Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 28, 1917.djvu/330

 298 Catalogue of Brand Material.

I2TH DECEMBER -ST. FINAN'S EVE (FEILL FIONNAIN). St. Finan, Confessor, Bishop of Clonard, Ireland, 6th century. SCOTLAND, IRELAND. Names and Sayings. observed in

The longest night in the year - - Hebrides. " As dark as St. Finan's night " - Ihid. Saying.

" On this night water becomes wine and stones cheese." (Boys persuaded to experiment) - Ihid. " The day of the three suppers " - Sutherland (Mackay

country). Festivity proverbially compared to Christmas . - . -

DECEMBER 13TH— ST. MAGNUS' DAY.

St. Magnus, Bishop of Orkney, 1104.

Name. St. Magnusmas - - - Orkney (Birsay), Shet-

land. (Formerly an important local festival.)

DECEMBER 17TH—" SOW-DAY." Observance.

Sows slaughtered (1793) - - - Orkney (Sandwick).

ENGLAND. DECEMBER i6th— ST. TIBBA. (Local virgin saint locally honoured.)

Annual festival ... - - Rutland (Ryhall, Hale

Green).

DECEMBER i6th— O SAPIENTIA.

(Opening words of Proper Anthem.)

Schoolboys' Festival .... Oxford, 17th cent.

Somerset (Curry Yeo-

vil). School Hohdays began - - - Northumberland.