Grampian Club > Scotland, social and domestic

General Folklore. 227
bonnets to the rising sun. To the new moon females
made a reverence. During the moon's wane no impor-
tant business was transacted.
St. Martin 6 Bullions day, the fourth of July old
style, is believed to regulate the character of the weather
for the six following weeks. Should the weather be
dry, it is expected that there will be six weeks' drought ;
and should it prove wet, that rain will fall daily during
the same period."''' The condition of the elements on
Candlemas day, old style, is also associated with a
meteorological prediction : —
" If Candlemas is fair and clear,
There'll be twa winters in the year."
Martin, in his description of the Western Isles, states
that, on Candlemas day, the Hebrideans observe the fol-
lowing custom : — The mistress and servants of each
family take a sheaf of oats, and dress it up in woman's
apparel, put it in a large basket, and lay a wooden club
by it ; this they call Brad's bed. The mistress and ser-
vant's now exclaim three times, " Briid is come ! Briid
is welcome ! " This they do before retiring to bed, and
when they rise in the morning they look among the
ashes, expecting to see the impression of Brad's club,
which, if they do, they reckon it a presage of a good
crop and a prosperous year. The contrary is a bad
omen. Briid was of the order of the Brownies, other-
wise known as Goblins or Urisks. These were held to
be of a character between man and spirit ; they derived
* This day corresponds with the anniversary of St. Swithin in the
English calendar. Similar superstitions are attached in several
European countries to the festivals of different saints which occur
about the period of the summer solstice,