II.—Marriage Customs.
It is looked upon as very unlucky for a marriage party to meet a woman. If a woman sees such approaching, she leaves the road to avoid the meeting.
During the time the dance to "The Reel of Tulloch" is going on, the biidegroom's man steals away with the bride. When the flight is discovered, the whole of the guests rush off in search of the fugitives, and never rest till they are caught and brought back.
Sometimes the bridegroom disappears.
The bride is welcomed to the house by her mother, if she is alive; but, if she is dead, by her maternal aunt.
Bread, i. e. oaten cakes, and cheese, are thrown over the bride on her coming up to the door of the house.
III.—Charms.
A Cure for Whooping-Cough.
Take the child out of the parish, and carry it over a stream in another. This is called "crossing strange water," and effects a cure.
A Cure for the Evil Eye.
The father of the patient takes the marriage ring, a penny, a six-pence, a shilling, and a florin, puts them into a wooden latlle—the one in use in the household—and goes with the mother and the patient to the nearest stream, fills the ladle with water, and with that water sprinkles the sufferer. This goes by the name of "silver water."
IV.— Luck.
Modes of averting Ill-Luck.
Deer-grass (lycopodium) brings luck to a house, and as long as a piece of it is in a house, ill-luck will not enter.
Horse-shoe.—It is almost the universal custom to keep one or more old horse-shoes in the house, or affixed to some part outside.
