Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 25, 1914.djvu/409

 Collectanea.

on

and the candles are lighted from the Yule log by the youngest person present. While they are being lighted, all are silent and wish.. The wish must not be told, but you see if you get it during the year. As soon as the candles are on the table, silence may be broken. They must be allowed to burn themselves out, and no other lights may be lighted that night.

Some people, especially cottagers, put a ring, thimble, and six- pence into the Christmas cake. (From Mrs. Day, Minchinhampton, a native of Swaledale.)

Pace-Egging. — In Wensleydale, young men dressed up used to go round before Easter " pace-egging."

Hay-time Feast. — At the end of each farmer's hay-time, a feast, or " mell," is given to the workers. Harvest feasts are unknown in the Dales, as very little corn is now grown. (From the Rev. W. Whaley, West Witton.)

Devil's Arrows. — About half a mile south of Boroughbridge are three rude monumental pillars, called the Devil's Arrows. A great fair was held here on St. Barnabas' Day, nth June. {Parliamentary Gazette (1843), ^o^- ^'m P- 225. It is not clear from the context whether the fair was held on this exact spot.)

J. B. Partridge.

County Clare Folk-Tales and Myths, IV.

{Conti fined from vol. xxiv., p. 381).

I overlooked a curious folk-tale of Brian Boruma in the Annals of Loch Ce {Rolls Ser. p. 7). In 1014 two of the King's "orderly servants " told of a vision in which clerics were singing and reading. The clergy told how Senan, son of Gerrchinn (St. Senan of Iniscatha), came to demand debts due to him from Brian. 'I'his had also been dreamed thirty-seven years before, a.d. 977. King Brian, it may be noted, had "violated"^ St. Senan's sacred island at the mouth of the Shannon a.d. 975, though only when driving

2 C
 * Tighermach's .-iiittah say " wasted."