100 cow 



forefathers. In other places the word is translated " worm." 

 The disease was also called Bo-hath, cow-death. 



As is generally known, a cow will yield her milk more freely 

 on being sung to while being milked, and in the Irish version 

 of the tale of Deirdri it is stated " on a time this very maid 

 was quite alone on the plains of Eman, playing on a musical 

 instrument . . . every cow or other animal that heard it used to 

 milk two-thirds more than usual," the deala, sine or hallan, cow's 

 teat and udder, becoming relaxed. 



William Mackenzie, Esq., of the Crofter's Commission, gives 

 an account of how to make a cow allow the calf of another 

 cow to suck her, viz., a resort to an amulet or charm called 

 Orra-.sheamlachaich, or shcahnachas, a peace or pacifying hymn or 

 incantation. In cases where a cow has lost her calf by death, 

 its skin, sewn or fastened on the other calf, is frequently and 

 successfully resorted to. Apropos of songs to cows, a song called 

 " Crodh laoigh nam hodach" or the old men's milch-cows, is a 

 favourite song among women and girls going to shelling — now, 

 alas, almost a thing of the past. The word bodach here more 

 properly means "gude-man" or "men" of the place whence the 

 cattle are taken. Much lore attaches to the milk and care thereof, 

 from the very first after a calf is born, i.e., in regard to the first 

 or " beastings," or Beastlings or Beeslings. Milk, in one case, it 

 is said, as told, inter alia, in Folk-lore for March 1902 — that it 

 should be given to a dog to drink, but not to a cat. In Ireland 

 again, as told in D. Nutt's Peasant Lore, a portion should be given 

 to a cat in order to take away bad luck. If partaken of by human 

 beings, which it frequently is, it requires to be boiled first. A 

 name for cowls' milk is Tomliladh, and when thickened or in curds, 

 Tomhlachd, or bainne binntichte. Calving cows, where possible, 

 should be allow ed full scope to eat seaweed, of which all cattle are 

 fond. This makes the milk more plentiful, tasty, and less heavy 

 at calving. Though this liberty to cows is urged, it is necessary 

 to add that cows are not always discriminating in what they eat, 

 and the effect is sometimes disastrous, for example, in the year 

 1224, cows in Ireland were poisoned by eating of grass after some 

 fearful shower had fallen, which not only poisoned their milk 

 but bred a murrain among them, causing widespread death and 

 disaster, for all who drunk their milk or ate the poisoned flesh 

 sickened and died, or at least contracted noxious diseases. See 

 Annals of the Four Masters. The names or words for " murrain " are 

 numerous, Airneach, Boar, bodhar, Caoimin, conach, while loss in 

 spring is Ascall, and loss generally " Earchall " or "euchall," " Builg," 

 being a distemper in hot weather ; " Dubh-ghalar" or "duthail," 

 w^as a distemper of looseness of bowels, and if not checked, very 

 fatal. Another disease was " Earnach," this also called " Sgirtean " 

 or " Sgiorr," black spawl in the south. In the Annals of Tigernach, 

 circa 985-6, a great murrain is recorded as having then began 



