Page:Shetland Folk-Lore - Spence - 1899.pdf/152

 On arriving at the house, Maron sent the goodman to the seashore to procure three crabs, of a kind called cra's lupiks. Meanwhile Maron provided herself with a puttik of tar, a steel noraleg, a leaf from a Bible, and a lowin taand. Thus equipped, she enters the byre. The cow is resting on the bizzie, unable to rise or eat.

Waving the fire-brand, she marches round the cow three times, against the sun, giving the beast a severe stab at each turn with the needle. The poor animal now jumps to its feet, while Maron proceeds to wave the leaf of holy writ over its back, at the same time muttering certain inaudible words in Norse. The fire-brand is placed in the tar pot and set at the cow's head, the smoke or sneuker of which excites a fit of coughing on the trembling animal. A cat is now brought on the scene, and set on the cow's neck, and dragged by the tail three times over the cow's back. Presently the old man arrives with the fairy crabs, and these Rh