the golden bough-第187部分

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myth　of　this　sort　will　become　probable　if　we　can　prove　that　ceremonies　resembling　the　incidents　in　the　tale　have　been　performed　by　Norsemen　and　other　European　peoples。　Now　the　main　incidents　in　the　tale　are　twofirst；　the　pulling　of　the　mistletoe；　and　second；　the　death　and　burning　of　the　god；　and　both　of　them　may　perhaps　be　found　to　have　had　their　counterparts　in　yearly　rites　observed；　whether　separately　or　conjointly；　by　people　in　various　parts　of　Europe。　These　rites　will　be　described　and　discussed　in　the　following　chapters。　We　shall　begin　with　the　annual　festivals　of　fire　and　shall　reserve　the　pulling　of　the　mistletoe　for　consideration　later　on。

Chapter　62。　The　Fire…Festivals　of　Europe。

1。　The　Fire…festivals　in　general

ALL　over　Europe　the　peasants　have　been　accustomed　from　time　immemorial　to　kindle　bonfires　on　certain　days　of　the　year；　and　to　dance　round　or　leap　over　them。　Customs　of　this　kind　can　be　traced　back　on　historical　evidence　to　the　Middle　Ages；　and　their　analogy　to　similar　customs　observed　in　antiquity　goes　with　strong　internal　evidence　to　prove　that　their　origin　must　be　sought　in　a　period　long　prior　to　the　spread　of　Christianity。　Indeed　the　earliest　proof　of　their　observance　in　Northern　Europe　is　furnished　by　the　attempts　made　by　Christian　synods　in　the　eighth　century　to　put　them　down　as　heathenish　rites。　Not　uncommonly　effigies　are　burned　in　these　fires；　or　a　pretence　is　made　of　burning　a　living　person　in　them；　and　there　are　grounds　for　believing　that　anciently　human　beings　were　actually　burned　on　these　occasions。　A　brief　view　of　the　customs　in　question　will　bring　out　the　traces　of　human　sacrifice；　and　will　serve　at　the　same　time　to　throw　light　on　their　meaning。

The　seasons　of　the　year　when　these　bonfires　are　most　commonly　lit　are　spring　and　midsummer；　but　in　some　places　they　are　kindled　also　at　the　end　of　autumn　or　during　the　course　of　the　winter；　particularly　on　Hallow　E'en　（the　thirty…first　of　October）；　Christmas　Day；　and　the　Eve　of　Twelfth　Day。　Space　forbids　me　to　describe　all　these　festivals　at　length；　a　few　specimens　must　serve　to　illustrate　their　general　character。　We　shall　begin　with　the　fire…festivals　of　spring；　which　usually　fall　on　the　first　Sunday　of　Lent　（Quadragesima　or　Invocavit）；　Easter　Eve；　and　May　Day。

2。　The　Lenten　Fires

THE　CUSTOM　of　kindling　bonfires　on　the　first　Sunday　in　Lent　has　prevailed　in　Belgium；　the　north　of　France；　and　many　parts　of　Germany。　Thus　in　the　Belgian　Ardennes　for　a　week　or　a　fortnight　before　the　day　of　the　great　fire；　as　it　is　called；　children　go　about　from　farm　to　farm　collecting　fuel。　At　Grand　Halleux　any　one　who　refuses　their　request　is　pursued　next　day　by　the　children；　who　try　to　blacken　his　face　with　the　ashes　of　the　extinct　fire。　When　the　day　has　come；　they　cut　down　bushes；　especially　juniper　and　broom；　and　in　the　evening　great　bonfires　blaze　on　all　the　heights。　It　is　a　common　saying　that　seven　bonfires　should　be　seen　if　the　village　is　to　be　safe　from　conflagrations。　If　the　Meuse　happens　to　be　frozen　hard　at　the　time；　bonfires　are　lit　also　on　the　ice。　At　Grand　Halleux　they　set　up　a　pole　called　makral；　or　the　witch；　in　the　midst　of　the　pile；　and　the　fire　is　kindled　by　the　man　who　was　last　married　in　the　village。　In　the　neighbourhood　of　Morlanwelz　a　straw　man　is　burnt　in　the　fire。　Young　people　and　children　dance　and　sing　round　the　bonfires；　and　leap　over　the　embers　to　secure　good　crops　or　a　happy　marriage　within　the　year；　or　as　a　means　of　guarding　themselves　against　colic。　In　Brabant　on　the　same　Sunday；　down　to　the　beginning　of　the　nineteenth　century；　women　and　men　disguised　in　female　attire　used　to　go　with　burning　torches　to　the　fields；　where　they　danced　and　sang　comic　songs　for　the　purpose；　as　they　alleged；　of　driving　away　the　wicked　sower；　who　is　mentioned　in　the　Gospel　for　the　day。　At　Paturages；　in　the　province　of　Hainaut；　down　to　about　1840　the　custom　was　observed　under　the　name　of　Escouvion　or　Scouvion。　Every　year　on　the　first　Sunday　of　Lent；　which　was　called　the　Day　of　the　Little　Scouvion；　young　folks　and　children　used　to　run　with　lighted　torches　through　the　gardens　and　orchards。　As　they　ran　they　cried　at　the　pitch　of　their　voices：

Bear　apples；　bear　pears；　and　cherries　all　black　To　Scouvion！

At　these　words　the　torch…bearer　whirled　his　blazing　brand　and　hurled　it　among　the　branches　of　the　apple…trees；　the　pear…trees；　and　the　cherry…trees。　The　next　Sunday　was　called　the　Day　of　the　Great　Scouvion；　and　the　same　race　with　lighted　torches　among　the　trees　of　the　orchards　was　repeated　in　the　afternoon　till　darkness　fell。

In　the　French　department　of　the　Ardennes　the　whole　village　used　to　dance　and　sing　around　the　bonfires　which　were　lighted　on　the　first　Sunday　in　Lent。　Here；　too；　it　was　the　person　last　married；　sometimes　a　man　and　sometimes　a　woman；　who　put　the　match　to　the　fire。　The　custom　is　still　kept　up　very　commonly　in　the　district。　Cats　used　to　be　burnt　in　the　fire　or　roasted　to　death　by　being　held　over　it；　and　while　they　were　burning　the　shepherds　drove　their　flocks　through　the　smoke　and　flames　as　a　sure　means　of　guarding　them　against　sickness　and　witchcraft。　In　some　communes　it　was　believed　that　the　livelier　the　dance　round　the　fire；　the　better　would　be　the　crops　that　year。

In　the　French　province　of　Franche…Comté；　to　the　west　of　the　Jura　Mountains；　the　first　Sunday　of　Lent　is　known　as　the　Sunday　of　the　Firebrands　（Brandons）；　on　account　of　the　fires　which　it　is　customary　to　kindle　on　that　day。　On　the　Saturday　or　the　Sunday　the　village　lads　harness　themselves　to　a　cart　and　drag　it　about　the　streets；　stopping　at　the　doors　of　the　houses　where　there　are　girls　and　begging　fora　faggot。　When　they　have　got　enough；　they　cart　the　fuel　to　a　spot　at　some　little　distance　from　the　village；　pile　it　up；　and　set　it　on　fire。　All　the　people　of　the　parish　come　out　to　see　the　bonfire。　In　some　villages；　when　the　bells　have　rung　the　Angelus；　the　signal　for　the　observance　is　given　by　cries　of；　To　the　fire！　to　the　fire！　Lads；　lasses；　and　children　dance　round　the　blaze；　and　when　the　flames　have　died　down　they　vie　with　each　other　in　leaping　over　the　red　embers。　He　or　she　who　does　so　without　singeing　his　or　her　garments　will　be　married　within　the　year。　Young　folk　also　carry　lighted　torches　about　the　streets　or　the　fields；　and　when　they　pass　an　orchard　they　cry　out；　More　fruit　than　leaves！　Down　to　recent　years　at　Laviron；　in　the　department　of　Doubs；　it　was　the　young　married　couples　of　the　year　who　had　charge　of　the　bonfires。　In　the　midst　of　the　bonfire　a　pole　was　planted　with　a　wooden　figure　of　a　cock　fastened　to　the　top。　Then　there　were　races；　and　the　winner　received　the　cock　as　a　prize。

In　Auvergne　fires　are　everywhere　kindled　on　the　evening　of　the　first　Sunday　in　Lent。　Every　village；　every　hamlet；　even　every　ward；　every　isolated　farm　has　its　bonfire　or　figo；　as　it　is　called；　which　blazes　up　as　the　shades　of　night　are　falling。　The　fires　may　be　seen　flaring　on　the　heights　and　in　the　plains；　the　people　dance　and　sing　round　about　them　and　leap　through　the　flames。　Then　they　proceed　to　the　ceremony　of　the　Grannas…mias。　A　granno…mio　is　a　torch　of　straw　fastened　to　the　top　of　a　pole。　When　the　pyre　is　half　consumed；　the　bystanders　kindle　the　torches　at　the　expiring　flames　and　carry　them　into　the　neighbouring　orchards；　fields；　and　gardens；　wherever　there　are　fruit…trees。　As　they　march　they　sing　at　the　top　of　their　voices；　Granno　my　friend；　Granno　my　father；　Granno　my　mother。　Then　they　pass　the　burning　torches　under　the　branches　of　every　tree；　singing。

Brando；　brandounci　tsaque　brantso；　in　plan　panei！

that　is；　Firebrand　burn；　every　branch　a　basketful！　In　some　villages　the　people　also　run　across　the　sown　fields　and　shake　the　ashes　of　the　torches　on　the　ground；　also　they　put　some　of　the　ashes　in　the　fowls'　nests；　in　order　that　the　hens　may　lay　plenty　of　eggs　throughout　the　year。　When　all　these　ceremonies　have　been　performed；　everybody　goes　home　and　feasts；　the　special　dishes　of　the　evening　are　fritters　and　pancakes。　Here　the　application　of　the　fire　to　the　fruit…trees；　to　the　sown　fields；　and　to　the　nests　of　the　poultry　is　clearly　a　charm　intended　to　ensure　fertility；　and　the　Granno　to　whom　the　invocations　are　addressed；　and　who　gives　his　name　to　the　torches；　may　possibly　be；　as　Dr。　Pommerol　suggests；　no　other　than　the　ancient　Celtic　god　Grannus；　whom　the　Romans　identified　with　Apollo；　and　whose　worship　is　attested　by　inscriptions　found　not　only　in　France　but　in　Scotland　and　on　the　Danube。

The　custom　of　carrying　lighted　torches　of　straw　（brandons）　about　the　orchards　and　fields　to　fertilise　them　on　the　first　Sunday　of　Lent　seems　to　have　been　common　in　France；　whether　it　was　accompanied　with　the　practice　of　kindling　bonfires　or　not。　Thus　in　the　province　of　Picardy　on　the　first　Sunday　of　Lent　people　carried　torches　through　the　fields；　exorcising　the　field…mice；　the　darnel；　and　the　smut。　They　imagined　that　they　did　much　good　to　the　gardens　and　caused　the　onions　to　grow　large。　Children　ran　about　the　fields；　torch　in　hand；　to　make　the　land　more　fertile。　At　Verges；　a　village　between　the　Jura　and　the　Combe　d'Ain；　the　torches　at　this　season　were　kindled　on　the　top　of　a　mountain；　and　the　bearers　went　to　every　house　in　the　village；　demanding　roasted　peas　and　obliging　all　couples　who　had　been　married　within　the　year　to　dance。　In　Berry；　a　district　of　Central　France；　it　appears　that　bonfires　are　not　lighted　on　this　day；　but　when　the　sun　has　set　the　whole　population　of　the　villages；　armed　with　blazing　torches　of　straw；　disperse　over　the　country　and　scour　the　fields；　the　vineyards；　and　the　orchards。　Seen　from　afar；　the　multitude　of　moving　lights；　twinkling　in　the　darkness；　appear　like　will…o'…the…wisps　chasing　each　other　across　the　plains；　along　the　hillsides；　and　down　the　valleys。　While　the　men　wave　their　flambeaus　about　the　branches　of　the　fruit…trees；　the　women　and　children　tie　bands　of　wheaten…straw　round　the　tree…trunks。　The　effect　of　the　ceremony　is　supposed　to　be　to　avert　the　various　plagues　from　which　the　fruits　of　the　earth　are　apt　to　suffer；　and　the　bands　of　straw　fastened　round　the　stems　of　the　trees　are　believed　to　render　them　fruitful。

In　Germany；　Austria；　and　Switzerland　at　the　same　season　similar　customs　have　prevailed。　Thus　in　the　Eifel　Mountains；　Rhenish　Prussia；　on　the　fir