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Eight years since (said Luther), at Dessaw, I did see and touch a changed childe, which was twelv years of age; Hee had his eies and all his members like another childe: Hee did nothing but feed, and would eat as much as two clowns, or threshers, were able to eat.— When one touched it, then it cried out: When any evil happened in the Hous, then it laughed and was joiful; but when all went well, then it cried, and was very sad. I told the Prince of Anhalt, if I were Prince of that countrie, so would I venture Homicidium thereon, and would throw it into the River Moldaw. I admonished the people dwelling in that place devoutly to praie to God to take away the Divel; the same was done accordingly, and the second year after the Changeling died.

In Saxonia, near unto Halberstad, was a man that also had a Killcrop, who sucked the mother and five other women drie: and besides, devoured very much. This man was advised that hee should in his pilgrimage at Halberstad make a promiss of the Killcrop to the Virgin Marie, and should caus him there to bee rocked. This advice the man followed, and carried the changeling thither in a basket. But going over a river, beeing upon the bridg, another Divel that was below in the river called and said Killcrop, Killcrop! Then the childe in the basket (which never before spake one word) answered, Ho, Ho. The Divel in the water asked further, Whither art thou going? The childe in the basket said, I am going towards Hocklestad to our loving Mother to be rocked.

The man being much affrighed thereat, threw the childe, with the basket, over the bridg into the water. Whereupon the two Divels flew away together, and cried, Ho, Ho, Ho, tumbling themselvs one over another, and so vanished.

Such Changelings and Killcrops (said Luther) supponit Satan in locum verorum filiorum; for the Devil hath this power, that hee changeth children, and instead thereof laieth Divels in the cradles, which prosper not, onely they feed and suck: but such Changelings live not above eighteen or nineteen years. It oftentimes falleth out, that the children of women in childe-bed are changed, and Divels are laid in their stead, the mothers in such sort are sucked out, that afterwards they are able to give suck no more. Such Changelings (said Luther) are also baptized, in regard that they cannot be known the first year; but are known only by sucking the mothers drie.—Luther's Divine Discourses, folio, p. 387.

In justice however to Luther, it should be remembered, that this superstition was common to the age in which he lived.