Identifier: jeanfranoismille00hurl (find matches)
Title: Jean François Millet; a collection of fifteen pictures and a portrait of the painter, with introduction and interpretation
Year: 1900 (1900s)
Authors: Hurll, Estelle M. (Estelle May), 1863-1924
Subjects: Millet, Jean François, 1814-1875
Publisher: Boston, New York : Houghton, Mifflin and co.
Contributing Library: Harold B. Lee Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Brigham Young University

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ssed,but her expression of satisfaction seems to showthat the butter is coming well. The work ofbutter-making varies curiously at different times.Sometimes the butter comes quickly and easily, andagain, only after long and laborious delays. Thereseems, indeed, no rule about the process ; it appearsto be all a matter of luck. Country people havealways been very superstitious in regard to it; andnot understanding the true reasons for a success-ful or an unsuccessful churning, they attribute anyremarkable effects to supernatural agencies. In the old days of witchcraft superstitions, theyused to think that when the cream did not readilyturn to butter, the churn had been tampered withby some witch, like Mabel Martins mother in Whit-tiers poem. Witches were sometimes supposed towork a baleful charm on the milk by putting underthe doorsill some magical object, such as a pictureof a toad or a lizard. In Scotland, when churning was easy it was be-cause of the secret help of the brownie. He was
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From a carbon print by Hrann, Clenu THE WOMAN CHURNINC THE WOMAN CHURNING 83 a tiny, elf-like creature who lived in the barn andwas never seen of men ; but his presence was madeknown by his many deeds of helpfulness in kitchenand dairy, for which he was rewarded by a dailybowl of milk. Those who have read George Mac-Donalds story of Sir Gibbie remember how thelittle waif from the city was mistaken for a browniebecause he secretly helped in the churning. In France a pious class of peasants pray to St.Blaise for a blessing on their various farm occupa-tions, including the dairy work. A hymn writtento the saint contains this petition : — In our dairies, curds and creamAnd fair cheeses may we see :Great St. Blaise, oh, grant our plea. * Some such prayer as this may be running throughthe mind of the woman in our picture. She hasthe earnest and simple character which belongs tothe Norman peasant. Hers is a kindly nature, too,and the cat rubs familiarly against her as if sure ofa friend wh

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