he islanders, like all the Irish, believe that the fairies are the fallen
angels who were cast down by the Lord God out of heaven for their sinful
pride. And some fell into the sea, and some on the dry land, and some fell
deep down into hell, and the devil gives to these knowledge and power, and
sends them on earth where they work much evil. But the fairies of the earth
and the sea are mostly gentle and beautiful creatures, who will do no harm if
they are let alone, and allowed to dance on the fairy raths in the moonlight
to their own sweet music, undisturbed by the presence of mortals. As a rule,
the people look on fire as the great preservative against witchcraft, for the
devil has no power except in the dark. So they put a live coal under the
churn, and they wave a lighted wisp of straw above the cow's head if the beast
seems sickly. But as to the pigs, they take no trouble, for they say the
devil has no longer any power over them now. When they light a candle they
cross themselves, because the evil spirits are then clearing out of the house
in fear of the light. Fire and Holy Water they hold to be sacred, and are
powerful; and the best safeguard against all things evil, and the surest test
in case of suspected witchcraft.
