Page:Book Of Halloween(1919).djvu/95

"This hemp-seed with my virgin hand I sow,

Who shall my true-love be, the crop shall mow.'"

Gay : Pastorals.

A spell that has been discontinued is throwing the clue of blue yarn into the kiln-pot, instead of out of the window, as in Ireland. As it is wound backward, something holds it. The winder must ask, "Wha hauds? " to hear the name of her future sweet-heart.

"An' ay she win't, an' ay she swat—
I wat she made nae jaukin;
Till something held within the pat,
Guid Lord! but she was quakin!
But whether 't was the Deil himsel,
Or whether 't was a bauk-em'^[1]
Or whether it was Andrew Bell,
She did na wait on talkin

To speir^[2] that night."

Burns : Hallowe'en.

Another spell not commonly tried now is winnowing three measures of imaginary corn, as one stands in the barn alone with both

1. Cross-beam
2. Ask