Fathoming the Stack

31 October · West of Scotland

No longer kept

Another Scottish Hallowe’en charm from Burns was to slip out unnoticed to a stack of barley, called a bear stack, and measure round it three times with outstretched arms. At the last fathom of the third time round, the seeker would find the likeness of their future husband or wife caught in their arms.

Take an opportunity of going unnoticed to a bear stack (barley stack), and fathom it three times round.

From Hone's Every-Day Book, vol. 1, col. 1412. Read the original

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Folklore from the old calendars

The Gyar-Carlins Lore and belief ScotlandRobert Heron, travelling through Scotland in the 1790s, found the fairies thought of as little beings, sometimes kind and sometimes spiteful.
Saining the boats in Orkney No longer kept OrkneyJohn Brand, describing Orkney at the end of the seventeenth century, found that sick cattle were sprinkled with a charmed water called forespoken water, and so were boats that had no luck at the fishing.
Cake Night at Ripon No longer kept YorkshireAt Ripon on the eve of All Saints the good wives made a cake for everyone in the family, so the evening was generally called Cake Night.
Fire and red low No longer kept EnglandDugdale noted in one of his almanacs of 1658 that on All Hallow Even the master of the family used anciently to carry a bunch of lighted straw about his corn.
The Leinster Hallowe’en Spell Lore and belief LeinsterChambers printed a story from a Leinster family of the eighteenth century.
Born on Hallowe’en Lore and belief ScotlandIt was popularly believed that a child born on Hallowe'en had strange gifts.
Lamb’s-wool on Holy Eve No longer kept IrelandA writer in the Gentleman's Magazine said that no merry-making on Holy Eve in Ireland was without lamb's-wool, made by bruising roasted apples into ale or sometimes milk; in better houses white wine had once been used instead.
Oidhche Shamhna No longer kept IrelandOn the eve of Samhain, according to General Vallancey, Irish country people went from house to house carrying sticks and clubs, collecting money, bread, butter, cheese and eggs for the feast and reciting verses.
The St Kilda Hallowe’en Cake No longer kept Outer HebridesMartin's account of the Western Isles, quoted by Hone, recorded that the people of St Kilda baked a special cake on Hallowe'en.
The Black Short-tailed Sow No longer kept North WalesThe autumn fire lit in North Wales on the eve of 1 November came with a round of ceremonies, according to an account Hone quoted from Owen.
The Buchan Hallow Fire No longer kept Aberdeenshire, MorayIn Buchan a Hallow Eve fire was lit on rising ground, and in Moray the eve of 1 November had been kept as a thanksgiving for the safe gathering of the harvest.
The Callander Stones No longer kept PerthshireAt Callander a bonfire was lit in every village on All Saints' Eve.
The Logierait Faggots No longer kept PerthshireThe minister of Logierait in Perthshire described the chief ceremony of Hallowe'en, kept there on 31 October by the old style calendar.
Sowens for the Hallowe’en Supper No longer kept ScotlandSowens was a thin dish made by steeping oat husks and meal in water until it soured, and in many parts of Scotland it was the proper supper for Hallowe'en.
The Three Luggies No longer kept ScotlandThree dishes, or luggies, were set on the hearth at Hallowe'en, one with clean water, one with foul water and one empty.
The Wet Sark Sleeve No longer kept Ireland, ScotlandIn the Scottish form of this Hallowe'en spell the seeker dipped the left shirt sleeve in a south-running burn where the lands of three lairds met.
Winnowing Three Wechts No longer kept ScotlandTo win three wechts of naething, a Scottish spell for Hallowe'en, the seeker went alone to the barn and opened both doors, taking them off their hinges if possible.
Sowing Hemp-seed No longer kept Ireland, ScotlandOn Hallowe'en a girl crept out unseen and sowed a handful of hemp-seed, dragging something behind her to harrow it in, and saying a rhyme over and over.
The Blue Clue No longer kept Ireland, ScotlandOne of the Hallowe'en spells Burns described among the country people of the west of Scotland had to be tried alone and in the dark.
Cyniver No longer kept WalesAmong the Hallowe'en customs he gathered, Hone gave a Welsh game from Owen's Welsh Dictionary.
Lating the Witches No longer kept LancashireOn Hallowe'en a party led by an old woman went round the bigger houses near Longridge Fell asking for lating candles, one for each person in the household.
Ale for Shony No longer kept Outer HebridesAt Hallowtide the people of Lewis met at the church of St Mulvay, each family bringing malt that was brewed into ale.
Coel Coeth No longer kept North WalesOn All Saints' Eve every family in North Wales lit a large bonfire, called Coel Coeth, in the most prominent spot near the house.
The Apple and the Looking-Glass Lore and belief ScotlandA girl who wanted to see her future husband went alone with a candle to a looking-glass on Hallowe'en and ate an apple in front of it, some said while combing her hair.
Pulling the Kail Stocks No longer kept ScotlandThe first rite of a Scottish Hallowe'en was to go out hand in hand, eyes shut, into the kailyard and each pull the first cabbage stalk they touched.
Burning the Nuts Lore and belief England, Ireland, ScotlandOn Hallowe'en a pair of nuts was named for a lad and a lass and laid in the fire.
Nutcrack Night Still kept Northern EnglandIn the north of England Hallowe'en was called Nutcrack Night, from the nuts cracked, eaten and thrown on the fire.

Fathoming the Stack

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