[Need-fire kindled by the friction of oak wood.]

“The night before, all the fires in the country were carefully extinguished, and next morning the materials for exciting this sacred fire were prepared.  The most primitive method seems to be that which was used in the islands of Skye, Mull, and Tiree.  A well-seasoned plank of oak was procured, in the midst of which a hole was bored.  A wimble of the same timber was then applied, the end of which they fitted to the hole.  But in some parts of the mainland the machinery was different.  They used a frame of green wood, of a square form, in the centre of which was an axle-tree.  In some places three times three persons, in others three times nine, were required for turning round by turns the axle-tree or wimble.  If any of them had been guilty of murder, adultery, theft, or other atrocious crime, it was imagined either that the fire would not kindle, or that it would be devoid of its usual virtue.  So soon as any sparks were emitted by means of the violent friction, they applied a species of agaric which grows on old birch-trees, and is very combustible.  This fire had the appearance of being immediately derived from heaven, and manifold were the virtues ascribed to it.  They esteemed it a preservative against witchcraft, and a sovereign remedy against malignant diseases, both in the human species and in cattle; and by it the strongest poisons were supposed to have their nature changed.

[The Beltane cake and the Beltane carline (cailleach).]

“After kindling the bonfire with the tein-eigin the company prepared their victuals.  And as soon as they had finished their meal, they amused themselves a while in singing and dancing round the fire.  Towards the close of the entertainment, the person who officiated as master of the feast produced a large cake baked with eggs and scalloped round the edge, called am bonnach beal-tine—­i.e. the Beltane cake.  It was divided into a number of pieces, and distributed in great form to the company.  There was one particular piece which whoever got was called cailleach beal-tine—­i.e., the Beltane carline, a term of great reproach.  Upon his being known, part of the company laid hold of him and made a show of putting him into the fire; but the majority interposing, he was rescued.  And in some places they laid him flat on the ground, making as if they would quarter him.  Afterwards, he was pelted with egg-shells, and retained the odious appellation during the whole year.  And while the feast was fresh in people’s memory, they affected to speak of the cailleach beal-tine as dead.