Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 2 1884.djvu/98

90 When Crawford visited Ava in 1826, however, this could hardly have been the case, for he even gives details of the various fees payable to those who assisted at the ordeals.

I may here remark that in Upper Burma oaths are not used as in our courts on ordinary occasions. They are regarded as a kind of ordeal themselves, and are only taken in the last resort by one of the parties, on the agreement of the other to be bound by the result. The oath is taken with great solemnity before the altar, and a sort of festival is held on the occasion, the parties and their friends going with a band in holiday attire to the temple.

After judgment is given, and if the parties agree to abide by it, they both eat tea, and the judgment then becomes final. If they do not so agree they may appeal to a higher court. Sometimes if the worsted party is considered unreasonable or contumacious he is imprisoned for a time, to compel him to eat tea and accept the court's decision.

Co. Donegal, May Eve.—In the neighbourhood of Lough Swilly and Letterkenny they light fires from three to six days before May Eve, while on the day the hills are in a blaze with fires. They also light fires on New Lammas day (August 1st), while only a few light on St. John's Eve (June 23), but in North and West Donegal they light extensively on the latter day.

On May Eve they pull bunches of the "May flower" (King cup, or Marsh Marigold, Caltha palustris), and put them over the doors of their houses. Also on May Eve the boys and girls cut out a square sod in which grows a "Yarrow" (Millfoil, Achillea millfolium), and put it under their pillow; if they have not spoken between the time of cutting the sod and going to sleep they will dream of their sweetheart. The sod ought to be of a certain size, but what that size should be seems