242 REPORTS. 



placed and fired. The direction in which the smoke travelled 

 would indicate whether the lady would recover. The experi- 

 ment was undertaken, and from the direction in which the 

 smoke blew death was predicted. The witch doctor, being 

 again visited, explained that the patient was under the 

 influence of the evil eye. To remove the spell the husband 

 was directed to open the front door at midnight, and if any- 

 body was discovered watching the house, that person would be 

 the culprit, and the spell could only be removed by drawing 

 his blood. The witch doctor's directions were again observed, 

 and, as ill-luck would have it, a harmless, but very garrulous 

 little man — not remarkable for his intelligence — was discovered 

 passing. The victim was inveigled into the house, where, 

 despite his spirited but unavailing protests, his throat was 

 deliberately cut. Happily the unfortunate man made his 

 escape, reported the event to the authorities, and was saved 

 by the skill of the doctor who told the story. The husband 

 was sentenced, I believe, to one month's imprisonment." 



In conclusion, I must relate a story which was handed 

 down to his descendants by the late Mr. Joseph Collings, 

 which recalls the legend of the Pied Piper of Hamelin. 



" At the end of the 18th or beginning of the 19th century 

 a beggar asked for food and permission to sleep the night in 

 the barn at Bon Air, near le Valnord. His request was 

 refused by the owner of the house, and he was promptly 

 ordered away from the door. The man went on to La 

 Fauconnaire and repeated his request. Here he was given 

 food and told he could sleep the night in one of the barns. 

 Next morning, before leaving, he told his benefactor that he 

 had no money to repay his kindness but, instead, he would rid 

 him of all the rats with which the buildings were infested. 

 From that day not a rat was to be seen at La Fauconnaire, 

 but a fortnight later Bon Air was swarming with them, and it 

 is said that troops of rats were seen crossing the Mill stream 

 of the Vrangue on their way thither from La Fauconnaire. 



Edith F. Carey, 



Sec. Folklore Section. 



