wn by six black horses, driven by the
"Ankou," or Phantom of Death, with an iron whip. They also have full faith
in the Washerwomen of the Night (Lavandieres de la Nuit), who wash the
shrouds for the dead, and fill the air with their melodious songs:--

"Si chretien ne vient nous sauver,
Jusqu'au jugement faut laver:
Au clair de la lune, au bruit du vent,
Sous la neige, le linceul blanc."

"If no good soul our hands will stay,
We must toil on till judgment-day:
In strong wind or clear moonlight,
We must wash the death-shroud white."

They engage the passer-by to help them in wringing the linen; if he
refuses, they drown him in their washing trough, or suffocate him in a wet
sheet. Should he show himself ill-disposed, after having agreed to help
them, they dislocate his arm. If he wrings the wrong way, his fate is
inevitable; but if docile and obliging, they give him some clothes and
dismiss him.

[Illustration: 62. Rood-Screen or Jube, St Fiacre.]

A mile and a half from Le Faouet, on a height a little off the Quimperle
road, is the beautiful church of Saint Fiacre, dating from the middle of
the fifteenth century, celebrated for its carved wooden jube, or
rood-screen, and its painted glass. The church is falling to decay. It
would be tedious to enumerate all the figures, and describe the details of
this beautiful jube. The carving is a perfect tracery of lace-work. Three
large figures represent our Saviour and the two thieves. Then there are
the Virgin and St. Joseph; the latter, with carpenter's plane and hammer.
Below, Adam and Eve, and the Angel with the flaming sword. Two angels hold
cartouches, on one of which is inscribed, "L'an mil C/IIII XX/IIII (1480)
fut fait cette sculpture par Olivier de Loergan;" and, on the other,
"Cette passion fut peinte l'an 1627. Yves Perez fabricant. Tous repaint en
1866." Below are panels carved in the flamboyant style, of exquisite
workmanship. The two middle panels have the sacred monogram, those on the
east side ermines surrounded by cordelieres.

The side of the rood-loft facing the choir has pendents with grotesque
carvings of allegorical signification.

A man in an apple-tree, gathering the fruit, symbolizes theft. Next comes
a disgusting representation of gluttony: a man relieving himself of a pig
he has swallowed, the tail alone remaining in his mouth. Then follow a
young man and woman, gaily attired, emblematic of luxury. So far