226 THE HOME OF A NATURALIST. 



the rock, into which the water rises from below, 

 bubbling and hissing as if it were boiling. Once 

 Herman asked the loan of this kettle in which to boil 

 an ox, and Saxie said he would lend it only on con- 

 dition that they should go halves. Says Herman, 



" I'll redder reeve riit " I'll rather tear and eat it raw 



As gie da half o lit." Than give the half away." 



A pitched battle was the consequence of Herman's 

 poetical refusal to pay for the loan of Saxie's kettle, 

 but history saith not who got the best of it. 



Every year, at Yule-time, a house was troubled, and 

 no person could stay in it. At last a bold- hearted 

 fisherman undertook to break the power of evil by 

 remaining in the house during its afiQicted period. 

 He sat down in one of the rooms, and lighting a 

 candle, began to read the Bible. Suddenly he heard 

 a noise, as if dead meat were being dropped along 

 the passage. Seizing his Bible in one hand and an 

 axe in the other, he rushed to meet the supernatural 

 foe. "It went out at the door; he followed. It 

 took the road to the cliffs ; he followed hard after. It 

 quickened its speed ; he did the same. Just as it 

 was going to jump into the sea from the high cliff, 

 he said a holy word, and slung his axe, which stuck 

 fast in it. Hasting home, the man persuaded some 

 friends to accompany him to the spot. There it was, 

 with the axe sticking in it. The men covered it with 

 earth, and dug a trench around it, so that neither 

 beast nor body could go near it." 



" But what was it like ? " 



