HEATHER LORE. 



There was a superstition prevalent that if a sheep 

 drag past a Heather bush and leave on it a portion of 

 its wool, that bush must die with the year and day. 



It was a common custom to present a nosegay of 

 Heather to a bride and bridegroom as indicative of a 

 wish for future happiness. The Queen tells of having 

 greeted the Duchess of Connaught (Princess Louise 

 Margaret of Prussia) on her arrival at Balmoral with 

 the Duke in 1879, on their wedding trip, with "a nose- 

 gay of Heather. She had also received others." 



In some localities the throwing of a bunch of 

 Heather after a person is also understood to signify 

 an expresston of good luck. "At Inversnaid," writes 

 the Queen, "the people (quite a small crowd) threw 

 bunches of Heather as we passed. Heather is every- 

 where the decoration, and there is indeed no lovelier, 

 prettier ornament. It was in such full bloom." 



Branches of the mountain ash, decorated with 

 Heather and flowers which had been carried thrice 

 around the fires kindled at Beltane, were reared above 

 dwellings to remain until displaced by those of the 

 succeeding season, or a portion of it cut and peeled 

 and bound around with a thread, was put on the lintel 

 of the byre, to avert the influence of the evil eye. 



Beltane means Baal's fire an ancient British 

 practice of lighting fires on the hill tops in honor of 

 Baal, the sun god ; hence the name Baaltein ; in some 

 districts celebrated on the third day of May. 



In his Journey Through the Western Counties of 



Scotland, Heron tells the following story: "In the 



River of Fillan is a pool consecrated by the ancient 



superstition of the inhabitants. The pool is formed by 



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