Said to have been a witch's prayer whilst she was in the act of cleaning her nails. In logical accuracy this recalls the black boy in America, who on being asked if he knew the way to a certain place, replied, "I only wish I had as many dollars as I know my way there." A witch is afraid of her own blood. A Pendle forest witch. A Lancashire witch. A witch cannot greet (i.e., weep). To be hog, or witch-ridden. GYPSIES. So many gypsies, so many smiths. The gypsies are all akin. One of the Faw gang, Worse than the Faw gang. The Faws or Faas are a gypsy family whose head-quarters are at Yetholme. I have been among them and knew the queen of the gypsies and her son Robert, who were of this clan or name. "It is supposed the Faws acquired this appellation from Johnnie Faw, lord and earl of Little Egypt; with whom James the Fourth and Queen Mary, sovereigns of Scotland, saw not only the propriety, but also the necessity of entering into special treaty" ("Denham Tract"). "Francis Heron, king of the Faws, bur. (Yarrow) xiii. Jan., 1756" (Sharp's "Chron. Mir"). FAIRIES. Where the scythe cuts and the sock rives, No more fairies and bee-hives. Laugh like a pixy (i.e., fairy). Waters locked! waters locked! (A favourite cry of fairies.) Borram! borram! borram! (The cry of the Irish fairies after mounting their steeds. Equivalent to the Scottish cry, "Horse! horse and hattock!") To live in the land of the Fair family. (A Welsh fairy saying.) God grant that the fairies may put money in your shoes and keep your house clean. (One of the good wishes of the old time.) Fairies comb goats' beards every Friday. He who finds a piece of money will always find another in the same place, so long as he keeps it a secret. (In reference to fairy gifts.) It's going on, like Stokepitch's can. A pixey or fairy saying, used in Devonshire. The family of Stokespitch or Sukespic resided near Topsham, and a barrel of ale in their cellars had for many years run freely without being exhausted. It was considered a valuable heirloom, and was esteemed accordingly, till an inquisitive maidservant took out the bung to ascertain the cause why it never run dry. On looking into the cask she found it full of cobwebs, but the fairies, it would seem, were offended, for on turning the cock, as usual, the ale had ceased to flow. It was a common reply at Topsham to the inquiry how any affair wen on: "It's going on like Stokepitch's can," or proceeding prosperously. To laugh like Robin Goodfellow. To laugh like old Bogie; He caps Bogie. (Amplified to "He caps Bogie, and Bogie capped old Nick.") To play the Puck. (An Irish saying, equivalent to the English one, "To play the deuce or devil." Keightley's "Fairy Mythology.")