Halloween in years gone by was a special time for the boys of Shetland. When hairst brought relaxation to the work of the croft and the darkening nights afforded protection, the boys sallied forth on their favourite early winter pastime of playing tricks on their elders. These activities reached their peak at Hallowe'en. A common prank was to climb on to the roof of a neighbouring house and place a poan or other obstruction over the lum or chimney, then watch from a safe distance the antics of the occupants as they rushed out coughing and spluttering. Another common prank usually reserved for Hallowe'en was to drop a cabbage through the roof opening. It was for the family when, just as the supper pot on the links was coming to a boil, a large cabbage, roots, earth and all, would splash into it, scattering the contents. More harmless forms of amusement were tying doors from the outside so that they could not be opened.

Of course, the occupants of the house invariably gave chase, and if caught the boys were unceremoniously thrashed, but later, when the mess had been cleared away the victims of the prank would laugh and confess that the lads were merely doing what each generation of boys had done for hundreds of years, and that if they had failed to carry on the tradition the criticism would have been levelled at them that boys were not what they use to be.

You can find more articles in the archive under Fada 's Farsaing (Far and Wide)

Since October 1, 1999