Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 2 1884.djvu/130

122 practice bearing no little resemblance to the couvade. When an illegitimate child is born, it is a point of honour with the girl not to reveal the father; but the mother of the girl forthwith goes out to look for him, and the first man she finds keeping his bed is he.—Academy, 16th February, 1884.

Witchcraft.—I have just met with the following horrible bit of folk-lore in Drakard's Stamford News for October 15, 1833. A poor man residing at Woodhurst, Huntingdonshire, a short time since had a sow which brought a litter of pigs, and, as it not unfrequently does occur, a day or two afterwards the sow and pigs appeared to be very ill: his neighbours assured him that they were bewitched, and by their persuasion he was induced to the horrible act of actually roasting one of the little creatures to death, as the only means of saving the rest and finding out the witch, whom they asserted would be sure to appear during the ceremony. In this they were disappointed, of course, but the sow and the pigs recovered, as the poor little sufferer no doubt would have done had it not been so inhumanly destroyed.

Ploughing Day at Mouldshaugh, Felton.—At this farm on Feb. 25th there was witnessed by a considerable number of agriculturists and others from the locality an interesting gathering of ploughmen on the occasion of a day's ploughing on the farm which has been let to Mr. Arthur S. Donkin, Bywell. The respect which the family of the entering tenant has gained throughout a wide circle naturally brought forward a very strong muster of ploughs, sent from far and near in strong and powerful teams.

Ploughing Day at Bartlehill.—Messrs. W. and J. Ormston, Smailholm Mains, who have recently taken a lease of the fine farms of Bartlehill and Kingsrigg, received from their friends and neighbours the compliment of a day's ploughing. At an early hour about seventy ploughs appeared on the ground, and succeeded in turning over nearly the whole of the stubble break.

Fasten E'en Ball.—The playing of a hand-ball in the streets of Duns, in observance of the ancient festival of Fasten E'en, took place on Tuesday. The weather was fine, and a large crowd gathered at