Smyrna times., 1875-10-27
N q sc eIIu22 e OWS.
Sprites and Bogies.


Fair Scotland, the Land O. Cakes is
peculiarly the home Of sprites and eoblins.
James Hoss, better known as the EttricJz
Shepherd, says, in his tale Of The Wool
ga'herer, aye had need take care how We
dispute the existence Of fairies. brownies,
and apparitions; We may as vel. dispute
the Gospel o ST. Matthew"
Tradition accounts for the existence of
these imps and elves and bogies in different
ways. 1t is said that when our Lord cast
the fallen angels out Of heaven, some fell
down on the hills and mountains, and be-
came hill folk; some fell into the elf moors.
and became the elf folk, and others fell
INTO dwellings, and hence the domestic
sprtes or brownies. Another legend goes
that while Eve was washing her children
oy the brook-side our Lord unexpectedly
appeared, and fearing His displeasure she
concealed those that were not washed. In
reply to His question if all her children
We're there, she answered eyes" Then
lie declared that those that she concealed
from Him should be forever concealed
from mankind, and at the same moment
they disappeared, and were buried under
the hills From them sprung the whole
race OF elves or underground folk.
The brownie IS the faithful ally of the
Scottish household. lie is believed to be
the ordained helper of mankind in the
drudgery entailod by sin. lie is the GOOD
genius Of all industrious people, and assists
them IN the performance of their work.
lie Is forbidden to receive wages, but has
an excellent appetite, and Is grateful for
gifts of food. His fayorite dish is a bowl
Of cream, and he is fond Of cakes made out
OF meal fresh from the mill, toasted and
spread over with honey. These are care.
fully prepared for him by the grateful /
housewives, and placed where he can find I
them. He mas an utter adherence of I
clothes, and is insultcd and offended if they .
are offered to him. A goodman Of the /
parish Of Glendevon, Wishing to reward
the brownie for his services, laid out some
clothing for him. In the middle of the
night the brownie discovered it. Highly
indignant, he instantly took his departure
from the house, calling out as he left,
Gle brownie coat, gle brownie sark.
Yese get nae mair Of brownies wark"
But all sprites are not Of the friendly
brownie order. There is Red-cap or Bloody
cap, cruel and malignant little elf. He is
described as a short. thickset old man, with
long prominent teeth, skinny fingers, large
eyes of fiery red color, grisly hair stream
ing over his shoulders, iron boots, pike
staff in his hand and red cap on his head.
lie is an ill-conditioned, malicious gablin.
who turks about the moors. When be-
nighted travellers pass his haunts, he filings
stones at them, and unless they make a
resistance, he will murder them
outright. He can be driven away, how
ever, by the repetition of few Scripture
words, or by holding up the cross When
thus routed, he vanishes in a flame Of fire,
yelling dismally, and leaving large tooth
on the spot where he was last seen.
Habetrot is the presiding genius Of the
spinning-wheel. The following legend is
A matron of the Border-land had fair
more fond of play than work, and
to whom spinning-the usual occupation
of women in those days-was intensely dis
agreeable. But the mother was distressed
by the idleness of her daughter, for no
Iassie' had any chance of good husband
who was not an industrious spinster. One
morning the guide-wife gave her seven
heads Of lint, requiring that they should be
within three days spun into yarn. The !
girl was wandering in the garden, lament (
ing her inability to perform the task, when {
appeared and performed the
work for her, so that she was able to re- '
turn the yarn to her mother at the re- :