FOLKLORE OF YULE. 141 



or child who has forgotten to be " sained," and by such 

 omission given the Trows power to do as they will. 



Once a merry young couple desired to share in the 

 merriment in a neighbour's house one Yule evening. 

 They did not wish to be encumbered by their little 

 ones, so they bribed the boys (two in number, aged 

 four and five) with extra cake and sweets to go early 

 to bed, and as soon as the little ones' eyes were closed 

 in slumber, the youthful parents stole away to join the 

 dancers in the next house, which was not much more 

 than a stone's-throw from their dwelling. 



The big barn had been cleared for the dancing, and 

 after a few hearty reels the couple adjourned to the 

 " ben-end o' the hoose " to partake of refreshment. 

 Shortly after they disappeared there glided into the 

 barn two tiny creatures, scantily attired, with wide- 

 open eyes, bare feet, and smiling lips, which said never 

 a word. A shout arose from the youths and maidens 

 assembled, and the older folks laughed, while one 

 fisherman called out, " Come awa', my lambs, and ye 

 sail hae a reel as weel as the best o' wis." The fiddler 

 struck up the " Shoals o' Foula," and the two little 

 uninvited guests tripped merrily up and down, their 

 small bare feet keeping wonderful time and executing 

 such marvellous steps that the merry-makers declared 

 they must have been taught by the Trows. When 

 the reel was at its height, the dancing fast and furious, 

 the young mother returned to the barn, and no sooner 

 did she catch sight of the tiny couple than she ex- 

 claimed, " Guid save me, the bairns ! " 



