Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 20, 1909.djvu/372

 3 1 8 Collectanea.

9. In the olden times, directly after New Year's Day, the pastor and his family travelled from one farm to another in Romfo district, and he got a large quantity of " Yule-thread " given to him.

Bridal Customs.

Wedding celebrations generally lasted for a whole week, and were called " skaal " bridals, from the custom of putting money for the bride and bridegroom in the bowls which were used for drinking healths. Some time before the wedding the bridegroom was wont to go round himself and invite the folk, great and small alike, to come to the wedding. He bade all come who dwelt within a certain radius from the farm where the wedding was to be held. This circle was called Bolag (" neighbour-circle ").^ All who dwelt within the " neighbour-circle " were not obliged to go to the wedding ; everyone was free to do as he wished. Those who intended to be present had to give their hand to the bride- groom as a sign that they accepted his invitation, so that he would know how many guests to provide for. During the days which preceded the wedding, two Kjeldermand ("cellar-men"), — two men who presided over the distribution of beer at the wedding, — went round to every house in the " neighbour-circle," greeted the folk, and said, — " We are to greet you from the bride and bride- groom, and bid you a welcome to the wedding, —

bojeti taa kiia, " (Leg of cattle,

aa skinka taa sun, Ham of sow,

Jose aa skeia. Candles and spoons)."

When this was said, the folk knew what was expected of them. They went to the larder for meat and pork, which they gave to the "cellar-men," and the servant folk, who had not got such good things to give, gave candles and spoons. All this the " cellar-men " took to the bridegroom. So as to enable the "cellar-men" to carry everything, it was customary for a man to drive round with a cart towards the close of the day, and fetch the " cellar-men " and the gifts. These gifts were presented by all the folk within the "neighbour-circle," whether they went to the

^Cf. parish "biddings" in Westmoreland, aiite, p. 222.