Bealltainn

-e, sf May-day, first day of May. On the first of May was held a great druidical festival in favour of the god Belus. On this day fires were kindled on the mountain tops for the purposes of sacrifice and between these fires the cattle were driven, to preserve them from contagion till next May-day. On this day it was usual to extinguish all the hearth fires, in order that they should be re-kindled from this purifying flame. In many parts of the Highlands the young folks of the district used to meet on the moors on 1^st May. They cut a table in the green sod, of a round figure, by cutting a trench in the ground of sufficient circumference to hold the whole company. They then kindled a fire and dressed a repast of eggs and milk of the consistency of custard. They kneaded a cake of oatmeal, which was toasted at the embers against a stone. After the custard was eaten, they divided the cake into as many portions as there were persons in the company, as much alike as possible in size and shape. They daubed one of the pieces with charcoal till it was black all over, and they were then all put into a bonnet together and each one, blindfolded, drew out a portion. The bonnet holder was entitled to the last bit, and whoever drew the black bit was the devoted person who was to be sacrificed to Baal, whose favour they meant to implore in rendering the year productive. The devoted person was compelled to leap three times over the flames. ** Là Buidhe Bealltainn, a common name for May-day.

Seall an duilleag thùsail / View Original Page