Запретный лес

           Hermastervisitedherinthelikenessofablackcat,andsheherselfhadoftentakenthesamelikeness,andhadtravelledthecountryatnightsittingonthecrupperofoneoftheDevil’smares.Bymeansofthecharmofthesevensouth-flowingstreamsandtheninerowanberries,shehadkepthermeal-arkfullinthewinterfamine.SheconfessedtohavingriddenJohnHumbie,aploughmanofChasehope’s,nightafternighttoawitch-gatheringatCharlie’sMoss,sothatJohnwasdonewithwearinessthenextdayandunfitforwork.ThesaidJohndeclaredthathewokewiththecryof"Uphorsie"inhisear.Atthesegatheringssheadmittedtohavingbakedandeatenthewitch-cake--afoodmadeofgreybearandablacktoad’sblood,andbakedinthelightofthemoon,andattheeatinghadsungthisspell:

           "Somelassmaungangwi’akiltedsark;

           Somepriestmaunpreachinathacklesskirk;

           Threadmaunbespunforadeadman’ssark;

           A’maunbedoneerethesango’thelark."

           Sheadmittedthatshehadtakenthepainsofchildbirthfromwomen--butwhatwomenshewouldnotsay--andthatthenthechildhadbeenborndead,andhadsobecomea"kainbairn"fortheDevil.Last,andmostdamning,shehadbetweenhershoulderstheDevil’ssecretmark.

           SomesentencesfromthedocumentDavidreadaloud,andinhisvoicetherewasbitterscorn.HebelievedmostdevoutlyinthemenaceofwitchcraftandinaDevilwhocouldtakebodilyformanddivertthecourseofnaturetoseducehumansouls,butthiscatalogueofsinsseemedtohimtoochildishforcredence.