Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 28, 1917.djvu/452

 41

Catalogue of Brand Material.

(/) Uncanny Sights and Sounds. " Spriggans " (underground

elves) heard singing - Subterranean bells heard

King Arthur and his knights

drink at spring Lady in white with rose in

mouth appears at dawn - Ghost in form of fish appears

to people fetching water - Coach with headless horses

drives through town just

before Christmas Ghosts become more powerful

as nights lengthen - " Many object to be left alone

on Christmas Eve " - Unlucky to walk near cross- roads on Christmas morning Ghosts do not appear at

Christmas (Shakespeare) - A death at Christmas portends

many during year - Midnight on Christmas Eve

is a suitable time for using

divination - -.

LOCALITY.

Cornwall.

Lanes. (Preston), Grim- ston, Raleigh (?).

Somerset (Cadbury).

Cornwall (Pendeen).

Derbysh. (Bradwell).

Cornwall (Penr}^!).

Ibid.

South Yorksh.

Locahty ?

Didsbury.

? Locality.

See below.

IIL Observances.

(o) Divinaiory Rites (used at mid- night on Christmas Eve to see future husband). Onion laid on altar (details

not given) Walking backwards round a

pear-tree - - - - Plucking sage-leaves - Sowing hempseed Baking dumb-cake Eating salted egg Roasting pigeon's heart Holly leaves and pails of water

{ante, see p. 71)

Burton's Anatomy.

South Yorksh. Northants. Northants., Oxon. Northants, Oxon., Chesh.

Northants. Northants.

Borders.

Washing shift, hanging to dry Suffolk.