cailleach

"Old woman", "hag." The old woman or old wife, a spirit of whom people were afraid in harvest. In spring, the person last done with the shearing had to feed her till next harvest. In spring she was engaged with a hammer in keeping the grass under:

"She strikes here, she strikes there,

She strikes between her legs,"

but the grass grows to fast for her and in despair she throws the hammer from her, and where it lighted no grass grew:

"She threw it beneath the hard, holly tree,

Where grass or hair has never grown."

See also Cachalaidh na feusag.

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