Folk-Lore
grund.” The former was the result of the evil prayer or wish of some wicked person skilled in the black art, the latter was the supernatural influence of trows or hillfolk. When a person fell sick, some skilful neighbour was at once called in and the person carefully examined.
If there was any tendency to shortness of breathing, the patient was asked to “pick the mills.” This was done by repeating the following without drawing breath:
“Four-and-twenty millstanes hang upon a waa,
He was a good picker that picked them aa:
Picked ene,
Picked twa,
Picked tree,
Picked four,
Picked five,
Picked six,
Picked seven,
Picked eight,
Picked nine,
Picked ten,
Picked 'leven,
Picked twal,
Picked thirteen,
Picked fourteen,
Picked fifteen,
Picked sixteen,
Picked seventeen,
Picked eighteen,
Picked nineteen,
Picked twenty,
Picked twenty-one,
Picked twenty-two,
Picked twenty-three.
Picked twenty-four.”
If the patient could pick eighteen to
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