Island Demons
Long, long ago the people of Anglesey were frightened by a great storm. For days they remained hidden in their homes, afraid to go out because of the high wind, and the thunder and lightning. When the gale has passed far out to sea, and the thunder was a distant rumble, the people came out onto the cliffs to discover what harm the great storm had done. To their astonishment everything was much as it was before. The people laughed joyously, but an old, old man stepped forward and said in a quavering voice: "Take care! I warn you all. Storms never come alone. They always leave something behind."
As though in answer to his words a little boy called from the edge of the cliff: "Look! What is that out to sea?" The people looked and saw a boat approaching the island. "It is a strange boat," a man cried. "See it has no sails or oars." Those standing beside him, shaded their eyes and looked out to sea.
"Take care!" warned the old man who had first spoken. "You know what manner of people travel in boats without sails or oars." Those around him came nearer hoping he would advise and help them. The old man continued: "People who travel in such boats are wicked people. They have been bound in chains, and placed in the ship by men who live in distant lands, and then turned adrift on the sea. They belong to no land, but the demons claim them for their own"
The people of Anglesey did not wait to hear more. They rushed down to the beach to drive away the demon ship, but when they reached the shore the ship was at anchor, and the men and women had landed. The strange people took no notice of the people of Anglesey. They spoke an unknown language, and so it was difficult for the two peoples to understand each other.
"We will leave them alone," said the men of Anglesey. "Provided they do not harm us; they can build their huts on that rocky strip of land. We need pay no heed to them. They will go away again in the next storm." "Take care!" The old man cackled. "Do not forget they are demons."
Weeks went by. The demon people lived on their strip of land and kept to themselves. The men were smugglers, often venturing far away on their evil expeditions. They seldom came near the island people. The demon women sometimes came to spy on the villagers and tell their fortunes. As long as the demon people left them alone the villagers allowed them to remain on the coast. Later, however, the demons took to thieving, and the people of Anglesey decided it was time to rid themselves of their unwelcome guests. They armed themselves with weapons and went down to the shore, determined to drive the demons out to sea. "Take care!" warned the old man. But they paid no heed to him, so anxious were they to be rid of these evil visitors.
When the villagers were ready to start their attack, the demon people lined up on the beach and from their pockets took and then opened their handkerchiefs. The islanders thought they were going to wave them goodbye. "Take care!" said the old man who had followed them. From each handkerchief came a swarm of black insects, which attacked the islanders, blinding them and stinging them so they were glad to go back to the safety of their homes. After that, the islanders left the demon people alone, suffering their evil spells patiently, fearing that if they attacked again worse evil would befall them.
On the mountainside lived a young farmer named Tudor. His grandmother had been known as the wise woman, for she had power over good and evil spirits. The grandmother was now dead and Tudor lived in the old farmhouse alone. One evening Tudor had returned from the village and was sitting in his kitchen thinking of the harm the demons had done in the valley. "Something must be done," said Tudor to himself, "and I am the one to do it! Did not my wise old grandmother say that no evil spirit could curse me, for I have a birthmark in the shape of a cross on my right arm?"
He sat and thought what plan he could best follow. "I must do something," he said aloud, and then as though in answer, came the echo of the old man’s words, "Take care!" but Tudor laughed at the words scornfully. "I am the one who must break the evil spells," he said. "I am the one who must save the island people." He rose from the hearth and went down the valley to the church. He went to his grandmother’s grave, and filled his pockets with loose earth. Returning to his farmhouse he scattered the soil in each room, and then placed a little in each of the outhouses.
"That will save me from the curses of the demon people" he said. "But I must hurry, there is more to do." From the stable he took some old and rusty horseshoes. These he fastened to the doors of the house and the barns. From his small front garden he gathered bunches of marigolds. He filled some vases with flowers, crossed himself and prayed, "Holy mother, protect me."
Then he went down the lane that ran in the direction of the shore where the demons lived. Passing one of his fields he noticed a strange thing; The cattle, instead of laying down, drowsily chewing their cud, were seated on their haunches, cat fashion, and from their horns blazed flames of fire. Tudor hesitated
Should he go down to the shore, or break the demon’s spell here at his farm? Quietly but very quickly, he ran back to the farmhouse to fetch his gun. He returned to the lane that led to the field where the cattle were seated. He stood still in amazement at the strange sight. The cattle were seated just as he had left them, but now some hares were there also. Each hare was milking a cow. Tudor stared at the hare nearest him. There was something familiar about it’s face. "Nance the witch," he said under his breath. He raised his gun and fired. There was a cloud of smoke. When it had cleared, Tudor saw the hares leap across the lane and scurry in headlong flight towards the steep cliff where Demons lived.
Tudor paused only to comfort the frightened cattle, and then hurried to the demon settlement. He made straight for the cottage of Nance the witch. Before he entered he could hear loud wailing. Seated before the fire was Nance, with a great wound in her side..
"They have sailed away and left me. They have gone- all gone away." She wailed.
When she saw that it was Tudor who had entered her cottage she was very angry, but Tudor remembering all her evil deeds, took no notice of her and her curses. Had he not protected himself before he went out? "You will not change yourself into a hare again, witch Nance," he said.
The witch tottered to her feet and said, "I curse you! I curse you! May you fall and break your neck."
But Tudor only laughed. "Here is your broom witch Nance," he said. The best thing you can do is sail away across the sea again to your companions."
He strode back to his farm on the mountainside, whistling a merry tune. That night, as he was about to go to bed, he remembered the curse. "Better make sure," he said. He went out in the moonlight and searched in a small wood until he found a branch of mountain ash. On his threshold he stopped and stuck a number of pins into the twig. There was a sharp cry, Nance the witch appeared before him. "You are torturing me!" she cried, "Take away the pins! I am in pain!"
Tudor looked at her and spoke very calmly: "I will take away the pins if you promise to take yourself away over the sea on your broom handle."
Nance saw that it was useless to argue, so she promised. Tudor removed the pins, Nance vanished, and from that day the people of Anglesey saw no more of her, or the demon people.
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