fulness, but the idea was in harmony with the recognised power of
water to purify, strengthen, and heal. Women, for a similar reason,
drank or washed in the waters or wore some articles dipped in them, in
order to have an easy delivery or abundance of milk.[653]

The waters also gave oracles, their method of flowing, the amount of
water in the well, the appearance or non-appearance of bubbles at the
surface when an offering was thrown in, the sinking or floating of
various articles, all indicating whether a cure was likely to occur,
whether fortune or misfortune awaited the inquirer, or, in the case of
girls, whether their lovers would be faithful. The movements of the
animal guardian of the well were also ominous to the visitor.[654]
Rivers or river divinities were also appealed to. In cases of suspected
fidelity the Celts dwelling by the Rhine placed the newly-born child in
a shield on the waters. If it floated the mother was innocent; if it
sank it was allowed to drown, and she was put to death.[655] Girls whose
purity was suspected were similarly tested, and S. Gregory of Tours
tells how a woman accused of adultery was proved by being thrown into
the Saone.[656] The mediaeval witch ordeal by water is connected with
this custom, which is, however, widespread.[657]

The malevolent aspect of the spirit of the well is seen in the "cursing
wells" of which it was thought that when some article inscribed with an
enemy's name was thrown into them with the accompaniment of a curse, the
spirit of the well would cause his death. In some cases the curse was
inscribed on a leaden tablet thrown into the waters, just as, in other
cases, a prayer for the offerer's benefit was engraved on it. Or, again,
objects over which a charm had been said were placed in a well that the
victim who drew water might be injured. An excellent instance of a
cursing-well is that of Fynnon Elian in Denbigh, which must once have
had a guardian priestess, for in 1815 an old woman who had charge of it
presided at the ceremony. She wrote the name of the victim in a book,
receiving a gift at the same time. A pin was dropped into the well in
the name of the victim, and through it and through knowledge of his
name, the spirit of the well acted upon him to his hurt.[658] Obviously
rites like these, in which magic and religion mingle, are not purely
Celtic, but it is of interest to note their existence in Celtic lands
and among Celtic folk.

FOOTNOTES:

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