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THE CRAB, ITS CHARACTERISTICS AND ASSOCIATIONS. 
roasted Crabs were thrown, and of course as Shakspeare intimates, made a hissing noise, exhilarating 
to the ears of the roisterers, who doubtless liked the ale that was ladled out to them better than 
the garnishing Crabs. This was a jovial winter dish, as— 
“ When roasted Crabs hiss in the bowl, 
Then nightly sings the staring owl.” 
(Love's Labour Lost , V. Song.) 
Puck, in the “ Midsummer-Night’s Dream,” is made to boast, that— 
“ Sometimes lurk I in a gossip’s bowl 
In very likeness of a roasted Crab ; 
And, when she drinks, against her lips I bob, 
And on her wither’d dew-lap pour the ale.” 
So from this it would appear that the fun was to induce persons to stoop to drink out of the flowing 
bowl, and then push their heads into it, and no doubt the immortal bard had himself often seen this 
done ! Mr. Tom Burgess in his “ Legends and Traditions of Warwickshire,” says that “Warwick¬ 
shire school boys still know where Crabs grow, and can dig pig-nuts, and in remote districts, 
particularly to the east of the county you may still find the ‘ roasted Crab ’ lurking in the gossip’s 
bowl.” 
Southey mentions how school-boys in his youthful days were accustomed to gather Crabs, 
and alludes to 
• “ The Crab tree where we hid the secret hoard, 
With roasted Crabs to deck the wintry board.” 
(The Retrospect.) 
There is not very much of Folk-lore attached to the Crab, since it appertains more to the 
Apple, but a few things belong especially to the Crab. Thus Brand mentions the following lines 
as in common use in Suffolk at Michaelmas :— 
“ At Michaelmas time or a little before 
Half an apple goes to the core; 
At Christmas time, or a little after, 
A Crab in the hedge, and thanks to the grafter. ” 
At the Michaelmas season, village maids in the West of England, go up and down the hedges 
gathering Crab apples, which they carry home, putting them in a loft, and forming with them the 
initials of their supposed suitors’ names. The initials which are found on examination to be most 
perfect on Old Michaelmas Day are considered to represent the strongest attachments, and the best 
for the choice of husband. 
* \ 
A very curious and extraordinary custom was formerly practised at St. Kenelm’s, near 
Hales-Owen, in the northern part of Worcestershire, called “ Crabbing the Parson,” but its 
significancy, and how it arose, is entirely unknown. It is thus alluded to in the Gentlemans 
Magazine , for September, 1797 :— 
“ At the wake here called St. Kenelm’s Wake, alias Crab Wake, the inhabitants have a 
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