Note 439 — Chapter V · THE DEMONOLOGY OF GHOSTS AND SPRITES AND BOGEYS.

ὅπως μὴ προσάψαιτο τοῦ βωμοῦ διὰ τὸ μυρίας ἴσως ἀναμεμῖχθαι κῆρας. This reference I borrow from the Thesaurus of Stephanos s.v., but I have been unable to verify the quotation. The reference as given by Stephanos is Bud. ap. Philon. V.M. 3. In connection with fire and fire-places the belief in Keres is not dead to-day. An Irish servant of mine who failed to light a fire firmly declined to make a second attempt on the ground that she knew ‘there was a little fairy in the grate.’ The Ker in this case was, as often in antiquity, a malign draught.