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‘snake takes the place of the wolf, and the ichneumon that of the dog ; while 
in Egypt the story says that a cook nearly killed a Wali, for smashing a pot 
full of herbs, and then discovered that among the herbs their lurked a 
poisonous snake. It is safe to conclude that marvellous things, which are 
said to have happened in so many places, never happened anywhere.” 
When we consider the origin and gradual evolution of stories such as 
these, and the way in which they are handed down from father to son through 
innumerable generations, we can hardly be surprised that certain notions of 
‘disease and its treatment have become so ingrained in the minds of many, 
that time and education alone will be able to efface them. 
We may here give a few examples. According to the rural populace of 
‘many parts of England, there is a disease of cattle, called the tail worm, also 
spoken of by some as the “wolf.” It is believed to be discovered by a 
‘softness between some of the joints of the tail. In these cases it is 
believed that it is necessary to slit open the under surface of the tail, and to 
rub in a certain mixture composed of salt, wood-soot, and garlic. When 
these absurd notions arose, one cannot tell, but although it has long been 
known to veterinarians that there is absolutely no such disease, yet the 
practices here described are still largely carried out. Moreover, many well- 
educated farmers and others also believe in the actual: existence of the-tail 
-worm, and in the necessity for these ill-devised practices. That many 
‘practices such as these had their origin in superstition is certain. The old 
practice, now abandoned, of placing a live frog down the throat of 
.a cow, for the cure of a certain malady, was.commonly adopted at the 
-commencement of the present century ; and is put down as a recognised 
plan of treatment in the Compendium of Farriery, published in 1790. The 
. only wonder, in looking through old and erroneous notions, is why certain of 
them are in full force zo-day, while others are as entirely given up. 
The evolution of the well-known story of Cinderella is so interesting, 
‘that we cannot help again quoting some passages from the above writer 
relating its origin in-full, This author writes :—“‘Let us see whether 
‘Cinderella is a British-born lady in disguise, or whether she came from some 
very old nursery in the East. She must have come therefrom, for we find 
the framework of the story in the Veda, where Cinderella is a dawn maiden! 
‘The aurora in her flight leaves no footsteps behind her, but the prince, 
Mitra—one of the Vedic names for the sun—while following the beautiful 
young girl, finds a slipper which shows her footstep and the size of her foot, 
so small that no other woman has a foot like it. This sun myth, which tells 
of a lost slipper, and of a prince who tries to find the foot to which it 
belongs, and who cannot overtake the chariot in which the maiden rides, is 
the source of the dear old tale. Cinderella, as you will remember, was 
beautiful only when in the ball-room or near the shining light. This means 
that the aurora is bright only when the sun is near; when he is away her 
dress is of sombre hue—she is a Czuderella, The Greek form of the tale 
says, that whilst Rhodope was bathing, an eagle snatched one of her slippers 
from her maid, and carried it to the King of Egypt, as he sat‘on his judgment 
