Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 24, 1913.djvu/260

 238 Collectanea.

third Thursday in July, and was celebrated by climbing a pole for a leg of mutton, jumping for cakes and treacle, wrestling, country dances, and races. Women raced down the street, starting from the Cross, for a gown piece. The church tower was decorated. Whortle pie was eaten.

The church at Moretonhampstead is dedicated to St. Andrew, and on this day and other Fair days gammon pie was eaten. It consisted of a leg of pork, a couple of fowls, etc., all put into a big pan and covered by rough paste. People kept open house. There was dancing at night. Down to about 181 7 a Fair was held with gingerbread stalls and shows, and also with races, wrestling, and other sports.

J. B. Partridge.

Herefordshire.

Charm. — I am indebted to Col. R. Rankin for the following account : — " In an orchard at the Vroe Farm, Rowlstone, is a fine old Glastonbury thorn, which is now (January, 1913) in full leaf. I went to the thorn to take a cutting lately, and was surprised to see in the fork of the tree, so green and beautiful in the midst of winter, a number of placentas of cows, which had apparently been placed there for generations. When the farmer was ques- tioned, he explained, — ' It do bring wonderful good luck in the calving.' "

Toad's heart charm. — It was, and perhaps is still, believed that a person wearing a toad's heart concealed about the body can steal with impunity, as he cannot be found out. A farmer watched one of his men, suspected of petty pilfering, and overheard him boasting to his fellow-workmen thus, — " They never catches 77ie : and they never ooll neither. I alius wears a toad's heart round my neck, /does ! "

Seed- time rhyme. —

" riant your seeds four in a row,

One for ihe clove, and one for the crow, One to rot, and one to grow."

Neiv Year's Day. — There is a saying in the neighbourhood of Cusop and Hay that, if a tramp calls on New Year's morning, every knock he gives at the door will be a happy month for the