OWLS IN A VILLAGE 177 



silent wings, and very suddenly dropping on to 

 the shoulder of any person — man, woman, or 

 child — who happened to be out of doors. Men 

 would utter savage maledictions when they felt 

 the demon claws suddenly clutch them ; girls 

 shrieked and fled to the nearest cottage, into 

 which they would rush, palpitating with terror. 

 Then there would be a laugh, for it was only 

 the tame owl ; but the same terror would be 

 experienced on the next occasion, and young 

 women and children were afraid to venture out 

 after nightfall lest the ghostly creature with 

 luminous eyes should pop down upon them. 



At length, one morning the bird came not 

 back from his night -wandering, and after two 

 days and nights, during which he had not been 

 seen, he was given up for lost. On the third 

 day Mr. Andrews was in his orchard, when, 

 happening to pass near a clump of bushes, he 

 heard the owl's note of recognition very faintly 

 uttered. The poor bird had been in hiding at 

 that spot the whole time, and when taken up 

 was found to be in a very weak condition and 

 to have one leg broken. No doubt one of the 

 villagers on whose shoulders it had sought to 



