the golden bough-第95部分

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l　to　his　wife　of　any　in　the　village。　As　might　perhaps　have　been　anticipated；　the　distinction　of　being　selected　for　portraiture　under　these　painful　circumstances　has　a　slight　tendency　to　breed　domestic　jars；　especially　when　the　portrait　is　burnt　in　front　of　the　house　of　the　gay　deceiver　whom　it　represents；　while　a　powerful　chorus　of　caterwauls；　groans；　and　other　melodious　sounds　bears　public　testimony　to　the　opinion　which　his　friends　and　neighbours　entertain　of　his　private　virtues。　In　some　villages　of　the　Ardennes　a　young　man　of　flesh　and　blood；　dressed　up　in　hay　and　straw；　used　to　act　the　part　of　Shrove　Tuesday　（Mardi　Gras）；　as　the　personification　of　the　Carnival　is　often　called　in　France　after　the　last　day　of　the　period　which　he　personates。　He　was　brought　before　a　mock　tribunal；　and　being　condemned　to　death　was　placed　with　his　back　to　a　wall；　like　a　soldier　at　a　military　execution；　and　fired　at　with　blank　cartridges。　At　Vrigne…aux…Bois　one　of　these　harmless　buffoons；　named　Thierry；　was　accidentally　killed　by　a　wad　that　had　been　left　in　a　musket　of　the　firing…party。　When　poor　Shrove　Tuesday　dropped　under　the　fire；　the　applause　was　loud　and　long；　he　did　it　so　naturally；　but　when　he　did　not　get　up　again；　they　ran　to　him　and　found　him　a　corpse。　Since　then　there　have　been　no　more　of　these　mock　executions　in　the　Ardennes。

In　Normandy　on　the　evening　of　Ash　Wednesday　it　used　to　be　the　custom　to　hold　a　celebration　called　the　Burial　of　Shrove　Tuesday。　A　squalid　effigy　scantily　clothed　in　rags；　a　battered　old　hat　crushed　down　on　his　dirty　face；　his　great　round　paunch　stuffed　with　straw；　represented　the　disreputable　old　rake　who；　after　a　long　course　of　dissipation；　was　now　about　to　suffer　for　his　sins。　Hoisted　on　the　shoulders　of　a　sturdy　fellow；　who　pretended　to　stagger　under　the　burden；　this　popular　personification　of　the　Carnival　promenaded　the　streets　for　the　last　time　in　a　manner　the　reverse　of　triumphal。　Preceded　by　a　drummer　and　accompanied　by　a　jeering　rabble；　among　whom　the　urchins　and　all　the　tag…rag　and　bobtail　of　the　town　mustered　in　great　force；　the　figure　was　carried　about　by　the　flickering　light　of　torches　to　the　discordant　din　of　shovels　and　tongs；　pots　and　pans；　horns　and　kettles；　mingled　with　hootings；　groans；　and　hisses。　From　time　to　time　the　procession　halted；　and　a　champion　of　morality　accused　the　broken…down　old　sinner　of　all　the　excesses　he　had　committed　and　for　which　he　was　now　about　to　be　burned　alive。　The　culprit；　having　nothing　to　urge　in　his　own　defence；　was　thrown　on　a　heap　of　straw；　a　torch　was　put　to　it；　and　a　great　blaze　shot　up；　to　the　delight　of　the　children　who　frisked　round　it　screaming　out　some　old　popular　verses　about　the　death　of　the　Carnival。　Sometimes　the　effigy　was　rolled　down　the　slope　of　a　hill　before　being　burnt。　At　Saint…L？　the　ragged　effigy　of　Shrove　Tuesday　was　followed　by　his　widow；　a　big　burly　lout　dressed　as　a　woman　with　a　crape　veil；　who　emitted　sounds　of　lamentation　and　woe　in　a　stentorian　voice。　After　being　carried　about　the　streets　on　a　litter　attended　by　a　crowd　of　maskers；　the　figure　was　thrown　into　the　River　Vire。　The　final　scene　has　been　graphically　described　by　Madame　Octave　Feuillet　as　she　witnessed　it　in　her　childhood　some　sixty　years　ago。　My　parents　invited　friends　to　see；　from　the　top　of　the　tower　of　Jeanne　Couillard；　the　funeral　procession　passing。　It　was　there　that；　quaffing　lemonadethe　only　refreshment　allowed　because　of　the　fastwe　witnessed　at　nightfall　a　spectacle　of　which　I　shall　always　preserve　a　lively　recollection。　At　our　feet　flowed　the　Vire　under　its　old　stone　bridge。　On　the　middle　of　the　bridge　lay　the　figure　of　Shrove　Tuesday　on　a　litter　of　leaves；　surrounded　by　scores　of　maskers　dancing；　singing；　and　carrying　torches。　Some　of　them　in　their　motley　costumes　ran　along　the　parapet　like　fiends。　The　rest；　worn　out　with　their　revels；　sat　on　the　posts　and　dozed。　Soon　the　dancing　stopped；　and　some　of　the　troop；　seizing　a　torch；　set　fire　to　the　effigy；　after　which　they　flung　it　into　the　river　with　redoubled　shouts　and　clamour。　The　man　of　straw；　soaked　with　resin；　floated　away　burning　down　the　stream　of　the　Vire；　lighting　up　with　its　funeral　fires　the　woods　on　the　bank　and　the　battlements　of　the　old　castle　in　which　Louis　XI。　and　Francis　I。　had　slept。　When　the　last　glimmer　of　the　blazing　phantom　had　vanished；　like　a　falling　star；　at　the　end　of　the　valley；　every　one　withdrew；　crowd　and　maskers　alike；　and　we　quitted　the　ramparts　with　our　guests。

In　the　neighbourhood　of　Tübingen　on　Shrove　Tuesday　a　straw…man；　called　the　Shrovetide　Bear；　is　made　up；　he　is　dressed　in　a　pair　of　old　trousers；　and　a　fresh　black…pudding　or　two　squirts　filled　with　blood　are　inserted　in　his　neck。　After　a　formal　condemnation　he　is　beheaded；　laid　in　a　coffin；　and　on　Ash　Wednesday　is　buried　in　the　churchyard。　This　is　called　Burying　the　Carnival。　Amongst　some　of　the　Saxons　of　Transylvania　the　Carnival　is　hanged。　Thus　at　Braller　on　Ash　Wednesday　or　Shrove　Tuesday　two　white　and　two　chestnut　horses　draw　a　sledge　on　which　is　placed　a　straw…man　swathed　in　a　white　cloth；　beside　him　is　a　cart…wheel　which　is　kept　turning　round。　Two　lads　disguised　as　old　men　follow　the　sledge　lamenting。　The　rest　of　the　village　lads；　mounted　on　horseback　and　decked　with　ribbons；　accompany　the　procession；　which　is　headed　by　two　girls　crowned　with　evergreen　and　drawn　in　a　waggon　or　sledge。　A　trial　is　held　under　a　tree；　at　which　lads　disguised　as　soldiers　pronounce　sentence　of　death。　The　two　old　men　try　to　rescue　the　straw…man　and　to　fly　with　him；　but　to　no　purpose；　he　is　caught　by　the　two　girls　and　handed　over　to　the　executioner；　who　hangs　him　on　a　tree。　In　vain　the　old　men　try　to　climb　up　the　tree　and　take　him　down；　they　always　tumble　down；　and　at　last　in　despair　they　throw　themselves　on　the　ground　and　weep　and　howl　for　the　hanged　man。　An　official　then　makes　a　speech　in　which　he　declares　that　the　Carnival　was　condemned　to　death　because　he　had　done　them　harm；　by　wearing　out　their　shoes　and　making　them　tired　and　sleepy。　At　the　Burial　of　Carnival　in　Lechrain；　a　man　dressed　as　a　woman　in　black　clothes　is　carried　on　a　litter　or　bier　by　four　men；　he　is　lamented　over　by　men　disguised　as　women　in　black　clothes；　then　thrown　down　before　the　village　dung…heap；　drenched　with　water；　buried　in　the　dung…heap；　and　covered　with　straw。　On　the　evening　of　Shrove　Tuesday　the　Esthonians　make　a　straw　figure　called　metsik　or　wood…spirit；　one　year　it　is　dressed　with　a　man's　coat　and　hat；　next　year　with　a　hood　and　a　petticoat。　This　figure　is　stuck　on　a　long　pole；　carried　across　the　boundary　of　the　village　with　loud　cries　of　joy；　and　fastened　to　the　top　of　a　tree　in　the　wood。　The　ceremony　is　believed　to　be　a　protection　against　all　kinds　of　misfortune。

Sometimes　at　these　Shrovetide　or　Lenten　ceremonies　the　resurrection　of　the　pretended　dead　person　is　enacted。　Thus；　in　some　parts　of　Swabia　on　Shrove　Tuesday　Dr。　Iron…Beard　professes　to　bleed　a　sick　man；　who　thereupon　falls　as　dead　to　the　ground；　but　the　doctor　at　last　restores　him　to　life　by　blowing　air　into　him　through　a　tube。　In　the　Harz　Mountains；　when　Carnival　is　over；　a　man　is　laid　on　a　baking…trough　and　carried　with　dirges　to　the　grave；　but　in　the　grave　a　glass　of　brandy　is　buried　instead　of　the　man。　A　speech　is　delivered　and　then　the　people　return　to　the　village…green　or　meeting…place；　where　they　smoke　the　long　clay　pipes　which　are　distributed　at　funerals。　On　the　morning　of　Shrove　Tuesday　in　the　following　year　the　brandy　is　dug　up　and　the　festival　begins　by　every　one　tasting　the　spirit　which；　as　the　phrase　goes；　has　come　to　life　again。

3。　Carrying　out　Death

THE　CEREMONY　of　Carrying　out　Death　presents　much　the　same　features　as

Burying　the　Carnival；　except　that　the　carrying　out　of　Death　is　generally　followed　by　a　ceremony；　or　at　least　accompanied　by　a　profession；　of　bringing　in　Summer；　Spring；　or　Life。　Thus　in　Middle　Franken；　a　province　of　Bavaria；　on　the　fourth　Sunday　in　Lent；　the　village　urchins　used　to　make　a　straw　effigy　of　Death；　which　they　carried　about　with　burlesque　pomp　through　the　streets；　and　afterwards　burned　with　loud　cries　beyond　the　bounds。　The　Frankish　custom　is　thus　described　by　a　writer　of　the　sixteenth　century：　At　Mid…Lent；　the　season　when　the　church　bids　us　rejoice；　the　young　people　of　my　native　country　make　a　straw　image　of　Death；　and　fastening　it　to　a　pole　carry　it　with　shouts　to　the　neighbouring　villages。　By　some　they　are　kindly　received；　and　after　being　refreshed　with　milk；　peas；　and　dried　pears；　the　usual　food　of　that　season；　are　sent　home　again。　Others；　however；　treat　them　with　anything　but　hospitality；　for；　looking　on　them　as　harbingers　of　misfortune；　to　wit　of　death；　they　drive　them　from　their　boundaries　with　weapons　and　insults。　In　the　villages　near　Erlangen；　when　the　fourth　Sunday　in　Lent　came　around；　the　peasant　girls　used　to　dress　themselves　in　all　their　finery　with　flowers　in　their　hair。　Thus　attired　they　repaired　to　the　neighbouring　town；　carrying　puppets　which　were　adorned　with　leaves　and　covered　with　white　cloths。　These　they　took　from　house　to　house　in　pairs；　stopping　at　every　door　where　they　expected　to　receive　something；　and　singing　a　few　lines　in　which　they　announced　that　it　was　Mid…Lent　and　that　they　were　about　to　throw　Death　into　the　water。　When　they　had　collected　some　trifling　gratuities　they　went　to　the　river　Regnitz　and　flung　the　puppets　representing　Death　into　the　stream。　This　was　done　to　ensure　a　fruitful　and　prosperous　year；　further；　it　was　considered　a　safeguard　against　pestilence　and　sudden　death。　At　Nuremberg　girls　of　seven　to　eighteen　years　of　age　go　through　the　streets　bearing　a　little　open　coffin；　in　which　is　a　doll　hidden　under　a　shroud。　Others　carry　a　beech　branch；　with　an　apple　fastened　to　it　for　a　head；　in　an　open　box。　They　sing；　We　carry　Death　into　the　water；　it　is　well；　or　We　carry　Death　into　the　water；　carry　him　in　and　out　again。　In　some　parts　of　Bavaria　down　to　1780　it　was　believed　that　a　fatal　epidemic　would　ensue　if　the　custom　of　Carrying　out　Death　were　not　observed。

In　some　villages　of　Thüringen；　on　the　fourth　Sunday　of　Lent；　the　children　used　to　carry　a　puppet　of　birchen　twigs　through　the　village；　and　then　threw　it　into　a　pool；　while　they　sang；　We　carry　the　old　Death　out　behind　the　herdman's　old　house；　we　have　got　Summer；　and　Kroden's