Hedgehog

: BIRDS AND BEASTS.
: Welsh Folk-lore

It was believed that hedgehogs sucked cows, and so firmly were the people

convinced of this fact, that this useful little animal was doomed to

death, and I have seen in many Churchwardens' accounts entries to the

effect that they had paid sums of money for its destruction. The amount

given in most parishes was two pence. I will give a few entries, from

many that I have by me, to show that parishes paid this sum for dead

/> hedgehogs.



In Cilcen Churchwardens' Accounts for the year 1710 I find the following

entry:--



To Edward Lloyd for killing a hedgehog 00. 00. 02.



One hundred years afterwards I find in Llanasa Churchwardens' Accounts

for 1810-1811 this entry:--



9 hedgogs ... ... ... 1. 6.



It was thought, should the cow's teats be swollen of a morning, that she

had been sucked the previous night by a hedgehog.



Formerly dead hedgehogs could be seen in company with foxes, polecats,

and other vermin suspended from the boughs of the churchyard yew trees,

to prove that the Churchwardens paid for work actually done.



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