The fairies are very desirous to abduct handsome cows and carry them
off to the fairy palace under the earth; and if a farmer happens
to find one of his stock ailing or diseased, the belief is that
the fairies have carried off the real good animal, and sent an old
wizened witch to take the form of the farmer’s cow. It is therefore
to neutralize the fairy spells that the cattle are driven through
the fire on St. John’s Eve; and other devices are employed—a bunch of
primroses is very effective tied on the tail, or a hot coal run down
the cow’s back to singe the hair.
One evening a boy was driving home his father’s cows when a fairy
blast arose in the form of a whirlwind of dust, on which the cows took
fright, and one of them ran upon a fairy rath. The boy followed to turn
her back, when he was met and stopped by an old witch-woman.
“Let her alone, Alanna,” she cried, “she is on our ground now, and you
can’t take her away. So just run home and tell your father that on
this day twelvemonth the cow will be restored to him, and bring a fine
young calf along with her. But the fairies want her badly now, for our
beautiful queen down there is fretting her life out for want of some
milk that has the scent of the green grass in it and of the fresh upper
air. Now don’t fret, Alanna, but trust my words. There, take yon hazel
stick and strike the cow boldly three times on the head, that so the
way may be clear we have to travel.”
With that the boy struck the animal as he was desired, for the old
witch-woman was so nice and civil that he liked to oblige her, and
immediately after she and the cow vanished away as if they had sunk
into the earth.
However, the father minded the time, and when that day year came round
he sent his son to the fairy rath to see if the witch had kept her
promise, and there truly was the cow standing quite patiently, and a
fine white calf by her side. So there were great rejoicings when he
brought them home, for the fairies had kept their promise and behaved
honourably, as indeed they always do when properly treated and trusted.
* * * * *
Not but that the fairies will do wicked things sometimes, and, above
all, steal the milk when they get a chance, or skim the cream off the
milk crocks.
A farmer had a fine cow that was the pride of his farm and gave
splendid milk, but suddenly the animal seemed ailing and queer; for
she gave no milk, but went every morning and stood under the old
hawthorn-tree quite quietly as if some one were milking her.
So the man watched the place at milking time, and as usual down the
field came the cow and took up her position close under the old
hawthorn. Then the farmer beheld the trunk of the tree open, and out of
the cleft came a little witch-woman all in red, who milked the cow in a
vessel she had with her, and then she retreated into the tree again.
Here was devil’s work in earnest, so thought the farmer, and he
hastened off for the greatest fairy doctor in the country. And when he
came the cow was singed all along its back with a live coal; and then
an incantation was said over it, but no one heard the words the fairy
doctor uttered; after this he gave the animal a strong potion to drink,
but no one knew the herbs of which it was made. However, the next day
the cow was quite restored, and gave her milk as heretofore, and the
spell was broken for ever and ever, after they had drawn a circle round
the old hawthorn-tree with a red-hot piece of iron taken from the
hearth; for neither witch nor fairy can pass a circle of fire.