don't you say nothing 

 to nobody while that's agoing on.' Well, he did as he 

 was bid to, and closed up every chink, as he thought, 



