Page:Shetland Folk-Lore - Spence - 1899.pdf/171

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Shetland Folk-Lore

For all these maladies some antidote was found, and may have proved as effectual as some of the modern concoctions of the now-a-days V.S.

The skilful housewife could diagnose her cow's ailments by carefully noting the various tones of sound uttered by the animal in health and disease. The following names were applied to sounds made by a cow:—

Bröl—The ordinary, natural sound.
Gul-bröl—An emphatic or excited bröl.
Skröl—A frightened sound.
Umble—A throat sound, as if choking.
Njoag—A nasal sound.
Drund—A moaning sound.

Sounds made by other animals were:

Sneg and Nikker—By horses.
Eer, Reein, and Loadie-grunt—By the pig.
Nyrr—By the cat.
Peester—By the mouse.
Klaug—By the hen.
Oob—By the seal.
Yarm—By the sheep.

There were several superstitious notions

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