pursuing waters became the Shannon.[638] These are variants of a story which might be used to explain the origin of any river, but the legends suggest that certain wells were tabu to women because certain branches of knowledge, taught by the well, must be reserved for men.[639] The legends said in effect, “See what came of women obtruding beyond their proper sphere.”  Savage “mysteries” are usually tabu to women, who also exclude men from their sacred rites.  On the other hand, as all tribal lore was once in the hands of the wise woman, such tabus and legends may have arisen when men began to claim such lore.  In other legends women are connected with wells, as the guardians who must keep them locked up save when water was drawn.  When the woman neglected to replace the cover, the waters burst forth, overwhelming her, and formed a loch.[640] The woman is the priestess of the well who, neglecting part of its ritual, is punished.  Even in recent times we find sacred wells in charge of a woman who instructs the visitors in the due ritual to be performed.[641] If such legends and survivals thus point to former Celtic priestesses of wells, these are paralleled by the Norse Horgabrudar, guardians of wells, now elves living in the waters.[642] That such legends are based on the ritual of well-worship is suggested by Boand’s walking three times widdershins round the well, instead of the customary deiseil.  The due ritual must be observed, and the stories are a warning against its neglect.

In spite of twenty centuries of Christianity and the anathemas of saints and councils, the old pagan practices at healing wells have survived—­a striking instance of human conservatism.  S. Patrick found the pagans of his day worshipping a well called Slan, “health-giving,” and offering sacrifices to it,[643] and the Irish peasant to-day has no doubt that there is something divine about his holy wells.  The Celts brought the belief in the divinity of springs and wells with them, but would naturally adopt local cults wherever they found them.  Afterwards the Church placed the old pagan wells under the protection of saints, but part of the ritual often remained unchanged.  Hence many wells have been venerated for ages by different races and through changes in religion and polity.  Thus at the thermal springs of Vicarello offerings have been found which show that their cult has continued from the Stone Age, through the Bronze Age, to the days of Roman civilisation, and so into modern times; nor is this a solitary instance.[644] But it serves to show that all races, high and low, preserve the great outlines of primitive nature religion unchanged.  In all probability the ritual of the healing wells has also remained in great part unaltered, and wherever it is found it follows the same general type.  The patient perambulated the well three times deiseil or sun-wise, taking care not to utter a word.  Then he knelt at the well and prayed to the divinity