Folklore of the Scottish Highlands (23 page)

Máire MacNeill, in her brilliant book
The Festival of Lughnasa
, deals mainly with the Irish evidence; she rightly comments, of the Scottish surviving traditions, on the gravity and formality with which they were performed, in contrast to the ‘rustic high spirits’ of the Irish assemblies.

The end of the harvest was also marked by feasting and dancing and celebrations of all kinds. There are still many traditions extant about the cutting of the Corn Dolly or Maiden, ‘
A’ Mhaighdean
’ as the last sheaf was widely named in the Highlands. It is still done in parts of the Highlands, and the writer has been in farmhouses in central Perthshire where the Maiden occupies a prominent place in the kitchen, waiting for the first day of ploughing, when it is traditionally given to the horses. In this mechanised age, the cows often get the Corn Dolly instead. This custom was once widespread in Britain; the last sheaf was regarded as a symbol of good luck and treated with great respect and honour. Sometimes it was placed in the local Church; at other times it decorated the farmer’s house. Now that the conviviality and communal spirit of the harvest field have given way to the solitary efficiency of mechanical harvesters it is a custom that has almost died out as a spontaneous folk practice. In the Highlands, apart from the few places where the tradition survives vestigially, details can still be obtained from the local people about what really went on when the custom was universal. Even in the small area of Loch Tayside and the Carse of Dull in Perthshire, the custom varied from farm to farm. And over the entire Highland area there were marked variations in practice. One important detail was in the identity of the person who was to actually scythe the Maiden. In Rannoch, it was the youngest person on the harvest-field who cut the last sheaf; this could be either a girl or a boy. The writer met one man who remembers cutting it as a boy on Loch Tayside, and the great honour that was accorded to him on that occasion. No doubt in pagan times, a maiden was actually sacrificed after being decked and carried round the fields, and her blood would be a means of ensuring a successful harvest in the following year. This custom is ancient, and in Gaul the image of a goddess used to be carried round the fields with great ritual and solemnity.

In Strathtay it was the farmer himself who cut the Maiden and this tradition continued into recent times, but it was not followed by any special celebration; in Glenlochay, it was likewise the farmer who cut the last sheaf. Near Kenmore, Perthshire, the Maiden was given to the horses when the first load of the next year’s harvest was brought in. A native of Glen Lyon remembers how universal this practice was when she was a girl. She still carries it on in her own farm, and the Maiden is given to the horses on the first day of ploughing. In Glen Lyon the last sheaf was called
A’ Mhaighdean
and dressed like a young girl if the harvest was a good one; if bad, it was called the
Cailleach
, ‘Hag’, and dressed up like an old woman. This is the typical Celtic concept of the duality of the goddess — young, beautiful, favourable to mankind, or old, hideous, and hostile. In Skye, Harris and in Kintail one of the names for the last sheaf was the
Gobhar Bhacach
, ‘Lame Goat’; it is interesting to note that at Saint Gall (Switzerland) the last sheaf was known as the ‘Crooked Goat’. In the Hebrides and other areas, the last sheaf had rather sinister connotations. It was used as a dire insult to the man who was last in cutting his corn. This could result in actual physical violence and bloodshed, and would seem to be reminiscent of some ancient ritual connected with harvest sacrifice, for which there is plenty of evidence in the pagan Celtic world, as we have noted above. A man who had cut his own
Cailleach
or
Gobhar Bhacach
could throw it into the field of a farmer who was still working on his grain. It was considered very unlucky to be the last person in the community to finish the harvest. Anyone receiving the last sheaf in this manner regarded it as a very bad omen, because it was widely believed that he would have to support an actual
Cailleach
throughout the winter. There are accounts dating to the nineteenth century of the violence done to those who were caught by a farmer throwing the last sheaf onto his land; in one instance the messenger was ‘caught, stripped, clipped, and sent home naked’. This was one of the lighter penalties for such an act. One cannot wonder at this because it was firmly believed that:

Loss of cattle, loss on account of death and accident

Will befall the luckless one of the Gobhar Bhacach.

As a result of this belief, no one wanted to be last with his corn-cutting and there was tremendous activity in order to complete the work in good time. It was customary in the Hebrides to bind up the straw, the last sheaf of corn cut on the field and to fashion it into the likeness of a woman with dock leaves, stalks of ragwort and all tied into shape with many-coloured threads. In Argyll, Uist, parts of Perthshire, etc., this was known as the Cailleach, as we have seen. A special ritual was observed when someone wanted to insult a neighbour by throwing the Cailleach or Maiden into his field; usually, a young man hastily mounted his horse and galloped at full speed past the uncut field of his neighbour, pretending he was going somewhere else; he would then fling the Cailleach into the field as he passed. The punishments varied as we have seen, if the offender was caught, and one of these was known as
bearradh eòin is amadain air
, ‘a clipping of bird and of a fool on him’; this meant the shaving off of the culprit’s beard and hair. People felt so strongly about this insult and the hazards it would bring to the household that a crofter would seemingly prefer to see his best cow drop dead than have the Cailleach thrown into his fields.

Là Féill Bharr
, ‘Feast of St Barr’

Martin Martin records that all the inhabitants of Barra observed the Festival of St Barr, the patron saint of the island on 27 September. It was their custom to ride on horseback, and this ritual ride was concluded by riding three times round St Barr’s Church. Martin tells how a foreign priest happened to arrive on the Island while this festival was in progress. The inhabitants immediately asked him to preach a commemoration service in honour of their patron, St Barr, according to ancient custom. The priest had never even heard of St Barr ‘and knowing nothing of his virtues could say nothing in his praise’. He did, however, offer to preach about St Paul or St Peter; this greatly upset the natives. They said he could not be a true priest if he had not heard of St Barr for the Pope himself was aware of him. Priest and people parted with mutual ill-feeling. They also had another cavalcade on St Michael’s Day, two days later. All strangers, together with the family must eat bread that night, according to Martin.

St Michael’s Day

Michael was an immensely popular Highland saint, and was indeed invoked widely throughout the Celtic world. As we have seen, he would appear to have taken over the rôle of some earlier pagan protector, as was so often the case. Michael was indeed spoken of as ‘the god Michael’ right down to Carmichael’s time, and
brian Michael
. An incantation, recorded again by Carmichael, in honour of the saint, makes a frank equation between him and his pagan predecessor.

You were the warrior of courage

Going on the journey of prophecy,

You would not travel on a cripple,

You did take the steed of the god Michael,

He was without bit in his mouth,

You did ride him on the wing,

You did leap over the knowledge of nature.

These lines would not have been out of place in any description of a typical Celtic deity riding his unbridled horse fearlessly through the skies, or over the seas.

This feast, which must have a great antiquity in the Highlands, is frequently referred to by Martin Martin. Of Lewis, he says that all the inhabitants were Protestant, apart from one Catholic family; at Michaelmas they had a cavalcade and both sexes rode on horseback. There was a cavalcade on the Island of Coll on St Michael’s Day. He gives a dramatic account of some riders he encountered when he came from South Uist. He saw some 60 men riding along the sands, directing their course for the east sea ‘and being between me and the sun, they made a great figure on the plain sands; we discovered them to be natives of South Uist for they alighted from their horses and went to gather cockles in the sands which are exceedingly plentiful there’. He states that there was a general cavalcade there on All Saints Day; the people baked the St Michael’s Cake at night, and the family and any strangers present ate it together at supper. Of Hirt (St Kilda) Martin records that on the Festival of All Saints the natives baked a large cake in the form of a triangle, furrowed round, and it must all be eaten that night. The people were extremely hospitable to strangers. There were 18 horses on the Island in Martin’s time; the inhabitants used to ride them at the Anniversary Cavalcade of All Saints; this feast they never failed to observe. They used to begin at the shore and ride as far as the houses. The only harness used was a straw rope to control the horse’s head. Of Harris, Martin says the people observed St Michael’s Day (all the inhabitants were Protestant) when they came together on horseback and made their cavalcade on the sands at low water.

Martin has some interesting details about St Michael’s Day customs in North Uist as he himself witnessed them. He says that the natives were much given to horse-riding, and they kept St Michael’s Day, both sexes then riding on horseback. The meeting-place was a large stretch of firm sand on the shore, and there they held horse races for small prizes, and these were eagerly sought after. He mentions an ancient custom whereby it was considered to be lawful for any of the inhabitants to steal his neighbour’s horse the night before the race and ride him all next day, provided he deliver him safe to the owner after the race. He describes the manner of racing; a race consisted of a few young men using neither saddles nor bridles, only two small ropes made of bent in place of a bridle; they had no spurs, using only their bare heels. And when they began the race, they threw these ropes on their horses’ necks and drove them vigorously with a piece of long seaware in each hand instead of a whip. This had been dried in the sun for several months before the Festival. As the people only met together on Sundays, such calendar festivals were regarded as times of great relaxation and joy. The men used to ride with their sweethearts behind them on horseback and gave each other presents. The men traditionally gave the women knives and purses; the women gave the men a pair of fine carrots.

Carmichael, as always, has invaluable details to add to our knowledge of this much-loved saint and his festival. Michael was the patron saint of the sea, various islands off the coasts of Britain, and Mont-Saint-Michel in Brittany, further testify to the connection of the saint both with eminences and the sea. He was also the patron saint of coastal districts, boats, horses and horsemen — hence the emphasis on horse-racing at his feast. Horse-racing was likewise a main feature of the ancient pagan
Lughnasa
Festival in Ireland, this perhaps strengthening the link between the god Lugh and the ‘god’ Michael. Temples were dedicated to him on the coasts in the Celtic countries; the late T.C. Lethbridge noted the close connection between Iron Age hillforts and dedications to Michael. Thus the Festival of St Michael on 29 September was, perhaps, one of the most blatantly pagan feasts of the Christian calendar, although the old faith was never far beneath the surface of any. On St Michael’s Eve, carrots were brought in, a special bannock called the
struan
was baked, lambs were sacrificed, and horses were stolen. On the Day there was a special early Mass, and the lamb and the cake were distributed; then there was a pilgrimage to the local burial-ground in honour of the ancestors — also an ancient pagan practice, worship of the ancestors and propitiation of the dead. There was a service at the burial-ground and a circuit of the churchyard was made. Carrots were then exchanged, and wishes were made during this act. The
oda
took place when horses were raced and athletic sports were indulged in. The Festival, in fact, much resembled the Old Irish descriptions of the feasts held under the aegis of the god and king. With night came revelry and merry-making of every kind. It was regarded as an auspicious time for lovemaking and betrothal. One person was appointed to guard the crops on St Michael’s Day and to make a circuit of the township on St Michael’s Night. Some days before the Festival, the women and girls gathered wild carrots. This was usually on the afternoon of the Sunday before the Feast and it was called
Dòmhnach Curran
, ‘Carrot Sunday’. If the soil was moist the carrots could be pulled out easily. If not, a special small three-pronged mattock was used; each woman would sing an incantation while pulling the sacred carrots. Carmichael records one of these chants which he heard from an old woman who had gathered carrots 80 years ago:

Cleft, fruitful, fruitful, fruitful,

Joy of carrots surpassing upon me,

Michael the brave endowing me,

Bride the fair be aiding me.

Progeny pre-eminent over every progeny,

Progeny on my womb,

Progeny pre-eminent over every progeny,

Progeny on my progeny.

To find a forked carrot was regarded as remarkably good luck and to be symbolic of real fertility. The women tried to rival each other in getting the most and best carrots. A special bag was suspended from the waist to put the culled carrots in, and this was known as a
crioslachan
, ‘little girdle’. The carrots were washed and tied up in small bunches with red thread; they were then put in pits near the houses and covered with sand. The people used to work all through the night on St Michael’s Eve. The men guarded their horses and stables, for people would try to steal a horse to use on the circuits of the following day. One proverb says:

Theft of horse on the Feast of Michael,

Theft that never was condemned.