Terms and Charms
Charm songs: a series of songs that sound like folksongs but which pertain to old and sometimes forgotten customs, mostly dealing with relations between the hillfayre and hillgifters
Charburner: person who makes his living by burning wood to make charcoal
Cob Fair: the autumn fair, where nuts and apples are traded
Cradle school: a school where small children are taught to read, write, and figure. When Dame Yarrow was the teacher they also learned charm songs
Crossover: the custom of sending some young villagers to another village to live and to marry there
Feathergillie: A pretty feathery plant sometimes worn in a cap or pinned to a dress. It suggests happiness and company
Fern seed: a brew made from fernseed and other ingredients and used for clear sight
Flint struck: rattled about in your mind
Furze: gorse
Gloaming moths: Large pale moths that come out when the sun goes down
Haysacking: the practice of taking a lover for the summer season. Usually suggests outdoor activity
Haysack baby: a baby born as the result of haysacking. Some were from married couples. Others were accidents and some of these would be given to the hill
Hillfayre: fairies who live in the hollow hill known as Farers' Hill
Hiring Fair: A fair or market when men and women looking for apprenticeships or positions meet hopeful employers
Lady lace: a herb for discouraging fertility
Lady May: the old term given to the young woman who lay with the Hill Lord to strengthen the hillfayre blood
Leggings: unisex clothing drawn over the legs and wrapped at the waist
Marshfayre: a marsh fairy. Usually shorter than the hillfayre and have slightly down-turned eyes and wide mouths
May Lad: the male counterpart of the Lady May
Mead and milk: a brew drunk at Summerfeste
Physick patch: A herb garden stocked with medicinal plants
Redberry tea: a brew for encouraging fertility
Rochfayre: rock fairies from near Twentystone. Practically extinct
Seafayre: a race of fairies living near Cliffbloom, in the sea caves. Incompatible with the hillfayre
Sheafwain: a wagon for carrying sheaves of hay and grain
Shift: the long gown worn by Cliffbloom women
Summerfeste: a summer festival
Tabard: a thigh-length straight top
Thorn Fair: the old spring festival
Thornfair gown: the traditional green embroidered gown worn by young women to the fair when they were eighteen. Now considered outmoded
Whin: thorns
Widow's Wreath: a wreath of white flowers, twigs or leaves worn in the cap of a widow. It doesn't denote particular recent sorrow, but simply shows her status.
