PRACTICES TO OBTAIN CHILDREN 65 



at Elan also in the Ardennes is drunk by sterile 

 women who wish for children. 1 " According to the 

 legend of Saint Armentaire written towards the year 

 1300 the fairy Esterelle dwelt near a spring, whither 

 the Provencals brought her offerings and she gave en- 

 chanted drink to barren women." 2 One of the seven 

 lustral springs around the church of Saint Nicodemus 

 near Locmine (Morbihan) is visited by young wives 

 who having drunk a little of the water climb without 

 looking behind them into the belfry and there in order 

 to ensure the success of their wishes sit for a few 

 moments in an old armchair. The fountain of Sainte 

 Eustelle adjoining the Roman amphitheatre at Saintes 

 in the department of Charente Inferieure is resorted to 

 by wives whose hopes of offspring have been delayed 

 and who drink of it nine mornings in succession. 

 That of Saint Rigaud at Monsole, which it is said flows 

 over the saint's body, also possesses the privilege of 

 rendering women fruitful ; but it does not appear what is 

 the actual ceremony performed therec The sacred wells 

 of France having fecundating powers are in fact very 

 numerous. 3 Without specifying any more of them we 

 may turn to our own country. Probably at one time our 

 springs were not less potent or numerous. Some of them 

 still retain their reputation. There is a well called 

 Dewric Well at Bretton, near Eyam in Derbyshire, the 

 water of which is said to make any woman who drinks 

 of it fruitful. 4 A spring at Burhham near Barton-upon 

 H umber was, until the last half-century at any rate, 

 believed to remove the curse of sterility. 5 At Saint 



1 Meyrac, 45. 2 Sebillot, F. L. France, ii. 197. 



3 Ibid. 232, 233, 376 ; Cuzacq, no. 



* Addy, 59. 5 Ant. xxxi. 373. 



