Ruth Edna Kelley

“ BLACK: Hallowe'en Wraith.
A close white head meant an old husband, an open green head a young
one. His disposition would be like the taste of the stem. To
determine his name, the stalks were hung over the door, and the
number of one's stalk in the row noted. If Jessie put hers up third
from the beginning, and the third man who passed through the
doorway under it was named Alan, her husband's first name would be
Alan. This is practised only a little now among farmers. It has
special virtue if the cabbage has been stolen from the garden of an
unmarried person. ”

“ Children born on Hallowe'en could see and converse with
supernatural powers more easily than others. In Ireland, evil
relations caused Red Mike's downfall (q. v.) . For Scotland Mary
Avenel, in Scott's Monastery, is the classic example.
"And touching the bairn, it's weel kenn'd she was born on
Hallowe'en, and they that are born on Hallowe'en whiles see mair
than ither folk."
There is no hint of dark relations, but rather of a
clear-sightedness which lays bare truths, even those concealed in
men's breasts. Mary Avenel sees the spirit of her father after he
has been dead for years. ”

“ Peter is a fairy piper who steals away the souls of children.
"No man alive has seen me,
But women hear me play,
Sometimes at door or window,
Fiddling the souls away--
The child's soul and the colleen's
Out of the covering clay."
HOPPER: Fairy Fiddler.
On Hallowe'en all traditional spirits are abroad. The Scotch
invented the idea of a "Samhanach," a goblin who comes out just at
"Samhain." It is he who in Ireland steals children. The fairies
pass at crossroads,
"But the night is Hallowe'en, lady,
The morn is Hallowday ”

“ Hallowe'en traditions of their own, as well as many borrowed from
Ireland and Scotland. Barra, isolated near the end of the island
chain, still celebrates the Celtic days, Beltaine and November Eve.
In the Hebrides is the Irish custom of eating on Hallowe'en a cake
of meal and salt, or a salt herring, bones and all, to dream of
some one bringing a drink of water. Not a word must be spoken, nor
a drop of water drunk till the dream comes. ”

“ At midnight each lover was expected to enter and lay his hand on
the cake marked with his initials.
In South Uist and Eriskay on Hallowe'en fairies are out, a source
of terror to those they meet.
"Hallowe'en will come, will come,
Witchcraft will be set a-going,
Fairies will be at full speed,
Running in every pass.
Avoid the road, children, children."
But for the most part this belief has died out on Scottish land,
except near the Border, and Hallowe'en is celebrated only by
stories and jokes and games, songs and dances. ”

“ If he
comes toward the one to whom he appears the danger is over. If he
seems to go away, he is dying.
An apparition from the future especially is sought on Hallowe'en.
It is a famous time for divination in love affairs. A typical
eighteenth century party in western Scotland is described by Robert
Burns.
Cabbages are important in Scotch superstition. Children believe
that if they pile cabbage-stalks round the doors and windows of the
house, the fairies will bring them a new brother or sister. ”

“ BURNS: Hallowe'en.
he looks behind him to see his sweetheart gathering hemp. This
should be tried just at midnight with the moon behind.
"At even o' Hallowmas no sleep I sought,
But to the field a bag of hemp-seed brought.
I scattered round the seed on every side,
And three times three in trembling accents cried,
'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. ”

“ The wretched women who
had sold their souls to the Devil, left a stick in bed which by
evil means was made to have their likeness, and, anointed with the
fat of murdered babies flew off up the chimney on a broomstick with
cats attendant. ”

“ Hallowe'en.
[1] Cross-beam.
[2] Ask.
Another spell not commonly tried now is winnowing three measures of
imaginary corn, as one stands in the barn alone with both doors
open to let the spirits that come in go out again freely. As one
finishes the motions, the apparition of the future husband will
come in at one door and pass out at the other. ”

“ Ballad of Tam Lin.
and in the Highlands whoever took a three-legged stool to where
three crossroads met, and sat upon it at midnight, would hear the
names of those who were to die in a year. He might bring with him
articles of dress, and as each name was pronounced throw one
garment to the fairies. They would be so pleased by this gift that
they would repeal the sentence of death.
Even people who seemed to be like their neighbors every day could
for this night fly away and join the other beings in their revels.
"This is the nicht o' Hallowe'en
When a' the witchie may be seen ”