J. F. Campbell Collection > Minstrelsy of the Scottish border > Volume 2

THE SCOTTISH BORDER. 17fi
charms existed in Scotland, for procuring the restora-
tion of a child which had been thus stolen ; but the most
efficacious of them was supposed to be, the roasting of
the supposititious child upon the live embers, when it was
believed it would vanish, and the true child appear in
the place, whence it had been originally abstracted. *
It may be questioned if this experiment could now be
made without the animadversion of the law. Even that
which is pi'escribed in the following legend is rather
too hazardous for modern use.
" A certain woman having put out her child to nurse
" in the country, found, when she came to take it home,
" that its form was so much altered, that she scarce
" knew it ; nevertheless, not knowing what time might
" do, took it home for her own. But when, after some
*' years, it could neither speak nor go, the poor woman
" was fain to carry it, with much trouble, in her arms ;
" and one day, a poor man coming to the door, ' God
" bless you, mistress,' said he, ' and your poor child ;
" be pleased to bestow something on a poor man.' * Ah !
" this child,' replied she, * is the cause of all my sor-
" row,' and related what had happened, adding, more-
* Less perUous recipes were sometimes used. The editor is possess-
ed of a small relique, termed by tradition a toad-stone, the influence
of which was supposed to preserve pregnant women from the power of
daemons, and other dangers incidental to their situation. It has been
carefully preserved for several generations, was often pledged for (jon-
siderable sums of money, and uniformly redeemed from a belief in its
efficacy.