So this is another curious connection, because here, on Dartmoor, there is another Church of St, Michael, and that too has a legend relating to the Devil, like the one we told you of yesterday.
Apparently The Devil was very fond of walking on Dartmoor, he liked its wildness and loneliness, and people would run at any noise fearing he was chasing at their heels. Dartmoor is a very otherworldly place, dotted about with these curious stones, where one is balanced atop the others, and even more so when you learn that these are ancient tombs from peoples whose tribes have all disappeared, so long ago that the earth which originally covered these stones and the body inside have all been washed away by the rains and scattered by the winds.
One day the Devil was standing at the top of the moor when he saw a ship, fully laden, and decided to pounce on it. To help in this, he created a storm of immense proportion and guided it down towards the ship, extinguishing all the warning beacons along the way. He then flew about the ship and tried to drive the crew into capsizing the vessel. However the merchant, who owned the ship, called out to his patron saint, Michael, that if he saved the ship and his remaining crew he would build him a church on the Devils land, the Dart Moor. And almost immediately the wind and rain failed to obey the Devil and faded away.
When the ship landed to shore the dream of the church began, and the purchasing of the materials, and the finding of stonemasons and carriers. However the Devil was only resting, licking his wounds, and when he saw all the materials for the church were getting assembled he flew into a rage and threw them down the hill. This occurred for a very long time, but neither side would give in, the more the stones were scattered the quicker the men got them up again.
One night there was a fight, between St. Michael and the Devil. The Saint seized a huge stone and threw it at the Devil. Now some say that his hit him and made him leave the church alone, whilst others say that the Devil was trapped beneath. Either way he left the Church alone.
Now this is yet another St, Michael - remember, the stone from yesterday was turned outside St. Michaels Church, and it turns out that Ottery St. Mary, where Monday`s tar barrel rolling took place, also has a St. Michael`s Church in West Hill.
This card is from a very confusing set. It is listed in our World Tobacco Issues indexes as :
LINKS WITH THE PAST. Sm. and Lg. Grey black gravures. Special artistic covers issued for binding sets through holes punched in left hand margins.
1. First 25 subjects. Nd. 1/25. Home issue.
A. Small, 71 x 42
B. Large, 78 x 63
2. Second 25 subjects. Sm. 69 x 40, Lg 78 x 63.
A. Advertisement issue, Lg., without holes punched. Back in blue, with advertisement for set and Sarony Cigarettes. Hand-outs. Unnd.
B. Home issue. Nd. 26/50. Back in black. Size (a) small (b) large
C. Sydney and Melbourne issue. Nd. 1/25. Back in blue. Size (a) small (b) large
D. Christchurch (New Zealand) issue. Nd/ 1/25. Back in blue. Size (a) small (b) large