Death

A cock crowing, an owl hooting, or a dog howling at night, are all signs of death.

If a corpse keeps soft and does not stiffen, there will be another death in the family within a year.

If two deaths occur in the place, a third will follow. This is a very common belief. The brother of a man who was seriously ill accompanied me to the door on one occasion and said, ” I’ve sma’ hopes o’ him mysel’, doctor ; there’s been twa deaths in the parish this week, and we’re waitin’ the third.” The patient nevertheless recovered.

The clock is stopped at death ; the mirrors are covered, sometimes also the face of the clock ; and a white cloth is pinned up over the lower half of the window (Auchterderran).

Cats are not permitted in a room where there is a dead body, owing to the belief that if a cat jumped over the corpse, anyone who saw the cat afterwards would become blind (Auchterderran).

A saucer with salt is sometimes placed on the chest of the corpse (this is not a general custom). Pennies are laid on the eyelids to keep them shut, and the falling of the jaw is prevented by propping up with a Bible.

The presence of the minister at the ” chestin’ ” (coffining) is still quite common in Fife. This is the outcome of Acts of Parliament in 1694 an d 1705* which enjoined the presence of an elder or deacon to see that the corpse was clothed, in the former case in linen, in the latter in woollen garments.

download: County Folk Lore VII (20.26MB) added: 29/04/2011 clicks: 539 description: Collected and written by Ewart Simpkins John. This collection of Folk lore gives an insight into the background history of Fife, with examples from all over Fife, including Lochgelly.