the west; for the sun has an evil eye, and his glance produces
brain fevers; and let them not sleep uncovered beneath the smile of
the moon, for her glance is poisonous, and produces insupportable
itching in the eye, and not unfrequently blindness.

The northern nations have a superstition which bears some
resemblance to the evil eye, when allowance is made for
circumstances. They have no brilliant sun and moon to addle the
brain and poison the eye, but the grey north has its marshes, and
fenny ground, and fetid mists, which produce agues, low fevers, and
moping madness, and are as fatal to cattle as to man. Such
disorders are attributed to elves and fairies. This superstition
still lingers in some parts of England under the name of elf-shot,
whilst, throughout the north, it is called elle-skiod, and elle-
vild (fairy wild). It is particularly prevalent amongst shepherds
and cow-herds, the people who, from their manner of life, are most
exposed to the effects of the elf-shot. Those who wish to know
more of this superstition are referred to Thiele's - DANSKE
FOLKESAGN, and to the notes of the KOEMPE-VISER, or popular Danish
Ballads.



CHAPTER IX



WHEN the six hundred thousand men, (34) and the mixed multitude of
women and children, went forth from the land of Egypt, the God whom
they worshipped, the only true God, went before them by day in a