Page:Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland - Volume 10.djvu/846

716 The Norse phrase, “aptr i skutt,” given here in English “in the stern,” would be more correctly and literally translated by the Shetlander of the present day, “aft in the shot.” This “shot” meaning the aftermost division of a fishing-boat, into which usually fish are thrown.

In verse 26, when the expedition is over, and the god and the giant have brought their boat to land, Thor, like any every-day fisherman, proposes to his comrade to halve the work remaining of securing the boat and carrying home the fish:—

The work with me— Bear to the house, With me the boat.”

Thor makes quick work of his share of the labour. In verse 27

The Hardhitter went, Gripped the stem, And the auskerry, The Jotun’s fish, To the earth cavern.”

The third line of this verse in the original is,

ok austkotr (austskoto).

The Shetland fisher word for oar is “ar,” pronounced as the English “ere.” The “auskerry” is the boat scoop for baling out water. The word is in regular use. Note, too, that the Norse word here translated “gripped” is “greip.”

It is a curious fact that almost the only trace left in the language of the people of the long supremacy in the islands of the Catholic Church, is the remembrance of certain holidays and saint’s days, now of course no longer celebrated, although not forgotten. Besides the well-known festivals still recognised, and the legal term days of Christmas, Candlemas, Lammas, Whitsunday, Martinmas, Pasch-Sunday, and St John’s Day (December 27), there are still dated Laurence Mass (August 23), Korsmas (3d May and 14th September), Fastern Eve (before Lent), Catherinemass (22d December) Boo Helly (fifth day before Christmas), Bainer Sunday (first before Christmas), Antinmas (twenty-fourth day after Christmas), or Uphellia Day, Solomon’s Even (3d November), Sowday (17th December), Martinbullimas (St Swithin’s Day), Johnsmass (24th June).