THE LEGEND OF MICHAEL SCOT CONCLUSION 225 



lee." 1 She straightway sought a witch, said 

 ) be more powerful than Mengot himself, and, 

 jlling what had happened, promised her gold by 

 andfuls if she would revenge her on the wizard, 

 he woman told her to be easy, for she would 

 rrange the matter. She paid Mengot a visit 

 3 if to take his advice, and, stealing his magic 

 >d, struck the ground three times, whereupon 

 [engot was turned into a hare, and fled from 

 is habitation. Having foreseen, however, by 

 is art that such danger might arise, Mengot 

 ad prepared a pool of enchanted water at his 

 oor. Into this he now leaped, and by its 

 irtue was able to resume his proper form. The 

 rst thing he did was to seek the magic rod, and, 

 nding it still in his house, he struck the witch on 

 head. She became a skinless 2 cat, and in that 

 rm haunted the guilty Princess for her sins ; 

 liile Mengot was ever afterwards distinguished 

 the name of Scot/ 

 The second tale is to this effect : 

 ' Michael Scotti the wizard was a mighty master 

 witchcraft. There came to him one day a young 

 dy, richly dressed, and wearing a thick veil She 

 >ld him that she wished to become a witch that 

 le might cast a spell upon the child of a man who 

 id forsaken her for another woman, now his wife ; 

 r she said that to bewitch this child would be the 

 3st revenge she could have. Michael was willing 

 > content her ; but we must here remark that 

 izards and witches gain their power, either at 



! l 'M'hai scottato me, ma ora scotto te.' This play on words is 

 b turning-point of the tale. 

 2 ' Scorticata.' It may be that a play on words is intended here also. 



P 



