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Halloween divination using an egg in a glass of water.

Track Information

Original Track ID

SA1961.82.A21

Original Tape ID

SA1961.082

Summary

Halloween divination using an egg in a glass of water.

Casting the glass was a ritual undertaken at Christmas and Halloween, which used to be a big event. A wine glass was two-thirds filled with water and the white of an egg was dropped in and allowed to stand until the white had risen. The shape would foretell the subject's life. Peter Pratt recalls casting the glass in his house and seeing the shape of a croft - a house with a few stacks standing in the back, just as his place was at the time of recording.

Mrs Pratt adds that with the coming of cars people now run from parish to parish without stopping in their own place [at festival times].

Recording Location

County - Orkney

Island - Orkney Mainland

Parish - St Andrews and Deerness

Village/Place - Toab

Item Location

County - Orkney

Language

English, Scots

Collection

SoSS

Source Type

Reel to reel

Audio Quality

Fair