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A472 ACCOUNT OF DANISH LAPLAND BY LEEMS.
Another foolifhly related that fhe had given a little wool to her familiar friend, mixed
with corn, to take toa cow; and added, that the cow, on receiving this medicine, burit
on the laying on of her hand, and that the wool after her death was found in a large
opening in the flefhy part of the thigh, without once hurting the flefh. Another faid,
that fhe had got milk from the cows of other people by applying a horn to their belly,
and by milking them in another’s name; the effect of this was that the cow firft gave
milk, then blood, and expired.
As forcereffes have feigned that they can injure man and beaft by their magic, fo alfo
have they afferted that they can reftore not only man, by the putting on of their hand
three times, by fumigating with a lighted fpunge the infide garment of a man, but alfo
that they can reftore cattle. And for this purpofe, on the Lord’s Day, they bring into
the church with them fome falt, when the herds do not fatten, and run over fome re-
proachful and very ridiculous lines, when the milk fails in the cattle, the argument of
which is not worth reciting.
Witches have afcribed to themfelves, in their traditions, a variety of other ridiculous
facts. One has faid, 1. That fhe gave a fpongy piece of wood to a young man, faftened
toa ftone, with this injunction, that whenever a huge wave attacked him, cafting that into
the fea, he fhould invoke her three times by name, and that the wave would bring him
noharm. 2. hat fhe had given to certain young men a-drink made up of fea-water,
of {mall beer, of whey, of river water, and of ginger, to prevent their dying at fea; that
this was not to be drunk, but taken with a {poon, if it was to effect the purpofe intended.
3. That fhe had given to a young man a linen thread, to another a woollen thread, to be
faftened to the hook, promifing them good fortune in fifhing. Another feigned that fhe
had croffed the fea from Vafoe to Kiberg,carried on broomtticks, the other who accompa-
nied her riding on a black fheep. Another faid that with other witches, by magic art,
fhe had driven the fifhes from the fhore. At this inhuman work one exhibited herfelf
in the form of a great fith, called Storje; another, in her own form, was covered with a
black plate on the breaft, a veil made out of a certain fky-coloured cloth, with a red
mitre, adorned with golden taflels, and a white collar, and feated on the fea, and
covered with fea-weed ; fhe held one in her hand, called Tare-/eg, which approached to
the likenefs of a horfe-whip, by which fhe drove away the fifh. Another faid that fhe,
in the likenefs of a whale, did the fame. Another witch lyingly related that fhe, walk-
ing on the fea, could colleét the liver of fifth in a bucket, which fhe held in her hand.
Another faid that fhe could transform herfelf into a cat, for which purpofe an evil ge-
nius would procure for her the blood of that animal, with which fhe would befmear
herfelf, and her fkin for a covering. Of another it was related, that fhe had granted a
fhelter to a cat at her door, in a tub, who brought her whatever fhe wanted from an
place fhe was fent to. Another was accufed of having a green cat, called Smor-Kar,
who fetched her from the pantry of others whatever fhe was in want of.
Even in our times there is a rumour among the common people, that forcerefles had
chofen various places deftined for their meetings, which they called Bal-Volde; fuch
were Lyderhorn, a mountain fo called at Bergen; the Bald-Vold, in Vardoe, in eaftern
Finmark ; the Bald-Vold, in a place called Omgang, in eaftern Finmark alfo, the fame
mountain, fituated in the fame region; Domen mountain, and Doffre, the fouthern part
extending to Chriftiana, and the northern to the diocefe of Drontheim, the Mount Hecla,
in Iceland. In thofe places, at certain times of the year, efpecially on the feaft of the Na-
tivity of Chrift, and the feaft on the eve of St. John, fixty and upwards are faid to aflemble
in the fhape of dogs, cats, wolves, crows, and other animals, when drinking together ftrong
beer, water, and honey, they divert themfelves in the dance and in play. What more—
having
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