Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 3, 1892.djvu/389

Rh at Ffynnon Marcros, and a tree near by is covered with rags, etc., tied to it.

"In my neighbourhood, on seeing a white horse, you made sure of good luck by spitting on your boot, and not looking at the horse again.

"A native of Caerleon, in Monmouthshire, says that it is a sure sign of death to see a robin near the house. I suppose exceptions would be made in case of a hard winter.

"It is in my neighbourhood a foreboding of death also to hear a dog howl or a cock crow at night; and an old fellow near here went so far as to bury alive a pair of young fowls because the cock crew one night. On his neighbours asking him why he did it, he replied: 'Beth oedd yr hen, grad-wriaid jawl yn neid 'rhen swn ra 'ta?' (But why did those demons of fowls make that hateful noise then?) You must excuse a little flowery language, as it is a characteristic of the neighbourhood.

"With regard to New Year's Day, it is much the same all over the country, as regards seeing a male first. South Cardiganshire specialises red-haired males as unlucky. While in the neighbourhood of Cardigan town a man of the name of Thomas was also among the unlucky ones.

"About Llanybyther, Carmarthenshire, males were divided into Brythwyr and unwyr. Unwyr were men of the names of Shôn, Shencyn, Dafydd, and Ifan. Here, only unwyr were considered lucky.

"In Brecon, and some other places, to see a magpie cross your way was a sure sign of approaching ill-luck. A crow brought good luck, but some will have it cross your way only in one particular direction, from right to left, I believe. The Llanybyther district young ladies have a way of finding