folkloreofthenorth-eastofscotland[gregor,walter].doc

Folklore of the North-East of Scotland [Gregor, Walter] NOTES ON THE FOLK-LORE OF THE NORTH-EAST OF SCOTLAND. BY THE REVEREND WALTER GREGOR, M.A. LONDON: PUBLISHED FOR THE FOLK-LORE SOCIETY BY ELLIOT STOCK. 62, PATERNOSTER ROW, E.C. [1881] {rem Scanned at , September, 2004. John Bruno Hare, redactor. This text is in the public domain. These files may be used for any non-commercial purpose, provided this notice of attribution is retained in any copy.} {file Preface} PREFACE. This book, with the exception of parts of Chapters XVIII. and XIX., has been gathered by myself from the mouths of the folk. Much of it I have been in the habit of hearing and marking from my earliest years. To all kind friends from whom I have gotten lore I give my hearty thanks. I cannot name them all, but my thanks are specially due to Mrs. Forbes and Mrs. Coutts, Banff; to the late Mrs. Watson, and to Mrs. Cardno, Fraserburgh, for help in Chapters XVI. and XXIII.--Riddles and Countings-out. As to references to parallel customs elsewhere, I have noted only those which occur in the Societys publications, and a few very obvious instances in Russian and Italian folklore. These I thought would assist members of the Society without altering the character of my collection. $Pitsligo, Aberdeenshire, ???????April, 1881./$ {file Table of Contents} {p. i} TABLE OF CONTENTS. INTRODUCTION. Personal, pp. {prr. 1}-3. CHAPTER I. BIRTH. Who present--Who not permitted to be present--Customs if two women with child in same house--A woman giving suck not allowed to seat herself on the edge of the bed on which the woman in labour lay--All locks opened in house during the time of labour--Whoso entered the house bade the birth God speed--Gave a draught of water if labour difficult--Some had luck in doing this--When doctor called--The merry-meht--The Cryin Kebback--The Cryin Bannock--A piece of it carried home--Fairies liking for human milk--Fairies carried off unsained or unchurched women--Anxiety of fairies to