Shilo: A Devonshire Folk-TaleAuthor(s): W. P. MerrickSource: Folklore, Vol. 22, No. 1 (Mar. 31, 1911), pp. 48-49Published by: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. on behalf of Folklore Enterprises, Ltd.Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1254955 .

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COLLECTANEA.

SHILO: A DEVONSHIRE FOLK-TALE.

THE following tale was noted down from the recital of a Devon- shire lady on July 2oth, I909. She learnt it from an old nurse who came from Ottery St. Mary about fifty years ago.

There was once a farmer walking through his fields thinking very sorrowfully of the bad times and how he should find means to pay his next rent. All at once he heard weeping and wailing, and a voice exclaiming,-" Oh dear, oh dear, I've lost my shilo ! What shall I do, what shall I do, I've lost my shilo ! Where's my shilo, where's my shilo ? What shall I do ?"

The farmer, looking over the hedge, saw a little wizened man, and, although he had never seen a pixy before, he knew it must be a pixy. "Poor little chap," says he, "they zems to have their troubles as well as us mortals."

Going on a little further through the fields, he came to some hayricks. Between two of the hayricks he espies a little brown bundle crying feebly, picks it up, and takes it home to his wife, who was very fond of children, not having any of her own. The old lady had got some hot toast and cider down by the fire warming for her husband against he came in. She took out some of the soaked bread and put it into the little baby's mouth, which revived it very quickly. The old lady was delighted with the little brown baby, and wanted to keep it for her own; but during dinner her husband happened to mention that he had seen the poor old pixy crying for the loss of his shilo.

"You old fule," says the old woman, "can't 'ee put two and two together? If I'd only knawed 'bout thicky pixy avore, I

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Collectanea. Collectanea.

should'n a kept the cheeld so long. Make haste, put on your hat, and take the cheeld down to the old pixy, for if he knaws us be keepin' un yer he'll lead us a pretty dance. You knaws what ticklish little chaps they be."

The farmer hastened to put on his hat and wrap up the little child, who by this time was laughing and chirping merrily. The farmer went to the place where he had seen the pixy, found no traces of the little man, and returned home. His wife was very worried, although she cuddled and kissed the little baby, wishing all the time it were her own.

Late that evening the farmer again sallied forth with the baby wrapped up warmly, and to his great delight heard again the mournful wail,-" Where's my shilo? I've lost my shilo !"

He called out to the old man, who was quickly at his side, and in his great delight seized the baby and rushed off with it without thanking the farmer.

That night with their toast and cider the old couple bemoaned their fate at having kept the child so long, as they feared the pixies would be angry and pay them out. But to their great surprise next morning on coming down stairs they found the kitchen fire lit, the breakfast ready, and the house swept; and when the farmer went into the yard and fields he found the corn threshed, and the work that would have taken him the whole day all finished. And every morning they found that during the night every bit of the work of the farm had been done and of the house; so that they had to hire no labour, grew quite rich, and were happy ever after.

W. P. MERRICK.

A FOLKLORE SURVEY OF COUNTY CLARE (continued from vol. xxi, p. 487).

XI. Charms, Amulets, and Magical Rites.

Cursing Stones.-In some cases the use of the round stones generally,-but not by the peasantry,-called "cursing stones" is not for magical purposes, and there is often no belief in their efficacy for good or evil. For example, the rounded stones on

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should'n a kept the cheeld so long. Make haste, put on your hat, and take the cheeld down to the old pixy, for if he knaws us be keepin' un yer he'll lead us a pretty dance. You knaws what ticklish little chaps they be."

The farmer hastened to put on his hat and wrap up the little child, who by this time was laughing and chirping merrily. The farmer went to the place where he had seen the pixy, found no traces of the little man, and returned home. His wife was very worried, although she cuddled and kissed the little baby, wishing all the time it were her own.

Late that evening the farmer again sallied forth with the baby wrapped up warmly, and to his great delight heard again the mournful wail,-" Where's my shilo? I've lost my shilo !"

He called out to the old man, who was quickly at his side, and in his great delight seized the baby and rushed off with it without thanking the farmer.

That night with their toast and cider the old couple bemoaned their fate at having kept the child so long, as they feared the pixies would be angry and pay them out. But to their great surprise next morning on coming down stairs they found the kitchen fire lit, the breakfast ready, and the house swept; and when the farmer went into the yard and fields he found the corn threshed, and the work that would have taken him the whole day all finished. And every morning they found that during the night every bit of the work of the farm had been done and of the house; so that they had to hire no labour, grew quite rich, and were happy ever after.

W. P. MERRICK.

A FOLKLORE SURVEY OF COUNTY CLARE (continued from vol. xxi, p. 487).

XI. Charms, Amulets, and Magical Rites.

Cursing Stones.-In some cases the use of the round stones generally,-but not by the peasantry,-called "cursing stones" is not for magical purposes, and there is often no belief in their efficacy for good or evil. For example, the rounded stones on

D

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