volume of smoke
arose like a tower, reaching to the top of a hill where lived some
notorious enchanted Moors and wizards; so that between the wolf and the
said Moors the distance was covered by a tunnel of smoke and fire. Then
the wise woman intoned the following words, closing her eyes, and
bidding the rest do so until she should tell them they might open
them:--

"Spirit of the mighty wind
That across the desert howls,
Help us here to unbind
All the spells of dreaded ghouls;
Through the path of smoke and fire
Rising to the wizards' mound,
Bid the cursed mark retire
From this creature on the ground;
Bid him take his shape again,
Free him from the Crescent's power,
May the holy Cross remain
On his temple from this hour."

She now made the sign of the Cross over the head of the wolf, and
continued:--

"River, winding to the west,
Stay thy rippling current, stay,
Jordan's stream thy tide has blest,
Help us wash this stain away;
Bear it to the ocean wide,
Back to Saracenic shore.
Those who washed in thee have died
But to live for evermore."

Then she sprinkled a few drops over the fire, which caused a larger
amount of smoke, and exclaimed--

"Hie thee, spirit, up through smoke,
Quenched by water and by fire;
Hie thee far from Christian folk,
To the wizard's home retire.
Open wide your eyelids now,
All the smoke has curled away;
'Neath the peaceful olive bough
Let us go, and let us pray."

Then they all rose, and the wolf was no longer there. The fire had
burned itself out, and the stream was again running. In slow procession
they went to the olive grotto, headed by the wise woman; and, after
praying, they returned to the house, where they found, to their delight,
John fast asleep in his bed; but his arms showed signs of bruises which
had been caused by the cudgelling he had received when he was caught in
the trap.

There were great rejoicings that day in the village of Darque; and no
one was better pleased than John at having regained his proper shape.

He was never known to join in the inhuman sport of hunting wolves for
pleasure, because, as he said, although they may not be wolf-children,
they do but obey an instinct which was given them; and to be
kind-hearted is to obey a precept which was given us. And, owing to the
introduction into Portugal of the Book in