Read Online Folklore of Lincolnshire by Susanna O'Neill - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Susanna O'Neill
Ads: Link
breath as, when the cat awoke, it circled round the group and then climbed up Fan’s lap and then onto her shoulder, where it settled, purring contentedly. She was immediately branded a witch and the cat was labelled as her witch’s familiar, sure evidence of her dark arts. Poor Fan o’ the Fens was shunned by all the villagers and even her sweetheart, Simon Girsby, left her for another woman, Rose Hipkin. The lad, however, began to put on weight and everyone noticed that since leaving Fan, he was becoming fatter and fatter. He consulted a white wizard, who told him he was under the spell of a witch and that the witch would be revealed to him that very day, burning.
On the way home, Simon had to pass by Fan’s house and as he did so, she ran out, covered in flames and screaming for help. She nearly died and was badly burnt but still protested her innocence. The spell seemed to have been lifted from Simon, however, and he was soon as slim as he had ever been.
People began to notice that Fan’s temperament started to change and she began to play neighbours off against each other, causing trouble and seeming to hate the villagers as much as they hated her. One such neighbour was Thomas Friskney, who had to pass her house every day, but each time his horses refused to go past the cottage, until one day he was so fed up that he shouted a curse on all witches. Fan was seen to overhear him and some time later, Thomas was taken ill with great pain in his chest. It was discovered he had a live snake inside him and the villagershad to use an old method of tempting the snake out with a bowl of fresh milk, as that is the only way to lure a snake out, if you should ever accidentally swallow one, tail first!
The ruins of Monks Abbey, Lincoln. Found along Monks Road, the abbey once stood beside a leafy lane in open fields, above the deep River Witham. Now the ruins are situated within a housing estate, having being swallowed up by the city.
It was rumoured that Fan o’ the Fens would regularly fly out on a stick to meet the Devil in the dark marshes when there was a full moon and the people decided to try and catch her in the act. The only drawback was that if one were to see this Devil worshipping on the night of a full moon, it was certain the watcher would die within the year – only a wiseman was exempt from the rule. So, the local wiseman was appointed the task of watching Fan’s house and settled himself in the bushes opposite on the night in question. After a while, he heard voices and chanting coming from an upstairs room, then a window opened and he watched Fan fly out on a broom, followed by numerous other witches. He entered the house and searched her room, finding evidence of Devil worship, and then went back to hide in the bushes. When Fan and the others arrived back at dawn, the wiseman knocked loudly on her door. He pushed past her when she opened it and stormed to her room to catch the others, but the room was empty and all signs of Devil worship had disappeared. Only Fan was left, so he caught her and took her to the localconstable. The girl was put on trial, where many gave evidence against her, including the wiseman and Simon Girsby, but it was deemed that there was not sufficient proof to condemn her. She was freed, but some of the villagers and the wiseman were so outraged that they forced their way into her house and took the poor girl to the local pond. There they gave her the ultimatum of either confessing to being a witch, or being plunged into the river. Of course, the girl confessed and said all the allegations against her were true but the villagers were in such a frenzy now that they submerged Fan into the river anyway and nearly drowned her. Then they beat her with sticks and drove her out of the village with warnings never to return. The locals celebrated the expulsion of the witch and Fan o’ the Fens was never seen in those parts again.
The River Lud, which runs through Louth.
It was not just
On the way home, Simon had to pass by Fan’s house and as he did so, she ran out, covered in flames and screaming for help. She nearly died and was badly burnt but still protested her innocence. The spell seemed to have been lifted from Simon, however, and he was soon as slim as he had ever been.
People began to notice that Fan’s temperament started to change and she began to play neighbours off against each other, causing trouble and seeming to hate the villagers as much as they hated her. One such neighbour was Thomas Friskney, who had to pass her house every day, but each time his horses refused to go past the cottage, until one day he was so fed up that he shouted a curse on all witches. Fan was seen to overhear him and some time later, Thomas was taken ill with great pain in his chest. It was discovered he had a live snake inside him and the villagershad to use an old method of tempting the snake out with a bowl of fresh milk, as that is the only way to lure a snake out, if you should ever accidentally swallow one, tail first!
The ruins of Monks Abbey, Lincoln. Found along Monks Road, the abbey once stood beside a leafy lane in open fields, above the deep River Witham. Now the ruins are situated within a housing estate, having being swallowed up by the city.
It was rumoured that Fan o’ the Fens would regularly fly out on a stick to meet the Devil in the dark marshes when there was a full moon and the people decided to try and catch her in the act. The only drawback was that if one were to see this Devil worshipping on the night of a full moon, it was certain the watcher would die within the year – only a wiseman was exempt from the rule. So, the local wiseman was appointed the task of watching Fan’s house and settled himself in the bushes opposite on the night in question. After a while, he heard voices and chanting coming from an upstairs room, then a window opened and he watched Fan fly out on a broom, followed by numerous other witches. He entered the house and searched her room, finding evidence of Devil worship, and then went back to hide in the bushes. When Fan and the others arrived back at dawn, the wiseman knocked loudly on her door. He pushed past her when she opened it and stormed to her room to catch the others, but the room was empty and all signs of Devil worship had disappeared. Only Fan was left, so he caught her and took her to the localconstable. The girl was put on trial, where many gave evidence against her, including the wiseman and Simon Girsby, but it was deemed that there was not sufficient proof to condemn her. She was freed, but some of the villagers and the wiseman were so outraged that they forced their way into her house and took the poor girl to the local pond. There they gave her the ultimatum of either confessing to being a witch, or being plunged into the river. Of course, the girl confessed and said all the allegations against her were true but the villagers were in such a frenzy now that they submerged Fan into the river anyway and nearly drowned her. Then they beat her with sticks and drove her out of the village with warnings never to return. The locals celebrated the expulsion of the witch and Fan o’ the Fens was never seen in those parts again.
The River Lud, which runs through Louth.
It was not just
Similar Books
