If a woman was churning on a May morning and somebody came in to borrow something the woman of the house would not give the article because she would (not a) be afraid of the person taking the butter off the milk by witchcraft. Some old people while milking used to dip their thumb into the milk and put the sign of the sign of the cross on the cow’s udder to prevent the butter being taken by witchcraft. Other old people put a pinch of salt into the milking can to keep away the fairies. When milking a newly-calved cow some people put a silver coin into the pail to prevent the milk or butter being taken away by witchcraft. In some districts people tie a piece of red flannel on the cow’s tail to prevent witchcraft. In some houses if somebody came in for a drink and the woman of the house was churning, before she would give the drinkMic léinn Ollscoil Ohio State