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National Geographic : 1947 Feb
Contents
Hunting Folk Songs in the Hebrides leans more and more to the south, and an extraordinary pink light from the after noon sun floods land and water. The colors are most vivid at this time if the weather is fair. Often the equi noctial gales bring from the southwest deluges of rain and tides that flood the fields. The wind sometimes drives the spindrift four miles across the island to whiten the faces of men trying to tie down the remains of a hay stack. The walls of my room would billow in and out like an accor dion; the roof would shake and flaming peat would blow out into the room. At such times there can be no opening the door, or the roof might depart. But there is more safety in a thatched house on such a night than under the fearful noise of a tin roof which is being lifted slightly with each terrible blast. Except for the winter fishing, which is often interrupted by bad weather, there is little for the people to do at this time of the year. But a wedding True to custom, the Proudly She Hugs Her Handiwork, a Roll of Tweed From the wool of South Uist's sheep this island woman spun yarn on her spinning wheel, then wove the cloth on a hand loom. The white yarn for blankets is also homespun but will be sent to a mill in the Lowlands to be woven, since most hand looms can weave a strip only 32 to 38 inches wide. is certain. suitor, with a friend of some position in the vicinity, goes armed with a bottle to the house of the chosen young lady, where her parents and perhaps a few close friends are gathered at the fireside. The Business of Wooing The friend, after small talk of the weather and similar topics, passes the bottle around. Then he begins to praise the character of his young companion, his ability and his hand some appearance, his heritage and his good ness of heart, the fine, well-kept croft he has. Finally he asks for the hand of the daughter. Sometimes father and daughter are unpre- pared for the answer, and at other times the daughter, sensing the business, retires in con fusion and implies no. But when a match is to everyone's liking, the bargain is sealed, and the bottle goes round and round with all good wishes and true. Banns are called three Sundays in the church, and on the Tuesday after the last calling the wedding takes place. The gift to bring in advance is a hen, and many women are busy in the byre plucking them. Mary and I walked miles to one wed ding, on a winter morning when the island was white with hoarfrost. The ceremony was in Gaelic, and at the church door the emerg ing couple was pelted with rice and barley. 265
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