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Alderman
The peasants had to take turns acting as alderman, fire ranger and snow ranger. He would have a large steers horn that they would blow in at a predetermined location in their respective towns. They would blow in it for announcements relating to villeinage, snow removal or fire. When the sound of the horn was heard it was each home's duty to send someone to receive orders.
Bull and boar
(breeding animals)
Families took turns caring for these animals for one year at a time.
Stallion
If the mare ended up having a foal, a barrel of oats would be given as payment. If not then only a half of a barrel was exchanged.
Page 87:
Superstition
Sankt Hans Day/St. John's Day/Summer solstice is on the 24th of June and the night prior to this day was referred to as Sankt Hans night. This was thought to be the night where witches and trolls would ride their brooms to Blocksbjerg/Brocken mountain where they would gather and feast. When these beings were flying over ditches, gates, forests and lakes they might also be likely to fly through people's crops and perhaps damage them. To prevent that from happening small amounts of rice and bundles of twigs were placed here and there throughout the countryside. It was thought that when these beings flew near these things that they would avoid them and stay away.
Steel in the door
(I think he meant to say iron)
It was important to place a bit of steel in the doorways when a new animal had been bought, when a cow had been with a bull, when a cow had been to the watertrough for the first time since giving birth to a calf. Some steel was also placed in the seed piles in the loft as well as in the haystacks, in the barns, practically everywhere to ensure that witches and trolls wouldn't mess with them or damage them.
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