fresh meat

• Format: Manuscript
• Language: English
• Subjects: English language > Dialects > Newfoundland and Labrador; Newfoundland
• Online Access: http://collections.mun.ca/cdm/ref/collection/elrcdne/id/28031

fresh n The scoff was another form of entertainment, taken part in chiefly by the younger men. (The older people frowned on it, especially the name.) This pastime was not so widely known in the early days, as in the latter part of the 1800's and the early part of the 20th century. The event usually took place in the period between October and Christmas. A group of young men secured a supply of _fresh meat_, usually sea birds. When these were not procureable, a hen or duck would be gotten from a neighbour's supply, this chiefly by stealth. The party who lost the duck or hen generally did not feel too badly. Apparently it was regarded as a necessary evil and was placed in the same category as the Halloween pranks of today. Then, too, there was an absolute rule which had to be adhered to, this in the true Robin Hood tradition, "Nothing must be ever taken from the very poor." When rabbits became available they were a favorite item for the meal. Young men then congregated at one of the See cited quotation PRINTED ITEM G. M. Story SEP 1974 JH SEP 1974 Used I and Sup Used I and Sup Not used