School: Achadh Mhaoláin (roll number 9254)

On this page

1. Losing the Butter

   

   Share Share Post

   Long ago there were many different ways by which butter was taken. One way was by borrowing some article out of the house in which the churning was being done. There were always certain people that took the butter and they used to go to the house during the churning operations and borrow something.

   Another way was by milking some milk from each of the cows and also another way was by putting something into the spring-well out of which the people were using the water for the churn or by going through some actions at it.

   The person that took the butter generally turned herself (or himself) into some animal such as a hare.

   May day was supposed ot be a very unlucky day and there were many things to prevent the butter from being taken. There were certain people and they wouldn't light any fire on the first morning of May as it was said that whoever 'put up' the first smoke on that particular morning was in danger of losing their butter.

   They wouldn't put out any ashes on that day either for fear of some mishap. They also put a silver coin such as a sixpence into the cream-crocks and all those were to prevent the losing of the butter.

   One time there lived a man and a woman together and every time they churned their butter was taken and they knew of nobody that could do such a thing.

   This pair noticed a few times after each other that a bee flew in on the window and around the churn every time that they commenced churning.

   (continues on next page)

   

   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. activities
      1. economic activities
         1. agriculture (~2,659)

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Evelyn A. Gallagher

   Gender

   Female

   Informant

   Mrs P. Gallagher

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   Drumcullion, Co. Leitrim