The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-12-18
WAKEMAN'SW ANDERINGS
THE LITTLE MANX ISLAND AND
IT'S FOLK-IIL

IFS EOlIA-lll.
The Post Traveller Delves Among the
superstitions and Folk Lore of the
Manx Islanders-W eird Reminders
of Pagan Times-Maux Fairies, Elves,
Gnomes and Imps Proudly Retained
Memories Rather Than Scourging
Tyrants.
(CopvrI0htA
DOUGLAS, ISLE OF MAN, Dec. Sew
writers ever trouble themselves at all about
the Manx people. Those have invariably
set them down as extraordinarily super
stitious." Then they have Galloped away
leaving the Manxmen in mist and their
readers in mystery.
A truer statement regarding these inter
esting and sturdy people would be that they
have emerged from boundless superstition.
Everywhere one may go in Mainland are
found evidences of that extreme antiquity
which so impresses aud at times appalls the
student in Ireland and Cornwall. Coming
to later though still remote period one
cannot escape the conviction that the first
Celts of Ireland and the west of England
and the first people of Mainland were not
OuA1 VI COnuAOA otOCh, bub lOI
were, while psgRns, a people of common
language, customs and interest.
In the Interviewing OF paganism and
Christianity there was undoubtedly large
ecclesiastical sanction entertained toward
many of the superstirious practices of the
ancient Mnnx people. Long isolation from
the remainder of progressive England and
the retention of distinct language, in
which the gospel is still preached, In a few
Instances precisely as q friend of mine
breaches one Gaelic sermon per month in
the little old church of Fas-na-ykle, Strath-
glass, Scotland, fostered the clan theory of
society, aud left countless legends, supersti-
tons and customs among their stold
though stngularly impressionable and SEN
timental people
But have gradually come to know that,
however, grim vtsaged the face of the one
confiding the weird assertion Of uncanny be-
lief, secretly the masses of the people scout
and fout them all save those Of a tender and
winsome character. Briefly, Manx folk TO-
day reject the essen tial practices, but uni
versrlly insist on retaining the pleasure of
subscribing to the superstitions themselves
One illustration out of many which could
be given will serve to emphasize this con-
clusion. In olden times 10 was universal
custom here on retiring at New Years eve
for the family to carefully strew ashes upon
the floor, In the expectancy of finding the
next morning the impression of q fairy foot.
II was religiously believed that the direc-
ton of the foot predicted death, If toward
the door; and If toward the fireplace, an
increase In the household by birth or mar
riege. The custom Is quite as universal at
the present time; but the element of terror
is wholly eliminated; footprints are always
discovered pointing toward the fireplace;
and the superstition prevails only in its
gentle and kindly aspect to give added zest
to the merry holiday time.
In tracing Manx mythology there will be
found, precisely as in the q aelic mythology
Of Scotland and the Celtic mythology Of
Ireland, two classes of bugaboo immortals
One Of these consisted of imps and demons
having the power Of taking upon themselves
the form OF man or woman at will, and by
wooing men or women, aud particularly by
holding out ravishing promises OF i'm
mortality, leading them into fatal unions,
through which the souls of mortals so de-
luded were endlessly banished from heaven
The second class comprised semi-immortals
and lnagicians, wholly devoted to Druidism
and the black art Whether the latter had
existence. or were solely creatures of the
imagination, centuries behind them some
sort of folk really existed in ancient Manx>
land. Their wonderful skin In the erection
of sepulchral mounds, stone circles aud
menhirs, and In the making of metal
ornaments and delicatelY formed spear
heads, was such as co compel from a less
skillful and more warlke people the gradual
dedication Of the mysterious race, and their
eventual identification with local phantoms
and gods.
In the gradual evolution of Msnx fairies,
whose real origin was in the Finnish syl-
vans, satyrs and faunS, that portion of its
demonology providing implSh spirits of a
melevoient nature he's been largely extir-
pated. The IMAM of the hills, ~ the Identical
fellow found in the Irish and Scottish High
.1e xntao xxrfal Frll, d.
the Manx shepherds OF Snaefell and North
Barrule mountainsI found few who still
firmly believe IN his power for harm; who
recognize his voice in the soughing OF the
winds through the gorges; and when
troubled in conscience avoid the darkness of
night and leading their hooks to the lonelier
glens.
The banshee, the Hateful mother of grew
some brood in all originally Celtic countries,
has given way in Scotland to its host OF
'guid neibors" or Brownies. as mighty a
host OF good and i'll sprites in Ireland, and
In Mainland to an intangible army of
gnomes, elves and sprites. These in general
possess power Of rewarding the good aud
Furnishing for evil. A Wesleyan clergyman
named Corjaig few years ago undertook
to clay" them by stoutly declaring from
his pulpit that he saw them with his own
eyes depart in a body from the Bay of
Douglas in empty rum puncheons, scuddinR
before the wind in the direction of Jamaica
But the "wee people" are still safely en-
sconsed in the hearts and traditions OF
Manxmen, and cannot be deported and
marooned even by well-meaning clergymen.
One will still find among the Manx fisher
men farmers clear traces of exact congeners
Of the ancient water bulls and horses OF the
misty north of Scotland lochs. The tar
roo ushsey" is the wild water-bull and the
''glashtin' the furious water-horse Of Manx-
land. The former destroyed cattle, the lat-
ter left the sea to chase Maux ponies over
the mountain crags TO destruction. These
have no terrors now for Manxmen: but if
Ill befalls kline or horses, these creatures of
the misty days always return in the Preside
banter and gossip.
These folk have one remarkable friend
among the elves. He is called the
''phynnodderee." For some form of mis-
demeanor he was banished from elfiand and
became a satyr with shaggy hair. Those
who have seen him assert that he has feet
like an elk with a protruding spear-like
horn where the fetlook should be, enabling
him to scale walls and mountains at will,
One good old lady of 90 whom 1 found
among the glens of Snaefell, remembers dis
tincty an encounter with the 'phynnod.
deree" when she was still In her teens. She
was 'yarded," that is. legally made a