The "Peller"

THE "PELLER"

A MAN who has resided at several places on the south coast was known by this name. He is said to be in possession of no end of charms, and to possess powers, of no common order, over this and the other world. "He is able," writes a friend, "to put ghosts, hobgoblins, and, I believe, even Satan himself; to rest. I have known farmers well informed in many other matters, and members of religious bodies, go to the 'Peller' to have the 'spirits that possessed the calves' driven out; for they, the calves, 'were so wild, they tore down all the wooden fences and gates, and must be possessed with the devil.'

"The 'Peller' always performs a cure; but as the evil spirits must go somewhere, and as it is always to be feared that they may enter into other calves or pigs, or, it may be, even possess the bodies of their owners themselves, the 'Peller' makes it imperative that a stone wall shall be built around the calves, to confine them for three times seven days, or until the next moon is as old as the present one. This precaution always results in taming the devils and the calves, and consequently in curing them--the 'Peller', usually sending the spirits to some very remote region, and chaining them down under granite rocks."

An old woman had long suffered from debility; but she and her friends were satisfied that she had been ill-wished. So she went to the "Peller." He told her to buy a bullock's heart, and. get a packet of pound pins. She was to stick the heart as full of' pins as she could, and "the body that ill-wished her felt every. pin run into the bullock's heart same as if they had been run into her." The spell was taken off; and the old woman grew strong.

An old man living on Lady Downs had a lot of money stolen from his house. He, too, went to the "Peller." In this case the magician performed the spells, and the man was told the money would be returned. After a few days, it was so; the money during the night, was tied to the handle of the door, and found there by the owner in the morning.