Kirk BEAK Folklore. 41 



IIow loijo- l)efoio tliat it may have been carried on I cannot 

 ascertain. At this .school tlie scholars Avere afterwards treated to 

 toddy. 



The only saying" applicable to Candlemas which I have heard 

 in the district was the familiar one : — 



If Candlemas Day be fair and clear, 

 There'll be twa winters in the year ; 

 If Candlemas Day be wet and foul, 

 The half o' winter's gane at Yule. 



The next season which has been remembered by custom or by 

 saying is March, but this had nothing beyond the familiar saying : 

 •• A peck o' March dust is worth a king's ransom," " A peck o' 

 March dust's worth a bowe o' aul' meal." 



The first of April was, as may be expected, a popular day 

 among the practical jokers, who delighted in the fancied license to 

 toll " fibs." The sport of " Hunt the Gowk" has always been a 

 favourite one, but it is needless to detail the character of the 

 celebration of All-fools'-Day, when people were sent on fruitless 

 errands, or led into enibarassing situations to give sport to the 

 practical joker. 



The usual superstition regarding St. Swithin's Day appears 

 to have been prevalent, and it is still spoken of, although now- 

 treated with but scant respect. 



The cutting of the Kirn, as the last patch of corn was called, 

 was performed with some little ceremony. In the days when 

 reaping hooks were used instead of scythes, a small patch of corn 

 was left standing until the last. The reapers then took up a 

 position several yards from the " Kirn," and in turn threw their 

 shearing hooks at the patch of corn. The one who succeeded in 

 cutting it in this way was proclaimed the victor, and the Kirn was 

 taken into the house, and generally decorated with ribbons, and 

 placed in the apartment in which the dancing which followed w^as 

 held. On the supercession of the reaping hook by the scythe the 

 practice on some farms was altered, and the scythesman was placed 

 a short distance from the corn, blindfolded, and told to walk up to 

 it and cut it with the scythe. This was frequently difficult, and 

 much amusement was caused by the efforts of the scythesman to 

 walk in a direct line, as the feat is by no means so easy as it looks. 

 The sweep of the scythe in the hands of a l)lindfolded man was at 

 times rather dang-erous, and the practice fell into desuetude. The 



