Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 29, 1918.djvu/92

82 times of mourning. As no one had died in the house he was amazed. But one of the family died a month after. In some places it is believed that if toothache starts at 3 p.m., it is a sign of a death in the house, or at least some misfortune.

Blessing the Sea.

In June, 1912, while I was at Quimper, three or four priests from the neighbouring port of Guilvinec went out in boats and threw holy water into the sea. I was informed that the same custom prevails at two other places on the west coast of Brittany. The Breton fishermen also call in a priest to assist at the christening of a new boat.

.

Llanilar, Cardiganshire.

The above is the name of a game which I found being played by boys in North Co. Dublin (March, 1918). It was played as follows: Some boys line up in a row, one of whom is called the prince. Two others get out on the road and join hands and represent the town of Barbarie. One of the boys from the row then comes up to the pair, walks around them, and asks

They answer

Being unsuccessful he goes back to the prince and tells him that they won't surrender. The prince then says

This is done, and the whole row of boys are brought up one after the other till the town is taken by their parting the joined hands of the pair who represent the town of Barbarie.

(Note.—Variants and illustrations of this game are given in the Dictionary of British Folk-lore, ed. A. B. Gomme, vol. i. pp. 18-21.)

.