All the trees of the field will clap their hands.

This is old Hollantide night; Hop-tu-naa

The moon shines bright; Trol-la-laa.

Supper of the heifer; Trol-la-laa.

Which heifer shall we kill? Hop-tu-naa

The little speckled heifer. Trol-la-laa.

The fore-quarter, Hop-tu-naa

We’ll put in the pot for you. Trol-la-laa.

The little hind quarter, Hop-tu-naa

Give to us, give to us. Trol-la-laa.

I tasted the broth, Hop-tu-naa

I scalded my tongue, Trol-la-laa.

I ran to the well, Hop-tu-naa

And drank my fill; Trol-la-laa.

On my way back, Hop-tu-naa

I met a witch cat; Trol-la-laa.

The cat began to grin, Hop-tu-naa

And I am a slag away. Trol-la-laa.

Where did you run to? Hop-tu-naa

I ran to Scotland. Trol-la-laa.

What were they doing there? Hop-til-naa

Baking bannocks and roasting collops. Trol-la-laa.

Hop-tu-naa, Trol-la-laa

(Loayrt)

My ta shiu goll dy chur red erbee dooin, cur dooin tappee eh,

Ny vees mayd ersooyl liorish soilshey yn cayst

Hop-tu-naa, Trol-la-laa.

(Spoken)

If you are going to give us anything, give it us soon,

Or we’ll be away by the light of the moon.

Hop-tu-naa, Trol-la-laa.

The Witchcraft Act of 1735 contained a clause preventing the consumption of pork and pastry comestibles on Halloween, although in modern times, such treats are a popular…

Halloween was seen as the time when the division between the world of the living and the otherworld was blurred.

Many of the traditional customs derive from ancient divination practices and ways of trying to predict the future. By the 18th century, most of the customs were methods for young people to search for their future husbands or wives. As Samhainn was originally a harvest festival, many of these strange practices are connected with food or the harvest and fertility. One old custom associated with the Western Isles was to put two large nuts in the hearth of a peat fire; these were supposed to represent yourself and your intended spouse. If the nuts curled together when they warmed up, it was deemed to be a good omen; but if they jumped apart, then it was time to look for another sweetheart.

Islanders from Lewis traditionally poured ale into the sea as a libation to a marine God called “Seonaidh,” or “Shoney,” on Celtic Samhain or Halloween so that he would send seaweed to the shore to fertilise the fields for the coming year. Seonadh in Scottish Gaelic means sorcery, augury, or Druidism, and it is possible that the custom of Shonaidh is the direct link to an ancient form of Celtic god worship that has been Christianised. As “Seonaidh,” which is Gaelic “Johnny,” it may also be a reference to one of St. John and an invocation of him.