Proceedings at Meeting of Wednesday, November 21st, 1894Source: Folklore, Vol. 6, No. 1 (Mar., 1895), pp. 1-2Published by: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. on behalf of Folklore Enterprises, Ltd.Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1253702 .

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orolTh ore. TRANSA CTONS OF THE FOLK-LORE SOCIETY.

VOL. VI.] MIARCH, I895. [No I.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 21st, 1894.

The PRESIDENT (Mr. G. Laurence Gomme, F.S.A.) in the Chair.

THE minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed. The election of the following new members was

announced, viz.: Mr. G. W. Speth, Mr. R. E. Dennett, Mr. A. J. Evans, Mr. A. Major, Mr. S. O. Addy, the Edin-

burgh Public Library, the Aberdeen University Library, the

Royal Irish Academy, and the National Library of Ireland. The resignation of the following members was also

announced, viz.: Mr. Bain, Mr. J Harvie Brown, Miss

Porter, Mrs. K. Clark, Mr. E. D. Hodgson, Mr. J. W.

Butterworth, and Miss E. Sawyer; and the deaths of

Lady Camilla Gurdon and Mrs. Hemenway. Two Beltane cakes sent by the Rev. W. Gregor were

exhibited by Mrs. Gomme; and the Secretary read an

explanatory note upon them (infra p. 2) communicated by the sender.

The following books which had been presented to the

Society since the last meeting were laid upon the table, viz.: (i) The Ruling Races of Prehistoric Tzmes, by J. F. Hewitt; (2) A 1/8/oZe KcotCo0jovLcob /VOL, by Nicholas

Polites; and (3) the Report of the fifth meeting oJ the Australasian Assoczation.

VOL. VI. B

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Notes onz Beltanze Cakes. Notes onz Beltanze Cakes.

Mr. A. J. Evans read a paper on the Rollright Stones and their Folk-Lore (infra p. 6); and a discussion followed, in which the President, Mr. Nutt, Mr. Kirby, Dr. Corney, Mr. Clodd, and Mr. Raynbird took part.

Mr. Evans having replied, a hearty vote of thanks was accorded to him for his paper.

NOTES ON BELTANE CAKES.

BY REV. WALTER GREGOR, LL.D.

At Achterneed, near Strathpeffer, Ross-shire, on the first day of May the children received each an egg and a cake. With these they went to the hill, as many at times as twenty and thirty in company. They gathered material, formed a bonfire, and roasted the eggs in the ashes. Before

placing the egg in the ashes, each child put a mark on it so as to be able to identify it when taken from the ashes. The egg and the cake were eaten. The cake was baked between nine and ten o'clock in the morning. It was kneaded entirely in the hand, and not on a board or table like common cakes. It was "fired" or baked in front of the peat fire on the hearth supported by a stone. After being so baked it was put into the child's hand, and not on any table or dish. It must never be put from the hand except to be baked in front of the fire. If laid on anything it was then nothing more than an ordinary bannock. It was called "tcharnican" (spelt phonetically), because it was made wholly in the hand. The word means " hand-cake." Those now sent were

Mr. A. J. Evans read a paper on the Rollright Stones and their Folk-Lore (infra p. 6); and a discussion followed, in which the President, Mr. Nutt, Mr. Kirby, Dr. Corney, Mr. Clodd, and Mr. Raynbird took part.

Mr. Evans having replied, a hearty vote of thanks was accorded to him for his paper.

NOTES ON BELTANE CAKES.

BY REV. WALTER GREGOR, LL.D.

At Achterneed, near Strathpeffer, Ross-shire, on the first day of May the children received each an egg and a cake. With these they went to the hill, as many at times as twenty and thirty in company. They gathered material, formed a bonfire, and roasted the eggs in the ashes. Before

placing the egg in the ashes, each child put a mark on it so as to be able to identify it when taken from the ashes. The egg and the cake were eaten. The cake was baked between nine and ten o'clock in the morning. It was kneaded entirely in the hand, and not on a board or table like common cakes. It was "fired" or baked in front of the peat fire on the hearth supported by a stone. After being so baked it was put into the child's hand, and not on any table or dish. It must never be put from the hand except to be baked in front of the fire. If laid on anything it was then nothing more than an ordinary bannock. It was called "tcharnican" (spelt phonetically), because it was made wholly in the hand. The word means " hand-cake." Those now sent were

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