1915.] REPOKTS. 205 



opposition. There is a widespread belief in this fatalistic 

 theory running through Guernsey folklore, and it naturally 

 pieces on to the other beliefs to which I have just referred. 

 1 had an amusing instance of this fatalism some time ago : — 



I was going down to the Library as usual one morning 

 when, in passing through the Plaiderie, I overtook a young 

 woman who was also going townwards, in the same direction 

 as myself. At the same time another young woman was 

 coming from the Pollet in an opposite direction. They were 

 evidently both very respectable young people, and of about 

 the same station in life — probably engaged in some businesses 

 in the town. Whether they knew one another or not I 

 cannot say. As they neared each other I casually noticed 

 that the damsel from the Pollet was staring somewhat 

 aggressively at the one from the Plaiderie. And the Plaiderie 

 didn't like it. On the contrary she greatly resented it. 

 So just as the girls met, the Plaiderie, pulling herself 

 together and ruffling her feathers, said : " Well, Miss, do I 

 owe you anything?" "Go along, you cocknosed thing," 

 replied the Pollet, " and don't lose your temper ! " " Well, 

 retorted the Plaiderie, " If I am a cocknosed thing, I'm as 

 God Almighty made me, and its no business of yours." 

 Brief as the whole incident was, there was, to my mind, 

 something remarkable about it. The suddenness of the 

 onslaught and the readiness of the repartee, also the strong 

 sense of fatalism that pervaded it. After the scrimmage I 

 glanced at the Plaiderie and, well, I won't say she was a 

 " cocknosed thing," because it's rude — but certainly, in 

 Tennyson's politer phrase, she was a little " tip-tilted like the 

 petal of a flower." Evidently from her retort to the Pollet, 

 the Plaiderie thought that somewhere in the far-away a3ons 

 of a bygone eternity it had been written in the Book of Fate 

 that her facial features were to be of a particular type and 

 she accepted the conditions and was content. 



It would be easy to add many more similar stories, as 

 told in perfect good faith by the alleged participants, but the 

 Report is too long already, and the remainder of the matter 

 must wait. 



J. LiNWOOD Pitts, 



Hon. Sec. Folklore Section. 



Report of the Geological Section. 



Owing to the absence of organised excursions during 

 the continuance of the War, there has been no work done 



