rowan trees and beliefs

Company of Liars, p379-380: "I followed her, but my footsteps faltered as I drew near the rowan tree and saw... Dozens of dried foetuses dangled in the breeze - lambs', calves' and human babies'... As if she could see what I was staring at, the woman spoke...'These past years, more and more women have miscarried. Cattle and sheep are losing their offspring too. Evil spirits enter the womb and the woman becomes pregnant, but these offspring are born before their time. If their bodies are buried, the spirits are set free to enter the womb over and over again, preventing the woman from carrying a human child.'" by Karen Maitland (2008)

...hmm, interesting...