Female　…　The　Evil　Prayer　…　The　Next　Day　…　The　Aifrionn　…　Unclean
  Spirits　…　Expectation　…　Wreaking　Vengeance　…　A　decent　Alms。
  I　LEFT　Merthyr　about　twelve　o'clock　for　Caerfili。　　My　course　lay
  along　the　valley　to　the　south…east。　　I　passed　a　large　village
  called　Troed　y　Rhiw；　or　the　foot　of　the　slope；　from　its　being　at
  the　foot　of　a　lofty　elevation；　which　stands　on　the　left…hand　side
  of　the　road；　and　was　speeding　onward　fast；　with　the　Taf　at　some
  distance　on　my　right；　when　I　saw　a　strange…looking　woman　advancing
  towards　me。　　She　seemed　between　forty　and　fifty；　was　bare…footed
  and　bare…headed；　with　grizzled　hair　hanging　in　elf　locks；　and　was
  dressed　in　rags　and　tatters。　　When　about　ten　yards　from　me；　she
  pitched　forward；　gave　three　or　four　grotesque　tumbles；　heels　over
  head；　then　standing　bolt　upright；　about　a　yard　before　me；　raised
  her　right　arm；　and　shouted　in　a　most　discordant　voice　…　〃Give　me　an
  alms；　for　the　glory　of　God！〃
  I　stood　still；　quite　confounded。　　Presently；　however；　recovering
  myself；　I　said：…　〃Really；　I　don't　think　it　would　be　for　the　glory
  of　God　to　give　you　alms。〃
  〃Ye　don't！　　Then；　Biadh　an　taifrionn　…　however；　I'll　give　ye　a
  chance　yet。　　Am　I　to　get　my　alms　or　not？〃
  〃Before　I　give　you　alms　I　must　know　something　about　you。　　Who　are
  you？〃
  〃Who　am　I？　　Who　should　I　be　but　Johanna　Colgan；　a　bedivilled　woman
  from　the　county　of　Limerick？〃
  〃And　how　did　you　become　bedevilled？〃
  〃Because　a　woman　something　like　myself　said　an　evil　prayer　over　me
  for　not　giving　her　an　alms；　which　prayer　I　have　at　my　tongue's　end；
  and　unless　I　get　my　alms　will　say　over　you。　　So　for　your　own　sake；
  honey；　give　me　my　alms；　and　let　me　go　on　my　way。〃
  〃Oh；　I　am　not　to　be　frightened　by　evil　prayers！　　I　shall　give　you
  nothing　till　I　hear　all　about　you。〃
  〃If　I　tell　ye　all　about　me　will　ye　give　me　an　alms？〃
  〃Well；　I　have　no　objection　to　give　you　something　if　you　tell　me
  your　story。〃
  〃Will　ye　give　me　a　dacent　alms？〃
  〃Oh；　you　must　leave　the　amount　to　my　free　will　and　pleasure。　　I
  shall　give　you　what　I　think　fit。〃
  〃Well；　so　ye　shall；　honey；　and　I　make　no　doubt　ye　will　give　me　a
  dacent　alms；　for　I　like　the　look　of　ye；　and　knew　ye　to　be　an
  Irishman　half　a　mile　off。　　Only　four　years　ago；　instead　of　being　a
  bedivilled　woman；　tumbling　about　the　world；　I　was　as　quiet　and
  respectable　a　widow　as　could　be　found　in　the　county　of　Limerick。　　I
  had　a　nice　little　farm　at　an　aisy　rint；　horses；　cows；　pigs；　and
  servants；　and；　what　was　better　than　all；　a　couple　of　fine　sons；　who
  were　a　help　and　comfort　to　me。　　But　my　black　day　was　not　far　off。
  I　was　a　mighty　charitable　woman；　and　always　willing　to　give　to　the
  bacahs　and　other　beggars　that　came　about。　　Every　morning；　before　I
  opened　my　door；　I　got　ready　the　alms　which　I　intended　to　give　away
  in　the　course　of　the　day　to　those　that　should　ask　for　them；　and　I
  made　so　good　a　preparation　that；　though　plenty　of　cripples　and
  other　unfortunates　wandering　through　the　world　came　to　me　every
  day；　part　of　the　alms　was　sure　to　remain　upon　my　hands　every　night
  when　I　closed　my　door。　　The　alms　which　I　gave　away　consisted　of
  meal；　and　I　had　always　a　number　of　small　measures　of　meal　standing
  ready　on　a　board；　one　of　which　I　used　to　empty　into　the　poke　of
  every　bacah　or　other　unfortunate　who　used　to　place　himself　at　the
  side　of　my　door　and　cry　out　'Ave　Maria！'　or　'In　the　name　of　God！'
  Well；　one　morning　I　sat　within　my　door　spinning；　with　a　little　bit
  of　colleen　beside　me　who　waited　upon　me　as　servant。　　My　measures　of
  meal　were　all　ready　for　the　unfortunates　who　should　come；　filled
  with　all　the　meal　in　the　house；　for　there　was　no　meal　in　the　house
  save　what　was　in　those　measures　…　divil　a　particle；　the　whole　stock
  being　exhausted；　though　by　evening　I　expected　plenty　more；　my　two
  sons　being　gone　to　the　ballybetagh；　which　was　seven　miles　distant；
  for　a　fresh　supply；　and　for　other　things。　　Well；　I　sat　within　my
  door；　spinning；　with　my　servant　by　my　side　to　wait　upon　me；　and　my
  measures　of　meal　ready　for　the　unfortunates　who　might　come　to　ask
  for　alms。　　There　I　sat；　quite　proud；　and　more　happy　than　I　had　ever
  felt　in　my　life　before；　and　the　unfortunates　began　to　make　their
  appearance。　　First　came　a　bacah　on　crutches；　then　came　a　woman　with
  a　white　swelling；　then　came　an　individual　who　had　nothing　at　all
  the　matter　with　him；　and　was　only　a　poor　unfortunate；　wandering
  about　the　world；　then　came　a　far　cake；　（22）　a　dark　man；　who　was　led
  about　by　a　gossoon；　after　him　a　simpley；　and　after　the　simpleton
  somebody　else　as　much　or　more　unfortunate。　　And　as　the　afflicted
  people　arrived　and　placed　themselves　by　the　side　of　the　door　and
  said　'Ave　Mary；'　or　'In　the　name　of　God；'　or　crossed　their　arms；　or
  looked　down　upon　the　ground；　each　according　to　his　practice；　I　got
  up　and　emptied　my　measure　of　meal　into　his　poke；　or　whatever　he
  carried　about　with　him　for　receiving　the　alms　which　might　be　given
  to　him；　and　my　measures　of　meal　began　to　be　emptied　fast；　for　it
  seemed　that　upon　that　day；　when　I　happened　to　be　particularly　short
  of　meal；　all　the　unfortunates　in　the　county　of　Limerick　had
  conspired　together　to　come　to　ask　me　for　alms。　　At　last　every
  measure　of　meal　was　emptied；　and　there　I　sat　in　my　house　with
  nothing　to　give　away　provided　an　unfortunate　should　come。　　Says　I
  to　the　colleen：　　'What　shall　I　do　provided　any　more　come；　for　all
  the　meal　is　gone；　and　there　will　be　no　more　before　the　boys　come
  home　at　night　from　the　ballybetagh。'　　Says　the　colleen：　　'If　any
  more　come；　can't　ye　give　them　something　else？'　　Says　I：　　'It　has
  always　been　my　practice　to　give　in　meal；　and　loth　should　I　be　to
  alter　it；　for　if　once　I　begin　to　give　away　other　things；　I　may　give
  away　all　I　have。'　　Says　the　colleen：　　'Let's　hope　no　one　else　will
  come：　　there　have　been　thirteen　of　them　already。'　　Scarcely　had　she
  said　these　words；　when　a　monstrous　woman；　half…naked；　and　with　a
  long　staff　in　her　hand；　on　the　top　of　which　was　a　cross；　made　her
  appearance；　and　placing　herself　right　before　the　door；　cried　out　so
  that　you　might　have　heard　her　for　a　mile；　'Give　me　an　alms　for　the
  glory　of　God！'　　'Good　woman；'　says　I　to　her；　'you　will　be　kind
  enough　to　excuse　me：　　all　the　preparation　I　had　made　for　alms　has
  been　given　away；　for　I　have　relieved　thirteen　unfortunates　this
  blessed　morning　…　so　may　the　Virgin　help　ye；　good　woman！'　　'Give　me
  an　alms；'　said　the　Beanvore；　with　a　louder　voice　than　before；　'or
  it　will　be　worse　for　you。'　　'You　must　excuse　me；　good　mistress；'
  says　I；　'but　I　have　no　more　meal　in　the　house。　　Those　thirteen
  measures　which　you　see　there　empty　were　full　this　morning；　for　what
  was　in　them　I　have　given　away　to　unfortunates。　　So　the　Virgin　and
  Child　help　you。'　　'Do　you　choose　to　give　me　an　alms？'　she　shrieked；
  so　that　you　might　have　heard　her　to　Londonderry。　　'If　ye　have　no
  meal　give　me　something　else。'　　'You　must　excuse　me；　good　lady；'
  says　I：　　'it　is　my　custom　to　give　alms　in　meal；　and　in　nothing
  else。　　I　have　none　in　the　house　now；　but　if　ye　come　on　the　morrow
  ye　shall　have　a　triple　measure。　　In　the　meanwhile　may　the　Virgin；
  Child；　and　the　Holy　Trinity　assist　ye！'　　Thereupon　she　looked　at　me
  fixedly　for　a　moment；　and　then　said；　not　in　a　loud　voice；　but　in　a
  low；　half…whispered　way；　which　was　ten　times　more　deadly：…
  〃'Biaidh　an　taifrionn　gan　sholas　duit　a　bhean　shilach！'
  Then　turning　from　the　door　she　went　away　with　long　strides。　　Now；
  honey；　can　ye　tell　me　the　meaning　of　those　words？〃
  〃They　mean；〃　said　I；　〃unless　I　am　much　mistaken：　　'May　the　Mass
  never　comfort　ye；　you　dirty　queen！'〃
  〃Ochone！　that's　the　maning　of　them；　sure　enough。　　They　are　cramped
  words；　but　I　guessed　that　was　the　meaning；　or　something　of　the
  kind。　　Well；　after　hearing　the　evil　prayer；　I　sat　for　a　minute　or
  two　quite　stunned；　at　length　recovering　myself　a　bit　I　said　to　the
  colleen：　　'Get　up；　and　run　after　the　woman　and　tell　her　to　come
  back　and　cross　the　prayer。'　　I　meant　by　crossing　that　she　should
  call　it　back　or　do　something　that　would　take　the　venom　out　of　it。
  Well；　the　colleen　was　rather　loth　to　go；　for　she　was　a　bit　scared
  herself；　but　on　my　beseeching　her；　she　got　up　and　ran　after　the
  woman；　and　being　rather　swift　of　foot；　at　last；　though　with　much
  difficulty；　overtook　her；　and　begged　her　to　come　back　and　cross　the
  prayer；　but　the　divil　of　a　woman　would　do　no　such　thing；　and　when
  the　colleen　persisted　she　told　her　that　if　she　didn't　go　back；　she
  would　say　an　evil　prayer　over　her　too。　　So　the　colleen　left　her；
  and　came　back；　crying　and　frighted。　　All　the　rest　of　the　day　I
  remained　sitting　on　the　stool　speechless；　thinking　of　the　prayer
  which　the　woman　had　said；　and　wishing　I　had　given　her　everything　I
  had　in　the　world；　rather　than　she　should　have　said　it。　　At　night
  came　home　the　boys；　and　found　their　mother　sitting　on　the　stool；
  like　one　stupefied。　　'What's　the　matter　with　you；　mother？'　they
  said。　　'Get　up　and　help　us　to　unpack。　　We　have　brought　home　plenty
  of　things　on　the　car；　and　amongst　others　a　whole　boll　of　meal。'
  'You　might　as　well　have　left　it　behind　you；'　said　I；　'this　morning
  a　single　meas