OF HERBS AND MAGIC 179 



was foolish enough to permit her to put some of it 

 in my hat." The Sicilians thought that it was a 

 favourite plant of the fairies, and that the young 

 fairies, taking the form of snakes, lie amongst the 

 branches. Dill, able to " hinder witches of their 

 will," was used in spells against witches, besides being 

 employed by them. There was a strong belief that 

 plants beloved by magicians, and powerful for evil in 

 their hands, were equally powerful to avert evil when 

 used in charms against witchcraft. Lunary, or Honesty, 

 is another plant with a double edge. In France it is 

 nicknamed Monnaie du Pape and Herhe aux Lunettes, and 

 its shining seed-vessels have many pet names in English. 

 " It has a natural power of dispelling evil spirits," 

 quotes Mr Friend, and explains this verdict by pointing 

 that Lunary with its great silver disks, called after the 

 the moon, is disliked and avoided by evil spirits, who 

 fear the light and seek darkness. Rue is used by 

 witches and against them ; in some parts of Italy a 

 talisman against their power is made by sewing up the 

 leaves in a little bag and wearing it near the heart. If 

 the floor of a house be rubbed with Rue it is certain that 

 all witches must fly from it. In Argentina grows the 

 Nightmare flower, Flor de Pesadilla. The witches of 

 that region extract from it a drug which causes night- 

 mare lasting all night long, and they contrive to give 

 it to whoever they wish to torment. Besides these. 

 Pennyroyal and Henbane, Chervil and Vervain, Poppies, 

 Mandrakes, Hemlock and Dittany were specially used by 

 witches in making spells. Valerian, Wormwood, Elder, 

 Pimpernel, Angelica, and all yellow flowers growing in 

 hedgerows are antagonistic to them. Their dislike to 

 yellow flowers may have arisen from these being often 

 dedicated to the sun, and being therefore repellent 

 to lovers of gloom and mystery. Angelica preserved 

 the wearer from the power of witches or spells, and is, 



