the infant the danger of robbery passes away; and a prayer-book is
also placed under the pillow of the newly-made mother, who is at that
time specially liable to fall under the power of the underground folk.
Indeed a prayer-book, or the mere repetition of a Paternoster, is
equally valuable with a Bible for these purposes; and if, by the neglect
of any of these precautions, an opportunity be given to the foe, the
child may yet be saved by the utterance of the name of Jesus Christ at
the moment when the change is being effected. Holy water and the sign of
the cross, in Ireland, or a rosary blessed by a priest, in Picardy,
enjoy a similar reputation.[62]

All these means of prevention are veneered with some sort of
Christianity; but there are others which display Heathenism naked and
unblushing. While a child in Mecklenburg remains unbaptized it is
necessary to burn a light in the chamber. Nor is the superstition
confined to one district: it is common all over Germany and Denmark; it
was once common in England; it is found in Ireland; it is found among
the Lithuanians on the shores of the Baltic; it was practised by the
ancient Romans, and appears to be a relic of the sacred character
anciently imputed to fire. In the island of Lewis fire used to be
carried round women before they were churched and children before they
were christened, both night and morning; and this was held effectual to
preserve both mother and infant from evil spirits, and (in the case of
the infant) from being changed. The Sad Dar, one of the sacred books of
the Parsees, contains directions to keep a continual fire in the house
during a woman's pregnancy, and after the child is born to burn a lamp
for three nights and days--a fire, indeed, is declared to be better--"so
that the demons and fiends may not be able to do any damage and harm."
By way of enforcing this precept we are told that when Zoroaster was
born, a demon came at the head of a hundred and fifty other demons,
every night for three nights, to slay him, but they were put to flight
by seeing the fire, and were consequently unable to hurt him.[63]

Iron or steel, in the shape of needles, a key, a knife, a pair of tongs,
an open pair of scissors, or in any other shape, if placed in the
cradle, secured the desired end. In Bulgaria a reaping-hook is placed in
a corner of the room for the same purpose. I shall not stay now to
discuss the reason why supernatural beings dread and dislike iron. Th