Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 28, 1917.djvu/105

 Catalogue of Brand Material.

11

east),^ saying charm ; ap- parition follows, mowing -

Enquirer " fathoms " (mea- sures) a stack with out- stretched arms three times (six, Shetland), and em- braces apparition

Enquirer throws ball of blue wool — otherwise a ball spun by herself from the fleece of a ram lamb (a heather rope, Uist) — down the flue of a kiln (a water- mill, Shetland), winds again, and asks, " Who holds the end of my clue ? " destined husband appears

Future events augured from throwing shoe over house -

Fate of individuals augured from named stones placed under bonfire, examined next morning - - -

Holes dug ; death or marriage augured from anything found in them next morn- ing or from anything found in buried flesh -

Winter's weather (Novem- ber-April) augured from " milt " (spleen) of

slaughtered " mert " (win- ter beast)

LOCALITY.

Ayrsh., North-east, High lands and Hebrides.

Ayrsh., Shetland, North- east.

North-east, Shetland, Uist.

Highlands and Hebrides.

Perthsh., i8th cent.

Outer Hebrides, High- lands and Islands.

Shetland.

IV. Special Local Observances.

Hallowmas Kivn or Harvest Home Harviestoun Ale poured out to sea-god Shony to implore supply of sea-ware

^ Over nine ridges of plough-land.

Lewis. (Highlands and Islands.)