In the western islands it was a bitter curse to wish that “the number of Friday” or “the cross of the number of Friday” might come upon a person (_crois àireamh na h-aoine dh’ amas ort_). To count three times cattle, chickens, men, etc., on this day was followed as a certain result by none of them being alive at the end of the year. Many in Tiree remember that in their youth a sure method of putting an old woman in a rage was to begin counting her chickens on a Friday. She seldom allowed them to get beyond three or four. The superstition probably arose from a belief that it was on Friday King David numbered the Children of Israel. People did not like to kill a cow, a sheep, or other beast, or cut or mark calves or lambs on Friday, and there were many who would not allow their cattle to be shifted from one place to another. They would not alter their fold. If, _e.g._ the day was come for removing cows to the summer hill pastures, the more superstitious would not allow it to be done if the day was Friday. As work commenced on Monday proceeded too quickly or too slowly, work began on Friday was said to be always hurriedly done, “it will be running” (_bi i na ruith_). “A person born on Friday is always in a hurry” (_Bi neach a rugadh Di-haoine driopail_); hence the malediction, “The running, or hurry, of Friday be upon you” (_Ruith na h-aoine ort_). “A threatening Friday makes a tearful Saturday” (_’Si ’n Aoine bhagarach ni ’n Sathurna deurach_), and if it came on to rain early on Friday, or (as the saying was) if Friday caught the rain “in its mouth” (_Nan glacadh an t-aoine na bhial e_), it would be wet all day. _Di-sathuirne_, SATURDAY (_Dies Saturni_). This, as might be expected, was not deemed a lucky day to begin work upon. It was not deemed of much consequence whether ploughing began or not, but the manufacture of cloth should on no account be begun. “The warp prepared on Saturday will have the delay of the seven Saturdays upon it” (_An rud theid a dheilbh Di-Sathuirne, bi stad nan seachd Sathurn’ air_). No spinning was to be done after sunset, but other work might proceed as usual. All work should stop at 9 p.m. It is still considered a bad thing among the old people in Kintail to work past that hour. There is a man in Tiree who will not allow a newly-engaged servant to come home to enter on his service on Saturday. On one occasion, when the term-day happened to be Saturday, he persuaded the servant man to come on Friday, though only to stand in the house for a few minutes, that the evil omen might be averted. New moon on Saturday was deemed a presage of stormy weather. “Saturday light goes seven times mad before it goes out” (_Solus Sathurna gabhaidh e na seachd cuthaich mun d’ theid e mach_).