one side and the girls (any number) on the other. The boys advance and
retire dancing, and saying the first two lines. The girls stand still,
one who personates a mother answers with the next two lines. The boys
then advance and reply. When they are retiring the mother says the next
lines and the boys reply; they then choose a girl and take her over to
their side. The dialogue is generally spoken, not sung. The boys turn
their toes outwards to show their spurs. The number of players on the
girls' side is generally an uneven one, the odd one is the mother and
says the dialogue. This is the most general way of playing, but there
are interesting variations. Chambers says two parties play, one
representing a dame and her daughters, the other the suitors. The
suitors move backwards and forwards with their arms entwined. The mother
offers her daughters when she says "Smell my lilies," and the game ends
by some little childish trick, but unfortunately, he does not describe
this. Miss Ellis (Leicester) says if the number of players suited,
probably all the boys, instead of three, would be on one side and the
girls on the other, but there is no hard and fast line. They turn out
their toes to show their spurs: when they sing or say, "Pass through the
kitchen," &c., the girls stretch out their arms, still keeping hold of
hand, and the boys, forming a long tail, wind in and out under their
arms as they stand. Having previously decided among themselves which
girl they shall seize, they go up and down the lines several times,
until the period of suspense and expectation is supposed to have lasted
long enough. Then the last boy in the line puts his arms round the
chosen girl's waist and carries her off. This goes on until there is
only one girl left, who recommences the game on her part by singing the
first lines, choosing first a boy, who then becomes a Spaniard. In the
first version from Belfast, the first girl who is asked to go refuses,
and another is asked, who consents. In the Manchester version (Miss
Dendy), the girl refuses twice, then accepts. The "mother" is seated in
state with her "daughters" round her in the Bexley Heath (Miss Morris)
version. The two "gentlemen" advance to her and turn haughtily away
when refused. Then they choose a girl and take her over to their side.
In the Shropshire (Edgmond) version, two girls, one from each end of the
line of "daughters," goes over to the knights' side, who also "bow" and
"bend" when saying the lines, and the game is repeated saying five,
seven, &c., knights. Here, also, the last player left on the girls' side
takes the knight's part in the next game. Miss Burne adds, at other
places the knights call only one girl by name each time. Both lines in
the Shropshire game advance and retire. In the Dublin game (Mrs.
Lincoln), three young boys are chosen for the suitors, one girl is the
mother, and any number from three to six personate the daughters. The
first boy only speaks the lines. At "Return, return, your coat is
white," he, with the other two "suitors," takes the girl, brings her
back, and says the last verse. They then sit down, and the second suitor
does the same thing, then the third one. Then the game is begun again
[with three other boys] until all the daughters have been taken. In the
version quoted from _Notes and Queries_, two children, mother and
daughter, stand on one side, the other players opposite to them, and
advance and retire. The contributor says they chant the words to a
pleasing old melody. The Yorkshire version (Miss E. Cadman) is played in
the usual way, both sides advancing and retiring in turn, and at the end
one of the "knights" tries to catch one of the girls. They cross the
room to each other's places. In Co. Down, at Ballymiscaw, Miss Patterson
says one player refuses when asked, and another consents, this one and
the "lord" then join hands and dance round together, saying the last
words. The Annaverna version is sung by one on each side--"king and the
mother." The Berwickshire game was played by six children, one on one
side, five on the other. The first lines are sung on both sides; then
the rest is dialogue until the girl refuses, when the "Jew" dances round
by himself, singing the words; she then consents, and the two dance
round with joined hands as in a reel, singing the last verse. The
dialogue is spoken with animation, and the "Jew steps his foot" and
prances away when saying these words. Twelve children in the Perth
version stand in a row, another stands a little in advance, who is
called "daughter Jane," another is the "mother." Three more stand in
front of the twelve and are the "Dukes." These dance forwards and
backwards before "Jane and her mother," singing the first lines. The
mother answers. When they sing the last line the "Dukes" choose one of
the twelve, and sing the words over again until all the twelve are on
the "Dukes'" side. Then they try to carry off "Jane" and the "mother,"
and run until they are caught. In the Clapham school version (Mrs.
Herbertson), the "Duke" tries to drag by force the chosen girl across a
handkerchief or other boundary, if successful she goes on his side. In
the Cornwall version the "Dukes" retire and consult before choosing a
girl, then select one. When all have been taken they bring them back in
the same order to the "mother," saying the last verse, and the "mother"
replies in the last two lines. In the London version, the "Dukes" take
the girl and rob her, then bring her back. In the Fochabers version
(Rev. W. Gregor), the two "sailors" join hands crosswise, walk backwards
and forwards, and sing the words. The girl crosses over to them when
chosen. When all are chosen the "sailors" bring all the girls before the
mother, singing the last verse. The mother searches the daughters one
after the other, finding neither money nor ring. She then chases the
sailors, and the one caught becomes mother next game.
(_c_) This game has been said by previous collectors, and at first sight
may be thought to be merely a variant of "Three Dukes," but it will on
investigation, I think, prove to be more than this. In the first place,
the obvious borrowing from the "Three Dukes" of a few words, as in
versions Nos. 29, 30, and 31, tells against the theory of identity of
the two games. Then the form of marriage custom is different, though it
is still marriage under primitive conditions of society. The personal
element, entirely absent from the "Three Dukes," is here one of the
principal characteristics. The marriage is still one without previous
courtship or love between two individuals, but the parental element is
present here, or at any rate that of some authority, and a sanction is
given, although there is no trace of any actual ceremony. The young men,
or suitors, apparently desire a particular person in marriage, and
although there is no wooing of that person a demand is made for her.
These suitors are, I think, making the demand on the part of another
rather than for themselves. They are the ambassadors or friends of the
would-be bridegrooms, and are soliciting for a marriage in which
purchase money or dowry is to be paid. The mention of "gold and silver"
in many versions, and the line, "she must be sold," is important.
All these indications of purchase refer to a time when the custom of
offering gold, money, or other valuables for a bride was in vogue.
While, therefore, the game has traces of carrying off the bride, this
carrying off is in strict accord with the conditions prevalent when
marriage by purchase had succeeded to marriage by capture. The
bargaining spirit is not much "en evidence" in this game, not, that is
to say, in the same sense as is shown in "Three Sailors," p. 282, but
there is sufficient evidence of a mercantile spirit to prove that women
and girls were too valuable to be parted with by their own tribe or
family without something deemed equivalent being given in return. There
is a desire shown to possess the girl for her beauty; and that a choice
of a suitor could or would be made is shown by the remarks that she is
too young and does not know the language and customs of this suitor.
The mention of the spurs conveys the suggestion that the suitors or
ambassadors are men of quality and renown. To win their spurs was an
object greatly desired by all young men. Their reply to the taunt that
their spurs are "dull" may mean that they are not bright from use, and
may also show the idea that these men have come on a journey from some
distance for a bride or brides, and this only is responsible for their
spurs not being as bright as usual. Again, being "richly wrought" is
probably an indication of wealth or consequence. Mention must be made of
the mead not being made nor the cake yet baked, which occurs in two
versions. If these two versions can be considered old ones, this would
tend to show evidence of the ceremony of the eating together of
particular food, which forms the most important element in primitive
marriage ceremonies.
There occurs in some versions the incident of asking the girl to come,
and the dancing round when she consents, mostly in connection with the
incident of invitation to dance. This may not therefore belong, and I do
not think it does, to the early forms of this game; but we must remember
that dancing formed a part of the marriage ceremonies down to quite a
late date, and it is therefore not surprising it should be found in many
versions.
It has been suggested that this game has for its origin an historical
event in the reign of Edward III., whose daughter Jane married a prince
of Spain. There is some possibility in this, as doubtless the marriage
was conducted by ambassadors first of all with pomp and ceremonial, but
I think the game really dates from a much earlier period, and if there
are any grounds for connecting it with this particular royal marriage,
it may merely have altered and fixed some of the words, such as
"daughter Jane," "Lords from Spain," "Spanish gold," in people's minds,
and in this way tended to preserve the game in its modern form.
Mr. Addy, in his _Sheffield Glossary_, considers that the mention of the
three knights and gifts of gold is a fragment of some old pageant of the
Three Kings of Cologne, who, according to ancient legend, brought gifts
to the infant Jesus, but I can see no evidence of this.
It is somewhat curious that this game is very rarely sung to a tune, nor
have I succeeded in obtaining one. It is usually said to a sort of
sing-song chant, or else it is spoken in dialogue, and that with a good
deal of animation.
Mr. Newell gives versions, as played in America, similar to many here
given, and Mr. Northall (_Folk Rhymes_, p. 385) gives one from
Gloucestershire and Warwickshire.
[10] Incomplete, there is more of the game, but the maid could not
remember it.
[11] Probably once "boy," pronounced "by" in Essex.
Three Little Ships
[Music]
--London (A. B. Gomme).
[Music]
--Rimbault's _Nursery Rhymes_.
I. Three little ships come sailing by,
Sailing by, sailing by;
Three little ships come sailing by,
New Year's day in the morning.
Who do you think was in the ships,
In the ships, in the ships;
Who do you think was in the ships,
New Year's day in the morning?
Three pretty girls were in the ships,
In the ships, in the ships;
Three pretty girls were in the ships,
New Year's day in the morning.
One could whistle, and one could sing,
One could play on the violin;
One could whistle, and one could sing,
New Year's day in the morning.
--London (A. B. Gomme).
II. I saw three ships come sailing by,
Come sailing by, come sailing by;
I saw three ships come sailing by
On New Year's day in the morning.
And what do you think was in them then,
In them then, in them then;
And what do you think was in them then,
On New Year's day in the morning?
Three pretty girls were in them then, &c.
One could whistle, and one could sing,
The other could play on the violin;
Such joy was there at my wedding,
On New Year's day in the morning.
--Rimbault's _Nursery Rhymes_.
III. As I sat on a sunny bank,
A sunny bank, a sunny bank;
As I sat on a sunny bank
On Christmas day in the morning.
I saw three ships come sailing by,
Come sailing by, come sailing by;
I saw three ships come sailing by
On Christmas day in the morning.
And who do you think was in those ships? &c.
But Joseph and his lady.
And he did whistle, and she did sing,
And all the bells on earth did ring
For joy our Saviour he was born
On Christmas day in the morning.
--Burne's _Shropshire Folk-lore_, p. 564.
[The above verses, except the last one, are sung at Oswestry with these
additional ones:--]
Pray, whither sailed those ships all three? &c.
Oh! they sailed unto Bethlehem, &c.
They combed his hair with an ivory comb, &c.
They washed his face in a golden cup, &c.
They wiped his face with a lily-white cloth, &c.
They brushed his shoes with a hairy brush, &c.
--Burne's _Shropshire Folk-lore_, p. 564.
(_c_) In the London version, which I obtained from a maid-servant--two
lines of children stand, hand in hand, facing one another. They advance
and retire in line, with dancing steps, alternately. The children sing
the lines. When the last verse is sung a girl from the end of each line
advances, and the two dance round together. This is continued until all
have danced in turn in the space between the lines.
(_d_) It will be seen that there is a probability of the version I
collected as a dance game and Rimbault's nursery song being derived from
the Christmas carol, a variant of which I reprint from Miss Burne's
_Shropshire Folk-lore_. A version of this carol from Kent is given in
_Notes and Queries_, 3rd series, iii. 7. Mr. A. H. Bullen, in _Carols
and Poems_, gives an older version of the same. In this version there is
no mention of whistling, singing, or playing the violin; but in the Kent
version, the third verse is the same as the fourth of that collected by
Miss Burne, and the dance collected by myself. In the _Revue Celtique_,
vol. iv., Mr. Fitzgerald considers this carol to have been the original
from which the pretty words and dance, "Duck Dance," were derived, see
_ante_, vol. i. p. 113. If these words and dance owe their origin to the
carol, they may both show connection with an older form, when the carol
was danced as a dramatic round.
Three Old Bachelors
Here come three old bachelors,
Walking in a row,
Seeking wives, and can't find 'em;
So open the ring, and take one in.
Now you're married, you must obey;
You must be true to all you say;
You must be kind, you must be good,
And help your wife to chop the wood.
--Earls Heaton, Yorks. (Herbert Hardy).
Mr. Hardy suggests that this is a variant of "See the Farmer Sow his
Seed," but it more nearly resembles "Silly Old Man," although the
marriage formula is that of "Oats and Beans."
Three Sailors
[Music]
--London (A. B. Gomme).
I. Here come three sailors, three by three,
To court your daughter, a fair lady (pronounced ladee);
[_Or_, And down by your door they bend their knee].
Can we have a lodging here, here, here?
Can we have a lodging here?
Sleep, sleep, daughter, do not wake,
Here are three sailors we can't take;
You cannot have a lodging here, here, here,
You cannot have a lodging here.
Here come three soldiers, three by three,
To court your daughter, a fair lady;
Can we have a lodging here, here, here?
Can we have a lodging here?
Sleep, sleep, daughter, do not wake,
Here are three soldiers we can't take;
You cannot have a lodging here, here, here,
You cannot have a lodging here.
Here come three kings, three by three,
To court your daughter, a fair lady;
Can we have a lodging here, here, here?
Can we have a lodging here?
Wake, wake, daughter, do not sleep,
Here come three kings that we can take;
You can have a lodging here, here, here,
You can have a lodging here.
Here's my daughter, safe and sound,
And in her pocket one hundred pound,
And on her finger a gay gold ring,
And she is fit to walk with a king.
Here's your daughter, not safe nor sound,
Nor in her pocket one hundred pound,
On her finger no gay gold ring,
I'm sure she's not fit to walk with a king.
--Barnes, Surrey, and London (A. B. Gomme).
II. Here come three tinkers, three by three,
To court your daughter, fair lady;
Oh! have you any lodgings here, oh, here?
Oh! have you any lodgings here?
Sleep, sleep, daughter, do not wake,
Here come three tinkers we cannot take;
We haven't any lodgings here, oh, here,
We haven't any lodgings here.
Here come three soldiers, three by three,
To court your daughter, fair lady;
Oh! have you any lodgings here, oh, here?
Oh! have you any lodgings here?
Sleep, sleep, daughter, do not wake,
Here come three soldiers we cannot take;
We haven't any lodgings here, oh, here,
We haven't any lodgings here.
Here come three kings, three by three,
To court your daughter, fair lady;
Oh! have you any lodgings here, oh, here?
Oh! have you any lodgings here?
Wake, wake, daughter, do not sleep,
Here come three kings that we can take;
We have some lodgings here, oh, here,
We have some lodgings here.
Here's my daughter, safe and sound,
And in her pocket five hundred pounds,
And on her finger a five guinea gold ring,
And she is fit to walk with a king.
Here's your daughter, nor safe nor sound,
And in her pocket no five hundred pound,
And on her finger no five guinea gold ring,
And she's not fit to walk with the king.
--Sporle, Norfolk (Miss Matthews).
III. Here's three sweeps, three by three,
And down by the door they bend their knee;
Oh! shall we have lodgings here, oh, here?
Oh! shall we have lodgings here?
Sleep, dear daughter, do not wake,
For here's three sweeps coming to take;
Lodgings here they shall not have,
So sleep, dear daughter, sleep.
Here's three bakers, three by three,
And down by the door they bend their knee;
Oh! shall we have lodgings here, oh, here?
Oh! shall we have lodgings here?
Sleep, dear daughter, do not wake, &c. (as above).
Here's three kings, three by three, &c. (as above).
Wake, dear daughter, do not sleep,
For here's three kings coming to take;
Lodgings here they all may have,
So wake, dear daughter, wake.
Here's my daughter, safe and sound,
And on her finger a guinea gold ring,
And in her pocket a thousand pounds,
So she is fit to marry a king.
Here's your daughter, safe and sound,
And on her finger no guinea gold ring,
And in her pocket no thousand pounds,
So she's not fit to marry a king.
--Aberdeen Training College (Rev. W. Gregor).
IV. Here come three tailors, three by three,
To court your daughter, fair and fair;
Have you got a lodger here, oh, here?
Have you got a lodger here?
Sleep, daughter, sleep, sleep,
Here come three tailors we can't take;
We haven't got a lodger here, oh, here,
We haven't got a lodger here.
[The verses are repeated for "sailors," "blacksmiths," &c., and then
"kings," and ends in the same way as the preceding version.]
--Swaffham, Norfolk (Miss Matthews).
V. Here come three sailors, three by three,
A courting your daughter, Caroline Mee;
[Some would sing it "Because your daughter"]
Can we have a lodging here to-night?
Sleep, daughter, do not wake,
Here's three sailors we can't take;
You cannot have a lodging here to-night.
Here come three soldiers, three by three,
A courting your daughter, Caroline Mee;
Can we have a lodging here to-night?
Sleep, daughter, do not wake,
Here's three soldiers we can't take;
You cannot have a lodging here to-night.
[This is repeated for "kings," and the game ends as in the previous
versions. "Three" hundred pounds being substituted for "five."]
--Deptford, Kent (Miss Chase).
VI. Here come some travellers three by three,
And down by a door they bend their knee.
"Can we get lodgings here?"
The fairest one that I can see
Is pretty little ----, come to me,
And you'll get lodgings here--
"Will you come?" "Yes," or "No!"
--Isle of Man (A. W. Moore).
(_c_) The players form in two lines, and stand facing one another. One
line consists of a mother and daughters. The other of the suitors. The
mother stands a little in advance of her daughters. They remain
stationary during the game, the mother alone singing the words on her
side. The suitors advance and retire in line while singing their verses.
The mother turns partly round when singing the two first lines of her
verses addressing her daughters, and then faces the suitors when singing
to them the remaining two lines. When she accepts the "kings" she
brings one of her daughters forward, presents her to the suitors, and
shows them the money in her pocket, and the ring on her finger. The
daughter goes with the kings, who take her a little way apart, pretend
to rob her of her ring, money, and clothes, and then bring her back to
her mother, and sing the last verse. They then run off in all
directions, and the mother and daughters chase and catch them, and they
change sides. Sometimes all the daughters are taken by the suitors
before they are robbed and brought back. The game is also played by five
players only; three representing the sailors or suitors, and two the
mother and daughter. The mother then chases the suitors, and whoever she
catches becomes the daughter the next game. These are the usual methods
of playing. In the Norfolk version the middle one of the three suitors
takes the girl, robs her, and all three bring her back and sing the
verses. In the Isle of Man version one player sits down, the others join
hands, advance and retire singing the lines. The girl who is chosen
joins the one sitting down.
(_d_) This game points to that period of tribal society, when the youths
of one tribe sought to obtain their wives from the maidens of another
tribe according to the laws of exogamy, but a definite person is here
selected for the wife, and it is to the relatives or persons having
authority (as in "Three Knights") that the demand for the bride is made,
and not to the girl personally, as in "Three Dukes."
The game, while not so interesting a one to us as "Three Dukes," and
"Three Knights," has its particular or peculiar features. It is probably
later, and shows more clearly that position and wealth were of
importance to a man in the obtaining of a wife. Individually he has not
(apparently) courted the girl before, but he comes for that purpose now.
He may be announcing himself under the various ranks or professions
mentioned, before stating his real position; or, this may show that the
girl having many suitors, and those of all degrees, the "mother" or
relatives are actuated by purely mercenary motives, and wish to select
the best and richest suitor for her. We must remember that it was
accounted great honour to a girl to have many suitors and amongst these
men distinguished by the performance of brave deeds, which had gained
them renown and pre-eminence, or wealth. The fact that the rejection or
acceptance of the suitors is made known to the girl by the "mother," or
person having authority, shows that "sanction" or permission is
necessary, and that "rejection" or "acceptance" is signified to the
suitors in the words, you "may not," or, you "may" have a lodging here,
signifies admission into the family. This is a most interesting feature.
The girl is to "wake up," that would be to rouse up, be merry, dress in
bridal array and prepare for the coming festival. She is also given to
the suitors with "in her pocket one hundred pounds," and "on her finger
a gay gold ring." This, it will be seen, is given her by her "mother" or
person having authority, and probably refers to the property the girl
brings with her to her new abode for her proper maintenance there; the
ring shows likewise her station and degree in her former abode, and is
the token that she is fit bride for a king, and must be treated
accordingly. Curious, too, is "Here's my daughter safe and sound," which
looks like a warrant or guarantee of the girl's fitness to be a bride.
The expression "walk with," meaning "to marry," again occurs in this
game as in "Three Dukes." The line occurring in two versions, "And down
by the door they bend their knee," is suggestive of courtesy shown to
the bride and her family at the threshold of the house.
The incident of the three kings becoming robbers is not easily
understood. Robbery was common of course, particularly when money and
valuables were known to be carried on the person; but I do not think
this is sufficient in itself to account for the incident. It may be a
reflection of the later fact that a man always took possession of his
wife's personal property after marriage, and considered it his own to do
as he pleased with. When this idea became codified in written law, the
idea might readily get reflected in the game, when _kings_ would not be
understood as apparently taking things that did not belong to them,
unless they were bandits in disguise. This last verse and the robbery
may be a later addition to the game, when robbery was of everyday
occurrence. There may have been (although there is nothing now in any
version to warrant the idea) some similar action on the part of the
kings, such as a further arraying of the bride, and presenting her to
their party or house, which has been misunderstood. Mr. Newell suggests
that children having forgotten the original happy finish, and not
understanding the "haggling" over the suitors, turned the kings into
bandits. Children think it such a natural thing to wish to marry kings,
princes, and princesses, and are so sincere in thinking it a matter of
course to refuse a sailor or soldier for a king, when it is only a
question of marriage, and not of choosing the one you like the best,
that this reason does not to me seem to apply to a game of this kind.
Through the Needle Eye, Boys
Two leaders each choose a name such as "Golden Apple" and "Golden Pear."
The remaining children all hold each other's waists in a long string,
the "Golden Apple" and "Golden Pear" holding hands aloft like an arch.
The string of children then runs under the arch. The last child that
passes under is detained by the "Golden Apple" and "Golden Pear" (they
having dropped hands previously). The detained child is asked in a
whisper which she prefers, "Golden Apple," "Golden Pear;" she chooses,
and then stands at the back of the "Golden Apple" or "Golden Pear." When
all the children have passed through, the "Golden Apple" and "Golden
Pear" hold each other's hands and stand with the others behind them and
pull like a "Tug of War." There should be a line drawn between the
"Golden Apple" and the "Golden Pear," and whichever side pulls the other
over the line, wins the game.--Northumberland (from a lady friend of
Hon. J. Abercromby).
The formula sung in Fraserburgh when the players are running under the
raised arms is--
Clink, clink, through the needle ee, boys,
One, two, three,
If you want a bonnie lassie,
Just tak me.
After the tug of war the victors call out "Rotten eggs, rotten eggs"
(Rev. W. Gregor).
The words used in Galloway are--
Through the needle e'e, boys,
Through the needle e'e!
If 'twasna for your granny's sake,
I wadna let 'e through.
--Galloway (J. G. Carter).
Jamieson describes this game in the south of Scotland as follows: "Two
children form an arch with both hands. The rest, who hold each other by
the skirts following in a line, attempt to pass under the arch. The
first, who is called the king, is sometimes laid hold of by those who
form the arch, each letting fall one of his arms like a portcullis for
enclosing the passenger. But more generally the king is suffered to
pass, the attempt being reserved for the last; whoever is seized is
called the prisoner. As soon as he is made captive he takes the place of
one of those who formed the arch, and who afterwards stand by his side."
It is differently played in Mearns, Aberdeen, and some other counties. A
number of boys stand with joined hands in a semicircle, and the boy at
one end of the link addresses the boy at the other end of the line:
A---- B----, if ye were mine,
I wad feed you with claret wine;
Claret wine is gude and fine,
Through the needle-ee, boys.
The boy to whom this is addressed makes room between himself and his
next neighbour, as they raise and extend their arms to allow the
opposite boy to run through the opening followed by all the other boys
still linked to each other. If in running through the link should be
broken, the two boys who are the cause suffer some punishment.--Ed.
Jamieson's Dictionary.
The Northumberland game resembles "Oranges and Lemons." The other
versions are nearer the "Thread the Needle" and "How many Miles to
Babylon" games. Both games may be derived from the same custom.
See "How many Miles to Babylon," "Thread the Needle."
Thun'er Spell
A thin lath of wood, about six inches long and three or four inches
broad, is taken and rounded at one end. A hole is bored in that end, and
in the hole is tied a piece of cord between two and three yards long. It
is then rapidly swung round, so as to produce a buzzing sound. The more
rapidly it is swung, the louder is the noise. It was believed that the
use of this instrument during a thunder-storm saved one from being
struck with "the thun'er bolt." I have used it with this intention
(Keith). In other places it is used merely to make a noise. It is
commonly deeply notched all round the edges to increase the noise.
Some years ago a herd boy was observed making one in a farm-kitchen
(Udny). It was discovered that when he was sent to bring the cows from
the fields to the farmyard to be milked, he used it to frighten them,
and they ran frantically to their stalls. The noise made the animals
dread the bot-fly or "cleg." This torment makes them throw their tails
up, and rush with fury through the fields or to the byres to shelter
themselves from its attacks. A formula to effect the same purpose, and
which I have many and many a time used when herding, was: Cock tail!
cock tail! cock tail! Bizz-zz-zz! Bizz-zz-zz.--Keith (Rev. W. Gregor).