348 HORSE-SHOES AND HORSE-SHOEING. 



mountain, and returned home. He then saw, on enter- 

 ing his stable, that his best horse had a gash in its thigh : 

 this provided the stake for Grinken Schmidt.'' 



It is curious to note the different notions entertained 

 with regard to the sons of Vulcan — the proteges of Saint 

 Eloy. In some countries they are looked upon with 

 strange dread ; while in others, their handicraft confers on 

 them dignity and special privileges. In Norway, handi- 

 craftsmen were known at a very remote period, and were 

 divided into classes ; the smith was the most reputable in- 

 dividual, and associated or was on an equality with the 

 freemen. Among the Gauls and the Welsh we have seen 

 they held high office ; but it is questionable if, at first, 

 they did so to the same degree among the Anglo-Saxons. 

 The Druids felt the decline of their influence, and ex- 

 perienced the persecutions of the Teutonic invaders ; 

 their rites had to be carried on in the greatest secrecy 

 and fear, and their business was transacted in a hidden 

 manner, while their utmost caution was required to elude 

 observation. King Lear's idea of shoeing a troop of 

 horse withfelf^ may have been derived from the extreme 

 circumspection the Druidical priests, towards the de- 

 crease of their power, were compelled to adopt ; and the 

 spread of Christianity, so burdened with gross super- 

 stitions, no doubt invested the traces of these rites with 

 everything of a repulsive and extraordinary nature. 

 Hence, perhaps, the tradition of Wayland Smith. 



Even at a later day, blacksmiths, who, from the im- 



' Deutsche Mythologie. 

 * ' It were a delicate stratagem, to shoe 



A troop of horse with feh.' Act iv., scene 6. 



