Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 7 1889.djvu/370

 282 district was called in. On her arrival slie took the "milkin' cog" and seated herself beside the "rawn-tree couple-reet," in the attitude of milking a cow. She got a knife, and with it cut three holes in the "couple-reet." Into these three holes she inserted three small pieces of wood, not necessarily of rowan; the first one in the name of the Father, the second in the name of the Son, and the third in the name of the Holy Ghost. She then drew each piece of wood three times, as if she had been milking a cow. She next went to the cow, and drew each of the cow's paps three times; the first in the name of the Father, the second time in the name of the Son, and the third time in the name of the Holy Ghost. The paps were drawn gently, so as not to bring milk from them. The next thing she did was to kindle "need fire," put it into an old shoe and burn it below the cow, and repeat the words, "May the Almichty smoke the witch in hell as T am smokin' the coo." She then poured some holy water on the beast's back and rubbed it along the backbone from head to tail. This was done three times, with the repetition of some words my informant could not give. Last of all she sat down and milked the cow. (J. Farquharson, Corgarff.)

The animal was measured by spanning. The spanning began at the point of the nose, was carried up the face, and along the backbone and tail. Whatever part of the tail was over a full span was cut off. A draught of water off a shilling was given. (Granton-on-Spey.)

IV.

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1. A fisherman in Portmahomack had played false with a young woman. Her mother resolved to be avenged of him. He had occasion to sail with some other fishermen to a port at some distance. The mother and daughter went to a hollow between two high headlands round which the boat had to sail. They carried with them a tub and a "cog." Both took their station in the hollow within sight of the sea. The tub was filled with water. After waiting for such a