MEETINGS. 277 



the ground for their parsnip crop, that they should begin it whilst 

 eating the bread baked at Christmas. A man was thought to have 

 done well if he dug four perches a day. " La beque de Guernesi " 

 was a spade made by the country blacksmiths of the island. The 

 blade was heart-shaped ; the upper portion of the blade, as well as 

 the handle, being of wood (generally ash), and the lower half or tip 

 of the blade of steel. 



L'TRONQUET DE NOUE.-THE CHRISTMAS LOG. 



It was also the custom to reserve the root, or part of the trunk, 

 of a large tree for burning on the fire at Christmas, a practice similar 

 to that of the English Yule-log. " Au matin du jour de Noue tous 

 les fouars sont etoupa'is." — "On the morning of Christmas Day all 

 the ovens are shut." It being the custom in the country to bake the 

 Christmas dinner in the oven. 



LA CHEVAUCHERIE DANES.-THE DONKEY'S CAVALCADE. 



When, in family quarrels, the good lady of the house had given 

 her beloved husband a good, sound thrashing, it was the custom for 

 some young man representing the injured husband to go in proces- 

 sion, accompanied by friends and neighbours all mounted on donkeys, 

 the friends leading the way and a mob following the procession, to 

 the music of old pots, pans and kettles. In this fashion they went, 

 calling from house to house, to be regaled with cider, the afflicted 

 husband's representative plaintively calling out, from time to time, 

 "Ma femme m'a battu ! Ma femme m'a battu ! " — "My wife has 

 thrashed me ! My wife has thrashed me ! " 



FOLK MEDICINE. 



Le mal d'la fontaine. 



The well disease. — This is a sort of swelling above the instep, 

 also sometimes on the arms and hands, and it is cured by washing 

 the part with water from certain much-reputed springs or wells. 



Le mal du roi. 



The king's evil. — The seventh successive son of a family, born 

 without sisters between, is believed to be "un docteur pour gueri 

 l'mal du roi," " a doctor who can cure the king's evil." 



Le mal d'l'eglise. 



The church disease is cured by the patient walking several times 

 round the parish church. 



La poumillere. 



A disease of cattle, in which the animals grow lean and in poor 

 condition from their not feeding properly. This is cured by some old 

 person who makes a hole in the small part of the animal's brisket, 

 and passes through it the root of the herb "pommelee," or hellebore 

 ( 'Heleborus foetidus ) '. The result is considerable suppuration of the 

 part, and in some cases a cure is effected. (See Metivier's Diction- 

 naire Franco- Normand, page 400). The remedy is called " Passai la 

 Poumillere." 



