Folk-Lore
of an egg into a glass of water. The forms assumed prognosticated the future in matters of love, fortune, and death,
Tyin' the Kale Stock.—For this purpose the young folks went blindfold into the kale-yard, and each one tied his or her garter round the first kale-stock they touched, and the number of shoots on the kastik, which was counted in the morning, was a forecast of the family of the future.
Castin' the Clew.—This was a more elaborate affair, and required a considerable amount of nerve for its performance. At the dead of night one person alone went to the water-mill, and getting on the roof, dropped a ball of worsted in through the lum, holding fast the end. Then the operator on the roof began to rewind the clew into another ball, repeating the while in a steady tone: “Wha hadds my clew end?” Then a voice from out the dark mill was expected to answer the name of the future husband or wife.
Turnin' the Sleeve.—This was per-
191