492 EEPORT— 1897. 



and was suspected as the cause of the illness. Several of the folk around 

 assembled to give what help they could, and among them was Nanny. 

 They tried to lift the animal, but were unable to do so. The minister 

 made his appearance. When he saw how things stood, he said : ' Nanny, 

 you an' me 'ill try t' lift her.' Nanny made her excuse : ' Hoot awa', hoo 

 cudd an aul' boddie like me help t' lift her ? ' ' We'll try 't,' said the 

 minister. Nanny could no longer refuse. So the minister and Nanny 

 laid their hands on the cow to lift her. The hands had hardly touched 

 her, when up jumped the animal as if nothing had been the matter. 

 Nanny had witched her. 



668. Rerrick. — A woman named Mrs. Williamson lived on a point 

 called The Scaur, in the parish of Colvend. Sailors and fishermen were 

 always most attentive in making gifts to her. If she was neglected, some 

 misfortune befell the ship or boat. 



669. Mrs. W was one day nursing for a short time the child of a 



neighbour against whom she had a grudge. In dandling the child, ' she 

 gave it a twist.' The child grew up hunchbacked. 



670. Corsock. — A herd named McQueen was one day out with a gun tO' 

 kill a hare. He put up one, fired, and struck her hard without killing 

 her. He ran after her, and was again and again on the point of putting 

 his foot on her, but she always got off. . At last she disappeared. It was 

 a witch in shape of a hare. 



671. Kells. — Witches used to meet and hold orgies. A woman on one 

 occasion was going to one of these, and to be able to contribute something 

 to it she required some money. She churned her cream except a small 

 quantity, sold the butter in Dairy and bought a bottle of whisky. To 

 conceal from her husband what she was going to do, she took the small 

 quantity of cream she did not put into the first churning, churned it, ami 

 showed the butter to her husband as if that was all the butter made. 



672. Kirkmaiden. — My informant has seen a reputed witch and a 

 descendant of one of the noted Galloway witches riding on a stone dyke. 



673. Dairy. — My informant one day engaged Jennie Mainsie, a reputed 

 witch, to cut some seed potatoes for her. She treated the woman well 

 and paid her full wages. Before leaving she asked to be shown round the 

 garden. This was done. She then requested to be allowed to look into 

 the coal-house. Her request was granted. After all this she said, 

 * Noo, I've dune ye a' the ill I can.' Next morning my informant went 

 into the coal-house to bring in coals for the fire. A big lump of coal fell 

 on her foot and crushed it, 



674. Kirkmaiden. — If one went to a witch's house, took a little straw 

 from the thatch of it, and burned it, all power to harm the one that did 

 this was taken from her. 



675. Lcmrieston. — When a cow's milk was taken away by a witch, as 

 much of the animal's milk as could be drawn from her was put into a pot 

 with a quantity of pins. The pot was hung over the fire to boil, and the 

 door of the house was bolted. The witch in due time came to the door 

 and asked admission. Her request was denied. If she were admitted, 

 the milk would not be restored, but if kept out the milk would return. 



676. Kirkmaiden. — On the farm of Kilstay, tenanted by Mr. Kerr, a 

 grass-witch at one time wrought evil among the cows, so that no butter 

 could be got from the cream taken from their milk. A man that had 

 wide fame for his skill in such cases was called from Ireland. The man 

 came. The first step he took was to go into the byres and count the 



