It is known as the ‘shared cradle’. The foster mother is known by her foster child as Muimme and the foster father as Datan. Fosterage can be undertaken for affection, perhaps by a relative, in which case no fee is paid. Otherwise fosterage is for a fee. The fee is calculated according to the honour price of the child’s father. The fee for the son of an ocaire (small farmer) is three séts or one and a half ounces of silver and four séts for a daughter. The fee for the son of a king is thirty séts or fifteen ounces of silver and forty séts for a daughter. Cáin Iarraith (The Law of Fosterage) The son of a king must be supplied with a horse for riding and with clothing worth seven séts, or three and a half ounces of silver. He must be educated according to his rank, taught to play chess, horsemanship, swimming and marksmanship. A daughter of a king must be taught how to make silken garments and how to embroider. The son of an ocaire must be taught how to care for lambs, calves and pigs.
