456 REPORT — 1897. 



APPENDIX I. 



Further Report on Folklore in Scotland. 

 By the late Rev. Walter Gregor, LL.D, 



The Months. 



168. Kirkmaiden. — If Feberweer be fair an clear, 



There'll be twa winters in the year. 



169. Laurieston. — If Feberuary blow fresh and fair, 



The meal will be clear for a year and niair. 



170. Balmaghie. — It is a custom to gather May dew (1st May) and' 

 wash the face with it. 



171. Kirkmaiden. — Witches gathered May dew that they might work 

 their incantations with it. 



172. Witches were believed to make butter from May dew. 



173. An old man named David Bell used to tell that going home early 

 one May-day morning he saw three sisters, that had the reputation of 

 being witches, drawing pieces of flannel along the grass to collect the dew. 

 When the flannel was soaked, the moisture was wrung out. This took 

 place about seventy years ago at a place called Thornybog. 



174. Dairy. — Kittens brought forth in May are looked on as unlucky.. 

 They are commonly put to death. 



i74a. Kelton. — Miss of Dunmure House was found one May 



morning gathering the dew in a small tin jug. She intended to wash her- 

 face with it ' to make her bonnie.' (Told in Rerrick.) 



Days of the Week. 



175. Kirkmaiden. — It is unlucky to cut ' hair or horn ' on Sunday. 



176. Borgue. — If a child showed itself disobedient on Sunday, it was 

 told it would be taken to ' The Man o' Moon.' 



177. Dairy. — Any piece of work, as harvest, must not be begun on 

 Saturday. Any work begun on that day will not be finished within the 

 year. 



The New Year. 



178. Kirkmaiden. — It was a custom to cream the well at 12 o'clock 

 at night on Hogmanay. 



179. Dairy. — Some would not allow fire to be given out at any time; 



180. Kirkmaiden, Laurieston. — A peat on fire would on no account- 

 be given out on the morning of New Year's Day. 



181. Ayrshire. — It is accounted unlucky to give a live coal out of the- 

 house on the morning of New Year's Day to kindle a neighbour's fire.. 

 My informant's aunt did this one New Year's morning, and before the- 

 year was finished she lost a son. A second time she gave a live coal, and 

 during the course of that year a daughter died. 



182. Kells. — On Hogmanay great care was taken to keep the fire alive- 

 over night, as a neighbour would not give a live peat on New Year's- 

 morning to rekindle it. 



182rt. Kirkmaiden. — On Hogmanay the fire was ' happit ' with more 

 than ordinary care to keep it from ' going out,' as such a thing would be 

 most unlucky, and also because no neighbour would give a live peat to- 



