the golden bough-第43部分

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elism　holds　between　the　anthropomorphic　and　the　vegetable　representation　of　the　tree…spirit；　for　we　have　seen　above　that　trees　are　sometimes　married　to　each　other。　At　Halford　in　South　Warwickshire　the　children　go　from　house　to　house　on　May　Day；　walking　two　and　two　in　procession　and　headed　by　a　King　and　Queen。　Two　boys　carry　a　May…pole　some　six　or　seven　feet　high；　which　is　covered　with　flowers　and　greenery。　Fastened　to　it　near　the　top　are　two　cross…bars　at　right　angles　to　each　other。　These　are　also　decked　with　flowers；　and　from　the　ends　of　the　bars　hang　hoops　similarly　adorned。　At　the　houses　the　children　sing　May　songs　and　receive　money；　which　is　used　to　provide　tea　for　them　at　the　schoolhouse　in　the　afternoon。　In　a　Bohemian　village　near　K？niggr？tz　on　Whit…Monday　the　children　play　the　king's　game；　at　which　a　king　and　queen　march　about　under　a　canopy；　the　queen　wearing　a　garland；　and　the　youngest　girl　carrying　two　wreaths　on　a　plate　behind　them。　They　are　attended　by　boys　and　girls　called　groomsmen　and　bridesmaids；　and　they　go　from　house　to　house　collecting　gifts。　A　regular　feature　in　the　popular　celebration　of　Whitsuntide　in　Silesia　used　to　be；　and　to　some　extent　still　is；　the　contest　for　the　kingship。　This　contest　took　various　forms；　but　the　mark　or　goal　was　generally　the　May…tree　or　May…pole。　Sometimes　the　youth　who　succeeded　in　climbing　the　smooth　pole　and　bringing　down　the　prize　was　proclaimed　the　Whitsuntide　King　and　his　sweetheart　the　Whitsuntide　Bride。　Afterwards　the　king；　carrying　the　May…bush；　repaired　with　the　rest　of　the　company　to　the　alehouse；　where　a　dance　and　a　feast　ended　the　merry…making。　Often　the　young　farmers　and　labourers　raced　on　horseback　to　the　May…pole；　which　was　adorned　with　flowers；　ribbons；　and　a　crown。　He　who　first　reached　the　pole　was　the　Whitsuntide　King；　and　the　rest　had　to　obey　his　orders　for　that　day。　The　worst　rider　became　the　clown。　At　the　May…tree　all　dismounted　and　hoisted　the　king　on　their　shoulders。　He　nimbly　swarmed　up　the　pole　and　brought　down　the　May…bush　and　the　crown；　which　had　been　fastened　to　the　top。　Meanwhile　the　clown　hurried　to　the　alehouse　and　proceeded　to　bolt　thirty　rolls　of　bread　and　to　swig　four　quart　bottles　of　brandy　with　the　utmost　possible　despatch。　He　was　followed　by　the　king；　who　bore　the　May…bush　and　crown　at　the　head　of　the　company。　If　on　their　arrival　the　clown　had　already　disposed　of　the　rolls　and　the　brandy；　and　greeted　the　king　with　a　speech　and　a　glass　of　beer；　his　score　was　paid　by　the　king；　otherwise　he　had　to　settle　it　himself。　After　church　time　the　stately　procession　wound　through　the　village。　At　the　head　of　it　rode　the　king；　decked　with　flowers　and　carrying　the　May…bush。　Next　came　the　clown　with　his　clothes　turned　inside　out；　a　great　flaxen　beard　on　his　chain；　and　the　Whitsuntide　crown　on　his　head。　Two　riders　disguised　as　guards　followed。　The　procession　drew　up　before　every　farmyard；　the　two　guards　dismounted；　shut　the　clown　into　the　house；　and　claimed　a　contribution　from　the　housewife　to　buy　soap　with　which　to　wash　the　clown's　beard。　Custom　allowed　them　to　carry　off　any　victuals　which　were　not　under　lock　and　key。　Last　of　all　they　came　to　the　house　in　which　the　king's　sweetheart　lived。　She　was　greeted　as　Whitsuntide　Queen　and　received　suitable　presentsto　wit；　a　many…coloured　sash；　a　cloth；　and　an　apron。　The　king　got　as　a　prize；　a　vest；　a　neck…cloth；　and　so　forth；　and　had　the　right　of　setting　up　the　May…bush　or　Whitsuntide…tree　before　his　master's　yard；　where　it　remained　as　an　honourable　token　till　the　same　day　next　year。　Finally　the　procession　took　its　way　to　the　tavern；　where　the　king　and　queen　opened　the　dance。　Sometimes　the　Whitsuntide　King　and　Queen　succeeded　to　office　in　a　different　way。　A　man　of　straw；　as　large　as　life　and　crowned　with　a　red　cap；　was　conveyed　in　a　cart；　between　two　men　armed　and　disguised　as　guards；　to　a　place　where　a　mock　court　was　waiting　to　try　him。　A　great　crowd　followed　the　cart。　After　a　formal　trial　the　straw　man　was　condemned　to　death　and　fastened　to　a　stake　on　the　execution　ground。　The　young　men　with　bandaged　eyes　tried　to　stab　him　with　a　spear。　He　who　succeeded　became　king　and　his　sweetheart　queen。　The　straw　man　was　known　as　the　Goliath。

In　a　parish　of　Denmark　it　used　to　be　the　custom　at　Whitsuntide　to　dress　up　a　little　girl　as　the　Whitsun…bride　and　a　little　boy　as　her　groom。　She　was　decked　in　all　the　finery　of　a　grown…up　bride；　and　wore　a　crown　of　the　freshest　flowers　of　spring　on　her　head。　Her　groom　was　as　gay　as　flowers；　ribbons；　and　knots　could　make　him。　The　other　children　adorned　themselves　as　best　they　could　with　the　yellow　flowers　of　the　trollius　and　caltha。　Then　they　went　in　great　state　from　farmhouse　to　farmhouse；　two　little　girls　walking　at　the　head　of　the　procession　as　bridesmaids；　and　six　or　eight　outriders　galloping　ahead　on　hobby…horses　to　announce　their　coming。　Contributions　of　eggs；　butter；　loaves；　cream；　coffee；　sugar；　and　tallow…candles　were　received　and　conveyed　away　in　baskets。　When　they　had　made　the　round　of　the　farms；　some　of　the　farmers'　wives　helped　to　arrange　the　wedding　feast；　and　the　children　danced　merrily　in　clogs　on　the　stamped　clay　floor　till　the　sun　rose　and　the　birds　began　to　sing。　All　this　is　now　a　thing　of　the　past。　Only　the　old　folks　still　remember　the　little　Whitsun…bride　and　her　mimic　pomp。

We　have　seen　that　in　Sweden　the　ceremonies　associated　elsewhere　with　May　Day　or　Whitsuntide　commonly　take　place　at　Midsummer。　Accordingly　we　find　that　in　some　parts　of　the　Swedish　province　of　Blekinge　they　still　choose　a　Midsummer's　Bride；　to　whom　the　church　coronet　is　occasionally　lent。　The　girl　selects　for　herself　a　Bridegroom；　and　a　collection　is　made　for　the　pair；　who　for　the　time　being　are　looked　on　as　man　and　wife。　The　other　youths　also　choose　each　his　bride。　A　similar　ceremony　seems　to　be　still　kept　up　in　Norway。

In　the　neighbourhood　of　Brian？on　（Dauphiné）　on　May　Day　the　lads　wrap　up　in　green　leaves　a　young　fellow　whose　sweetheart　has　deserted　him　or　married　another。　He　lies　down　on　the　ground　and　feigns　to　be　asleep。　Then　a　girl　who　likes　him；　and　would　marry　him；　comes　and　wakes　him；　and　raising　him　up　offers　him　her　arm　and　a　flag。　So　they　go　to　the　alehouse；　where　the　pair　lead　off　the　dancing。　But　they　must　marry　within　the　year；　or　they　are　treated　as　old　bachelor　and　old　maid；　and　are　debarred　the　company　of　the　young　folks。　The　lad　is　called　the　Bridegroom　of　the　month　of　May。　In　the　alehouse　he　puts　off　his　garment　of　leaves；　out　of　which；　mixed　with　flowers；　his　partner　in　the　dance　makes　a　nosegay；　and　wears　it　at　her　breast　next　day；　when　he　leads　her　again　to　the　alehouse。　Like　this　is　a　Russian　custom　observed　in　the　district　of　Nerechta　on　the　Thursday　before　Whitsunday。　The　girls　go　out　into　a　birch…wood；　wind　a　girdle　or　band　round　a　stately　birch；　twist　its　lower　branches　into　a　wreath；　and　kiss　each　other　in　pairs　through　the　wreath。　The　girls　who　kiss　through　the　wreath　call　each　other　gossips。　Then　one　of　the　girls　steps　forward；　and　mimicking　a　drunken　man；　flings　herself　on　the　ground；　rolls　on　the　grass；　and　feigns　to　fall　fast　asleep。　Another　girl　wakens　the　pretended　sleeper　and　kisses　him；　then　the　whole　bevy　trips　singing　through　the　wood　to　twine　garlands；　which　they　throw　into　the　water。　In　the　fate　of　the　garlands　floating　on　the　stream　they　read　their　own。　Here　the　part　of　the　sleeper　was　probably　at　one　time　played　by　a　lad。　In　these　French　and　Russian　customs　we　have　a　forsaken　bridegroom；　in　the　following　a　forsaken　bride。　On　Shrove　Tuesday　the　Slovenes　of　Oberkrain　drag　a　straw　puppet　with　joyous　cries　up　and　down　the　village；　then　they　throw　it　into　the　water　or　burn　it；　and　from　the　height　of　the　flames　they　judge　of　the　abundance　of　the　next　harvest。　The　noisy　crew　is　followed　by　a　female　masker；　who　drags　a　great　board　by　a　string　and　gives　out　that　she　is　a　forsaken　bride。

Viewed　in　the　light　of　what　has　gone　before；　the　awakening　of　the　forsaken　sleeper　in　these　ceremonies　probably　represents　the　revival　of　vegetation　in　spring。　But　it　is　not　easy　to　assign　their　respective　parts　to　the　forsaken　bridegroom　and　to　the　girl　who　wakes　him　from　his　slumber。　Is　the　sleeper　the　leafless　forest　or　the　bare　earth　of　winter？　Is　the　girl　who　awakens　him　the　fresh　verdure　or　the　genial　sunshine　of　spring？　It　is　hardly　possible；　on　the　evidence　before　us；　to　answer　these　questions。

In　the　Highlands　of　Scotland　the　revival　of　vegetation　in　spring　used　to　be　graphically　represented　on　St。　Bride's　Day；　the　first　of　February。　Thus　in　the　Hebrides　the　mistress　and　servants　of　each　family　take　a　sheaf　of　oats；　and　dress　it　up　in　women's　apparel；　put　it　in　a　large　basket　and　lay　a　wooden　club　by　it；　and　this　they　call　Briid's　bed；　and　then　the　mistress　and　servants　cry　three　times；　'Briid　is　come；　Briid　is　welcome。'　This　they　do　just　before　going　to　bed；　and　when　they　rise　in　the　morning　they　look　among　the　ashes；　expecting　to　see　the　impression　of　Briid's　club　there；　which　if　they　do；　they　reckon　it　a　true　presage　of　a　good　crop　and　prosperous　year；　and　the　contrary　they　take　as　an　ill　omen。　The　same　custom　is　described　by　another　witness　thus：　Upon　the　night　before　Candlemas　it　is　usual　to　make　a　bed　with　corn　and　hay；　over　which　some　blankets　are　laid；　in　a　part　of　the　house；　near　the　door。　When　it　is　ready；　a　person　goes　out　and　repeats　three　times；　　'Bridget；　Bridget；　come　in；　thy　bed　is　ready。'　One　or　more　candles　are　left　burning　near　it　all　night。　Similarly　in　the　Isle　of　Man　on　the　eve　of　the　first　of　February；　a　festival　was　formerly　kept；　called；　in　the　Manks　language；　Laa'l　Breeshey；　in　honour　of　the　Irish　lady　who　went　over　to　the　Isle　of　Man　to　receive　the　veil　from　St。　Maughold。　The　custom　was　to　gather　a　bundle　of　green　rushes；　and　standing　with　them　in　the　hand　on　the　threshold　of　the　door；　to　invite　the　holy　Saint　Bridget　to　come　and　lodge　with　them　that　night。　In　the　Manks　language；　the　invitation　ran　thus：　'Brede；　Brede；　tar　gys　my　thie　tar　dyn　thie　ayms　noght　Foshil　jee　yn　dorrys　da　Brede；　as　lhig　da　Brede　e　heet　staigh。'　In　English：　'Bridget；　Bridget；　come　to　my　house；　come　to　my　house　to…night。　Open　the　door　for　Bridget；　and　let　Bridget　come　in。'　After　these　words　were　repeated；　the　rushes　were　strewn　on　the　floor　by　way　of　a　carpet　or　bed　for　St。　B