The book Arran; - Cook Clan

294 THE BOOK OF ARRAN
It was customary in meeting any person in the dark of night to address
him as if it might be the devil.
About twenty years back a native of Shisken, who was bed-ridden
for a long time owing to a badly sprained leg, took it into his head
that he was the victim of the evil-eye or else he was bewitched. As
nothing seemed to cure him, he secretly got an old man, John M'Alister,
who used to cure elf-shots ^ in cattle, to perform his incantations,
but he could not say whether he was either better or worse.
So strong a hold had this belief on the south end of the island, it
is only a few years since one Edward Cook died, who was credited
with being able to kill a litter of pigs or a foal by a single glance.
A PINCH of oatmeal sprinkled on a bee-hive protected the bees from
the evil-eye. I have seen it applied.
' '
Chuir e do shiiil air : He put his eye on it.—Gaelic expression
used to denote anything bewitched.
' Cronachas do shiila art' : I do not heed your eye.—Gaelic ex-
pression said in order to divert the evil-eye away from an object.
V
Witchcraft
Kilbride Session. June 3, 1705
Robert Stewart foresaid summoned cited and compearing, and
being interrogat if he called Mary Stewart a witch, confessed he
did, and that upon good grounds, in regard that she frequently
used charms, for healing of diseases.
Mary Stewart being asked whether she acknowledged what the
said Robert aledged against her, answered yea, but that she never
1 ' Elf-shots ' were supposed to be the cause of certain mysterious diseases in cattle.
These were believed to be due to penetration by a flint arrow-head or other stone
weapon associated in use with the fairies or elves. Such was the primitive archaeology.
In Ireland peasants wear such articles set in silver as charms against elf-shots, on the
principle of curing or warding off like by like, or more probably trusting to the
efficacy of the metal.