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: [597] _Ethnol. in Folklore_, 104 f. [598] D'Arbois, _PH_ ii. 132, 169; Dottin, 240. [599] Justin, xxxii. 3; Strabo, iv. 1. 13. [600] S. Gregory, _In Glor. Conf._ ch. 2. Perhaps the feast and offerings were intended to cause rain in time of drought. See p. 321, _infra_. [601] Adamman, _Vita Colum._ ii. 10. [602] See Holder, _s.v._ [603] D'Arbois, _RC_ x. 168, xiv. 377; _CIL_ xii. 33; Propertius, iv. 10. 41. [604] See p. 349, _infra_. [605] Cf. Ptolemy's [Greek: Dêouana] and [Greek: Dêouna] (ii. 3. 19, 11. 29); the Scots and English Dee; the Divy in Wales; Dêve, Dive, and Divette in France; Devon in England; Deva in Spain (Ptolemy's [Greek: Dêoua], ii. 6. 8). The Shannon is surnamed even in the seventh century "the goddess" (_Trip. Life_, 313). [606] Holder, _s.v._; D'Arbois, _PH_ ii. 119, thinks _Matrona_ is Ligurian. But it seems to have strong Celtic affinities. [607] Rh[^y]s, _HL_ 27-29, _RC_ iv. 137. [608] On the whole subject see Pictet, "Quelques noms celtiques de rivières," _RC_ ii. 1 f. Orosius, v. 15. 6, describes the sacrifices of gold, silver, and horses, made to the Rhône. [609] Maury, 18. By extension of this belief any divinity might appear by the haunted spring. S. Patrick and his synod of bishops at an Irish well were supposed to be _síd_ or gods (p. 64, _supra_.) By a fairy well Jeanne d'Arc had her first vision. [610] Greg. Tours, _Vita Patr._ c. 6. [611] See Reinach, _Catal. Sommaire_, 23, 115; Baudot, _Rapport sur les fouilles faits aux sources de la Seine_, ii. 120; _RC_ ii. 26. [612] For these tablets see Nicolson, _Keltic Studies_, 131 f.; Jullian, _RC_ 1898. [613] Sébillot, ii. 195. [614] Prologue to Chrestien's _Conte du Graal_. [615] Sébillot, ii. 202 f. [616] Ibid. 196-197; Martin, 140-141; Dalyell, 411.