the golden bough-第195部分

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st　the　things　which　in　the　Highlands　of　Scotland　contributed　to　invest　the　festival　with　a　romantic　beauty　were　the　bonfires　which　used　to　blaze　at　frequent　intervals　on　the　heights。　On　the　last　day　of　autumn　children　gathered　ferns；　tar…barrels；　the　long　thin　stalks　called　gàinisg；　and　everything　suitable　for　a　bonfire。　These　were　placed　in　a　heap　on　some　eminence　near　the　house；　and　in　the　evening　set　fire　to。　The　fires　were　called　Samhnagan。　There　was　one　for　each　house；　and　it　was　an　object　of　ambition　who　should　have　the　biggest。　Whole　districts　were　brilliant　with　bonfires；　and　their　glare　across　a　Highland　loch；　and　from　many　eminences；　formed　an　exceedingly　picturesque　scene。　Like　the　Beltane　fires　on　the　first　of　May；　the　Hallowe'en　bonfires　seem　to　have　been　kindled　most　commonly　in　the　Perthshire　Highlands。　In　the　parish　of　Callander　they　still　blazed　down　to　near　the　end　of　the　eighteenth　century。　When　the　fire　had　died　down；　the　ashes　were　carefully　collected　in　the　form　of　a　circle；　and　a　stone　was　put　in；　near　the　circumference；　for　every　person　of　the　several　families　interested　in　the　bonfire。　Next　morning；　if　any　of　these　stones　was　found　to　be　displaced　or　injured；　the　people　made　sure　that　the　person　represented　by　it　was　fey　or　devoted；　and　that　he　could　not　live　twelve　months　from　that　day。　At　Balquhidder　down　to　the　latter　part　of　the　nineteenth　century　each　household　kindled　its　bonfire　at　Hallowe'en；　but　the　custom　was　chiefly　observed　by　children。　The　fires　were　lighted　on　any　high　knoll　near　the　house；　there　was　no　dancing　round　them。　Hallowe'en　fires　were　also　lighted　in　some　districts　of　the　north…east　of　Scotland；　such　as　Buchan。　Villagers　and　farmers　alike　must　have　their　fire。　In　the　villages　the　boys　went　from　house　to　house　and　begged　a　peat　from　each　householder；　usually　with　the　words；　Ge's　a　peat　t'　burn　the　witches。　When　they　had　collected　enough　peats；　they　piled　them　in　a　heap；　together　with　straw；　furze；　and　other　combustible　materials；　and　set　the　whole　on　fire。　Then　each　of　the　youths；　one　after　another；　laid　himself　down　on　the　ground　as　near　to　the　fire　as　he　could　without　being　scorched；　and　thus　lying　allowed　the　smoke　to　roll　over　him。　The　others　ran　through　the　smoke　and　jumped　over　their　prostrate　comrade。　When　the　heap　was　burned　down；　they　scattered　the　ashes；　vying　with　each　other　who　should　scatter　them　most。

In　the　northern　part　of　Wales　it　used　to　be　customary　for　every　family　to　make　a　great　bonfire　called　Coel　Coeth　on　Hallowe'en。　The　fire　was　kindled　on　the　most　conspicuous　spot　near　the　house；　and　when　it　had　nearly　gone　out　every　one　threw　into　the　ashes　a　white　stone；　which　he　had　first　marked。　Then　having　said　their　prayers　round　the　fire；　they　went　to　bed。　Next　morning；　as　soon　as　they　were　up；　they　came　to　search　out　the　stones；　and　if　any　one　of　them　was　found　to　be　missing；　they　had　a　notion　that　the　person　who　threw　it　would　die　before　he　saw　another　Hallowe'en。　According　to　Sir　John　Rhys；　the　habit　of　celebrating　Hallowe'en　by　lighting　bonfires　on　the　hills　is　perhaps　not　yet　extinct　in　Wales；　and　men　still　living　can　remember　how　the　people　who　assisted　at　the　bonfires　would　wait　till　the　last　spark　was　out　and　then　would　suddenly　take　to　their　heels；　shouting　at　the　top　of　their　voices；　The　cropped　black　sow　seize　the　hindmost！　The　saying；　as　Sir　John　Rhys　justly　remarks；　implies　that　originally　one　of　the　company　became　a　victim　in　dead　earnest。　Down　to　the　present　time　the　saying　is　current　in　Carnarvonshire；　where　allusions　to　the　cutty　black　sow　are　still　occasionally　made　to　frighten　children。　We　can　now　understand　why　in　Lower　Brittany　every　person　throws　a　pebble　into　the　midsummer　bonfire。　Doubtless　there；　as　in　Wales　and　the　Highlands　of　Scotland；　omens　of　life　and　death　have　at　one　time　or　other　been　drawn　from　the　position　and　state　of　the　pebbles　on　the　morning　of　All　Saints'　Day。　The　custom；　thus　found　among　three　separate　branches　of　the　Celtic　stock；　probably　dates　from　a　period　before　their　dispersion；　or　at　least　from　a　time　when　alien　races　had　not　yet　driven　home　the　wedges　of　separation　between　them。

In　the　Isle　of　Man　also；　another　Celtic　country；　Hallowe'en　was　celebrated　down　to　modern　times　by　the　kindling　of　fires；　accompanied　with　all　the　usual　ceremonies　designed　to　prevent　the　baneful　influence　of　fairies　and　witches。

7。　The　Midwinter　Fires

IF　THE　HEATHEN　of　ancient　Europe　celebrated；　as　we　have　good　reason　to　believe；　the　season　of　Midsummer　with　a　great　festival　of　fire；　of　which　the　traces　have　survived　in　many　places　down　to　our　own　time；　it　is　natural　to　suppose　that　they　should　have　observed　with　similar　rites　the　corresponding　season　of　Midwinter；　for　Midsummer　and　Midwinter；　or；　in　more　technical　language；　the　summer　solstice　and　the　winter　solstice；　are　the　two　great　turningpoints　in　the　sun's　apparent　course　through　the　sky；　and　from　the　standpoint　of　primitive　man　nothing　might　seem　more　appropriate　than　to　kindle　fires　on　earth　at　the　two　moments　when　the　fire　and　heat　of　the　great　luminary　in　heaven　begin　to　wane　or　to　wax。

In　modern　Christendom　the　ancient　fire…festival　of　the　winter　solstice　appears　to　survive；　or　to　have　survived　down　to　recent　years；　in　the　old　custom　of　the　Yule　log；　clog；　or　block；　as　it　was　variously　called　in　England。　The　custom　was　widespread　in　Europe；　but　seems　to　have　flourished　especially　in　England；　France；　and　among　the　South　Slavs；　at　least　the　fullest　accounts　of　the　custom　come　from　these　quarters。　That　the　Yule　log　was　only　the　winter　counterpart　of　the　midsummer　bonfire；　kindled　within　doors　instead　of　in　the　open　air　on　account　of　the　cold　and　inclement　weather　of　the　season；　was　pointed　out　long　ago　by　our　English　antiquary　John　Brand；　and　the　view　is　supported　by　the　many　quaint　superstitions　attaching　to　the　Yule　log；　superstitions　which　have　no　apparent　connexion　with　Christianity　but　carry　their　heathen　origin　plainly　stamped　upon　them。　But　while　the　two　solstitial　celebrations　were　both　festivals　of　fire；　the　necessity　or　desirability　of　holding　the　winter　celebration　within　doors　lent　it　the　character　of　a　private　or　domestic　festivity；　which　contrasts　strongly　with　the　publicity　of　the　summer　celebration；　at　which　the　people　gathered　on　some　open　space　or　conspicuous　height；　kindled　a　huge　bonfire　in　common；　and　danced　and　made　merry　round　it　together。

Down　to　about　the　middle　of　the　nineteenth　century　the　old　rite　of　the　Yule　log　was　kept　up　in　some　parts　of　Central　Germany。　Thus　in　the　valleys　of　the　Sieg　and　Lahn　the　Yule　log；　a　heavy　block　of　oak；　was　fitted　into　the　floor　of　the　hearth；　where；　though　it　glowed　under　the　fire；　it　was　hardly　reduced　to　ashes　within　a　year。　When　the　new　log　was　laid　next　year；　the　remains　of　the　old　one　were　ground　to　powder　and　strewed　over　the　fields　during　the　Twelve　Nights；　which　was　supposed　to　promote　the　growth　of　the　crops。　In　some　villages　of　Westphalia；　the　practice　was　to　withdraw　the　Yule　log　（Christbrand）　from　the　fire　so　soon　as　it　was　slightly　charred；　it　was　then　kept　carefully　to　be　replaced　on　the　fire　whenever　a　thunderstorm　broke；　because　the　people　believed　that　lightning　would　not　strike　a　house　in　which　the　Yule　log　was　smouldering。　In　other　villages　of　Westphalia　the　old　custom　was　to　tie　up　the　Yule　log　in　the　last　sheaf　cut　at　harvest。

In　several　provinces　of　France；　and　particularly　in　Provence；　the　custom　of　the　Yule　log　or　tréfoir；　as　it　was　called　in　many　places；　was　long　observed。　A　French　writer　of　the　seventeenth　century　denounces　as　superstitious　the　belief　that　a　log　called　the　tréfoir　or　Christmas　brand；　which　you　put　on　the　fire　for　the　first　time　on　Christmas　Eve　and　continue　to　put　on　the　fire　for　a　little　while　every　day　till　Twelfth　Night；　can；　if　kept　under　the　bed；　protect　the　house　for　a　whole　year　from　fire　and　thunder；　that　it　can　prevent　the　inmates　from　having　chilblains　on　their　heels　in　winter；　that　it　can　cure　the　cattle　of　many　maladies；　that　if　a　piece　of　it　be　steeped　in　the　water　which　cows　drink　it　helps　them　to　calve；　and　lastly　that　if　the　ashes　of　the　log　be　strewn　on　the　fields　it　can　save　the　wheat　from　mildew。

In　some　parts　of　Flanders　and　France　the　remains　of　the　Yule　log　were　regularly　kept　in　the　house　under　a　bed　as　a　protection　against　thunder　and　lightning；　in　Berry；　when　thunder　was　heard；　a　member　of　the　family　used　to　take　a　piece　of　the　log　and　throw　it　on　the　fire；　which　was　believed　to　avert　the　lightning。　Again；　in　Perigord；　the　charcoal　and　ashes　are　carefully　collected　and　kept　for　healing　swollen　glands；　the　part　of　the　trunk　which　has　not　been　burnt　in　the　fire　is　used　by　ploughmen　to　make　the　wedge　for　their　plough；　because　they　allege　that　it　causes　the　seeds　to　thrive　better；　and　the　women　keep　pieces　of　it　till　Twelfth　Night　for　the　sake　of　their　chickens。　Some　people　imagine　that　they　will　have　as　many　chickens　as　there　are　sparks　that　fly　out　of　the　brands　of　the　log　when　they　shake　them；　and　others　place　the　extinct　brands　under　the　bed　to　drive　away　vermin。　In　various　parts　of　France　the　charred　log　is　thought　to　guard　the　house　against　sorcery　as　well　as　against　lightning。

In　England　the　customs　and　beliefs　concerning　the　Yule　log　used　to　be　similar。　On　the　night　of　Christmas　Eve；　says　the　antiquary　John　Brand；　our　ancestors　were　wont　to　light　up　candles　of　an　uncommon　size；　called　Christmas　Candles；　and　lay　a　log　of　wood　upon　the　fire；　called　a　Yule…clog　or　Christmas…block；　to　illuminate　the　house；　and；　as　it　were；　to　turn　night　into　day。　The　old　custom　was　to　light　the　Yule　log　with　a　fragment　of　its　predecessor；　which　had　been　kept　throughout　the　year　for　the　purpose；　where　it　was　so　kept；　the　fiend　could　do　no　mischief。　The　remains　of　the　log　were　also　supposed　to　guard　the　house　against　fire　and　lightning。

To　this　day　the　ritual　of　bringing　in　the　Yule　log　is　observed　with　much　solemnity　among　the　Southern　Slavs；　especially　the　Serbians。　The　log　is　usually　a　block　of　oak；　but　sometimes　of　olive　or　beech。　They　seem　to　think　that　they　will　have　as　many　calves；　lambs；　pigs；　and　kids　as　they　strike　sparks　out　of　the　burning　log。　Some　people　carry　a　piece　of　the　log　out　to　the　fields　to　protect　them　against　hail。　In　Albania　down　to