Some persons are possessed naturally with the power of the Evil Stroke,
but it is not considered at all so unlucky as the Evil Eye; for the
person who has it does not act from intentional malice but from
necessity, from a force within him which acts without his will, and
often to his deep regret: as in hurling matches, where a chance stroke
of his may do serious injury, and even the dust of the earth raised by
his foot has blinded his opponent for a week.
One day a young man, while wrestling with another in play at a fair,
where they met by chance, struck him on the arm, which immediately
became fixed and powerless as stone. His friends brought him home, but
nothing would restore the power of the arm or bring back the life; so
after he had lain in this state for three days his family sent for the
young man who had struck him, to ask for his help. When he came and saw
the arm stiff as stone, he anointed it all over with spittle, making
also the sign of the cross; and after some time the arm began to move
again with life, and finally was quite restored. But the young man of
the Evil Stroke was so dismayed at this proof of the strange power in
him, that he would never again join in sports for fear of some unlucky
accident.
The power, however, is sometimes very useful, as in the case of attack
from a bull or a ferocious dog; for a touch from the hand of a person
possessing the Evil Stroke at once quells the madness in the animal,
who will crouch down trembling with fear, and become as incapable of
doing injury as if suddenly and powerfully mesmerized.
But the power does not come by volition, only at intervals; and the
person possessing it does not himself know the moment when it can be
effectively exercised.
Women, also, have the mysterious gift of this strange occult force,
and one young girl was much dreaded in the country in consequence; for
anything struck by her, beast or man, became instantly paralyzed, as
if turned to stone. One day, at a hurling match, she threw a lump of
clay at the winner in anger, because her own lover had failed to win
the prize. Immediately the young victor fell down stunned and lifeless,
and was so carried home to his mother. Then they sent in all haste
for the young girl to restore him to consciousness; but she was so
frightened at her own evil work that she went and hid herself. Finding
it then impossible to bring her, his friends sent for the fairy doctor,
who, by dint of many charms and much stroking, at last restored the
young man to life. The girl, however, was in such dread of the curses
of the mother, that she fled, and took service in a distant part of
the country. And all the people rejoiced much over her departure from
amongst them.
Yet it was considered lucky in some ways to have a fairy-stricken child
in the house, for the fairies generally did a good turn by the family
to compensate for the evil. And so there was always plenty of butter in
the churn, and the cattle did not sicken wherever there was a stricken
child.
* * * * *
It is also lucky to employ a half-simpleton about the farm, and to be
kind to the deaf and dumb, and other afflicted creatures. No one in
Ireland would harm them or turn them out of their way, and they always
get food and drink for the asking, without any payment being thought of
or accepted.