The Coolin

The Coolin is a sport, transmitted from very remote antiquity, which is still retained in the Hebrides and West
Highlands of Scotland on the last night of the year.
On the last night of the year, the men-servants are turned out of the house, and the females secure the doors. One of the men is decorated with a dried cow’s hide, and is provided with cakes of barley, or oat bread, and with cheese.

He is called The Coolin, and is belaboured with staves, and chased round the house by his roaring companions. To represent noise and tumult seems the principal object in this stage of the ceremony. The door is next attacked, and stout resistance made from within ; nor is admission granted till the assailant has shown that his savage
nature is subdued by the influence of humanizing music.

When he has repeated a few verses the door flies open.
Others rush in, but are repelled, till all have proved, by the exercise of their musical and poetical talents, their fitness for civilized life. When the whole company are admitted a new ceremony hegins.

A piece of dried sheep-skin, with the wool still on it, is singed in the fire, smelt to, and waved three times
round the head. It is again and again singed and waved, till every individsial has three times held it to the fire, three times smelt to it, and nine times waved it round his head. The hread and cheese of the Coolin are next
divided and eaten ; and thus are the calamities of the expected year provided against.

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