It was said there was no north wind at the exact period of the appearance of new moon (_gob gealaich_). FOOTNOTES [1] Gheibh baoth ’guidhe ach cha-n fhaigh a h-anam tròcair. [2] _Prov._, p. 143. [3] Is mairg is màthair do mhacan baoth, dar is ann air Di’rdaoin bhios a Bhealltainn. [4] In Germany it was a common belief that witches met on the night before first May (_i.e._ Beltane night) on the mountain called the Blockberg, to dance and feast with devils. [5] The crook or pot-hanger seems to have been an important article of the witch’s paraphernalia. A shepherd in Mull, coming in late from the hill, with his feet wet, placed his stockings to dry on the pot-hanger. An old woman present pulled the stockings down again, saying to the shepherd, “Don’t do that; remember you are a person that travels the hill night and day.” (Cuimhnich gur duin’ thus’ tha siubhal a mhonaidh latha ’s a dh’oidhche.) He never could ascertain what she meant. [6] The ancient churn was broader at one end than the other, and its narrow end, or mouth, was secured with a prepared sheepskin covering, called _fùileach_ in Mull, _iomaideil_ in Morven and on the mainland generally. The cross or hoop, that secured this covering in its place, should also be of mountain ash. The churn was worked by the small end being lifted up and let down repeatedly. [7] Badan de ni ’chaorruinn Thig o aodunn Ealasaid, Cuir snaithn’ dearg ’us sreang as Cuir sid an ceann a chrathadair; ’S ged thigeadh buidseach Endor Gun ceannsaicheadh Ailein i. The rhyme was composed by the bard Ailein Dall. [8] De’n riabhach thug a’ so sibh? [9] Di-luain a dh’éirich a ghaoth, ’S thog i orra fraoch us fearg, Us innis do mhathair mo chuirp, Gur h-e na h-uilc a rinn an t-sealg. [10] The tale has this much truth in it, that one of the ill-fated Spanish Armada was blown up in Tobermory Harbour, A.D. 1589. The wonder would be, in those days when public news travelled slowly or not at all, if the history or object of the Spanish fleet should be known in the Highlands, or that it should be known to the Mull people that there was any ship in the fleet but the one that came to their own coasts. [11] A family of this name has had down to the present day a reputation for witchcraft. The last of them was known to the writer as a poor woman of much shrewdness and inoffensive character. She professed great skill in healing cattle by means of charms and such-like _white_ witchcraft. [12] _Cùl a’s aghaidh mo spòige ri Macillduinn._ [13] Tha m’iteagun’s m’atagun ag atadh ris na h-eibhleagun. [14] “’Sann a nochd a thorchanaich leinn Mharbhadh an urchuill earchaill mhòr.” “An do mharbhadh Maol Meanachan nan cat? Mar bhi na h-uile oidhche fhuair mi biadh ’us bainne na d’theaglach, bhiodh do sgòrnan fada riabhach ann am ìnein. Innis do Bhruc Riabhach gun d’eug Bladrum.” [15] Mhami, mhami! tha mo sheanair ag éiridh.