School: Baile Feárnach

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1. Ainmhithe na Feirme (continued)

   

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   say "Bee! Bee!" Hens will answer quickly when you say tuic! tuic!" "Wheech! Wheech!" will bring the ducks running to their food.

   When a cow has just calved you should tie a red string around her tail to prevent the fairies from taking the calf. Many years ago before a cow would be milked after calving a coal of fire was brought out and passed under the cows stomach three times but the third time it would be passed out between her two hind legs.

   After a cow is milked there is the sign of the cross made on her side by the thumb dipped in the foam of the milk when milk is spilt it is not right to make any fuss about it. It should not even be cleaned up. The fairies need this milk and must get it.

   When eggs are put under a hen to be hatched they are generally marked.
   This is done in case another hen may come and in the nest. Eleven, twelve or thirteen eggs are usually placed under the hen. People never put down eggs when the moon is full as they say the chickens will be all cocks. Those eggs that fail to produce chickens are called gluggers.

   Now and again a hen is heard crowing like a cock. People do

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. activities
      1. economic activities
         1. agriculture (~2,659)
            1. animal husbandry (~2,587)

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Annie K. Flynn

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   Cloonlavis Upper, Co. Mayo