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Burry Man Day |
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Burry Man Day Second Friday in August The "Burry Man" has appeared on the streets of South Queens bury, West Lothian, Scotland, annually for over 600 years. He wears a headdress made of flowers that completely hides his face, and his body is costumed with a thick mat of teazle burrs and thistles. With a staff in each hand, he walks from house to house without uttering a word. Nevertheless, people address him politely and often offer him money, in return for which he bestows good fortune on their home. Some say that the ceremonies of Burry Man Day commemorate King Malcolm III's escape from the British, which he accomplished with the aid of a thick covering of burs and flowers. Another theory contends that the Burry Man is a remnant of an old custom connected with the gathering of fair tolls. This theory draws strength from the fact that he appears on the day before Ferry Fair. CONTACTS: Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh 20A Inverleith Row Edinburgh, Scotland EH3 5LR United Kingdom 44-13-1552-7171; fax: 44-13-1248-2901 www.rbge.org.uk Edinburgh and Lothians Tourist Board, Edinburgh and Scotland Information Centre 3 Princes St. Edinburgh, Scotland EH2 2QP United Kingdom 44-84-5225-5121 www.edinburgh.org SOURCES: YrFest-1972, p. 53 Celebration days: Aug 12, 2011; Aug 10, 2012; Aug 9, 2013; Aug 8, 2014; Aug 14, 2015 Want to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us, add a link to this page, add the site to iGoogle, or visit the webmaster's page for free fun content. |
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