(M239) A more recent writer has described the old Highland custom as follows. Towards evening on the last day of the year, or Hogmanay, as the day is called in Scotland, “men began to gather and boys ran about shouting and laughing, playing shinty, and rolling ‘pigs of snow’ (_mucan sneachda_), _i.e._ large snowballs. The hide of the mart or winter cow (_seiche a mhairt gheamhraidh_) was wrapped round the head of one of the men, and he made off, followed by the rest, belabouring the hide, which made a noise like a drum, with switches. The disorderly procession went three times _deiseal_, according to the course of the sun (_i.e._ keeping the house on the right hand) round each house in the village, striking the walls and shouting on coming to a door: ‘_The_ calluinn _of the yellow bag of hide,_ _Strike the skin (upon the wall)_ _An old wife in the graveyard,_ _An old wife in the corner,_ _Another old wife beside the fire,_ _A pointed stick in her two eyes,_ _A pointed stick in her stomach,_ _Let me in, open this._’ “Before this request was complied with, each of the revellers had to repeat a rhyme, called _Rann Calluinn_ (_i.e._ a Christmas rhyme), though, as might be expected when the door opened for one, several pushed their way in, till it was ultimately left open for all. On entering each of the party was offered refreshments, oatmeal bread, cheese, flesh, and a dram of whisky. Their leader gave to the goodman of the house that indispensable adjunct of the evening’s mummeries, the _Caisein-uchd_, the breast-stripe of a sheep wrapped round the point of a shinty stick. This was then singed in the fire (_teallach_), put three times with the right-hand turn (_deiseal_) round the family, and held to the noses of all. Not a drop of drink was given till this ceremony was performed. The _Caisein-uchd_ was also made of the breast-stripe or tail of a deer, sheep, or goat, and as many as chose had one with them.”(955) Another writer who gives a similar account of the ceremony and of the verses sung by the performers, tells us that the intention of putting the burnt sheep-skin to the noses of the people was to protect them against witchcraft and every infection.(956) The explanation, which is doubtless correct, reminds us of the extraordinarily persistent hold which the belief in sorcery and witchcraft has retained on the minds of the European peasantry. Formerly, perhaps, pieces of the cow-hide in which the man was clad were singed and put to the noses of the people, just as in the Isle of Man a feather of the wren used to be given to each household. Similarly, as we have seen, the human victim whom the Khonds slew as a divinity was taken from house to house, and every one strove to obtain a relic of his sacred person.(957) Such customs are only another form of that communion with the deity which is attained most completely by eating the body and drinking the blood of the god.