the golden bough-第49章

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ee；　in　order　to　obtain　offspring。　Lastly；　the　power　of　granting　to　women　an　easy　delivery　at　child…birth　is　ascribed　to　trees　both　in　Sweden　and　Africa。　In　some　districts　of　Sweden　there　was　formerly　a　bardtr？d　or　guardian…tree　（lime；　ash；　or　elm）　in　the　neighbourhood　of　every　farm。　No　one　would　pluck　a　single　leaf　of　the　sacred　tree；　any　injury　to　which　was　punished　by　ill…luck　or　sickness。　Pregnant　women　used　to　clasp　the　tree　in　their　arms　in　order　to　ensure　an　easy　delivery。　In　some　negro　tribes　of　the　Congo　region　pregnant　women　make　themselves　garments　out　of　the　bark　of　a　certain　sacred　tree；　because　they　believe　that　this　tree　delivers　them　from　the　dangers　that　attend　child…bearing。　The　story　that　Leto　clasped　a　palm…tree　and　an　olive…tree　or　two　laurel…trees；　when　she　was　about　to　give　birth　to　the　divine　twins　Apollo　and　Artemis；　perhaps　points　to　a　similar　Greek　belief　in　the　efficacy　of　certain　trees　to　facilitate　delivery。

Chapter　10。　Relics　of　Tree　Worship　in　Modern　Europe

FROM　THE　FOREGOING　review　of　the　beneficent　qualities　commonly　ascribed　to　tree…spirits；　it　is　easy　to　understand　why　customs　like　the　May…tree　or　May…pole　have　prevailed　so　widely　and　figured　so　prominently　in　the　popular　festivals　of　European　peasants。　In　spring　or　early　summer　or　even　on　Midsummer　Day；　it　was　and　still　is　in　many　parts　of　Europe　the　custom　to　go　out　to　the　woods；　cut　down　a　tree　and　bring　it　into　the　village；　where　it　is　set　up　amid　general　rejoicings；　or　the　people　cut　branches　in　the　woods；　and　fasten　them　on　every　house。　The　intention　of　these　customs　is　to　bring　home　to　the　village；　and　to　each　house；　the　blessings　which　the　tree…spirit　has　in　its　power　to　bestow。　Hence　the　custom　in　some　places　of　planting　a　May…tree　before　every　house；　or　of　carrying　the　village　May…tree　from　door　to　door；　that　every　household　may　receive　its　share　of　the　blessing。　Out　of　the　mass　of　evidence　on　this　subject　a　few　examples　may　be　selected。

Sir　Henry　Piers；　in　his　Description　of　Westmeath；　writing　in　1682　says：　On　May…eve；　every　family　sets　up　before　their　door　a　green　bush；　strewed　over　with　yellow　flowers；　which　the　meadows　yield　plentifully。　In　countries　where　timber　is　plentiful；　they　erect　tall　slender　trees；　which　stand　high；　and　they　continue　almost　the　whole　year；　so　as　a　stranger　would　go　nigh　to　imagine　that　they　were　all　signs　of　ale…sellers；　and　that　all　houses　were　ale…houses。　In　Northamptonshire　a　young　tree　ten　or　twelve　feet　high　used　to　be　planted　before　each　house　on　May　Day　so　as　to　appear　growing；　flowers　were　thrown　over　it　and　strewn　about　the　door。　Among　ancient　customs　still　retained　by　the　Cornish；　may　be　reckoned　that　of　decking　their　doors　and　porches　on　the　first　of　May　with　green　boughs　of　sycamore　and　hawthorn；　and　of　planting　trees；　or　rather　stumps　of　trees；　before　their　houses。　In　the　north　of　England　it　was　formerly　the　custom　for　young　people　to　rise　a　little　after　midnight　on　the　morning　of　the　first　of　May；　and　go　out　with　music　and　the　blowing　of　horns　into　the　woods；　where　they　broke　branches　and　adorned　them　with　nosegays　and　crowns　of　flowers。　This　done；　they　returned　about　sunrise　and　fastened　the　flower…decked　branches　over　the　doors　and　windows　of　their　houses。　At　Abingdon　in　Berkshire　young　people　formerly　went　about　in　groups　on　May　morning；　singing　a　carol　of　which　the　following　are　two　of　the　verses：

We've　been　rambling　all　the　night；　And　sometime　of　this　day；　And　now　returning　back　again；　We　bring　a　garland　gay。　A　garland　gay　we　bring　you　here；　And　at　your　door　we　stand；　It　is　a　sprout　well　budded　out；　The　work　of　our　Lord's　hand。

At　the　towns　of　Saffron　Walden　and　Debden　in　Essex　on　the　first　of　May　little　girls　go　about　in　parties　from　door　to　door　singing　a　song　almost　identical　with　the　above　and　carrying　garlands；　a　doll　dressed　in　white　is　usually　placed　in　the　middle　of　each　garland。　Similar　customs　have　been　and　indeed　are　still　observed　in　various　parts　of　England。　The　garlands　are　generally　in　the　form　of　hoops　intersecting　each　other　at　right　angles。　It　appears　that　a　hoop　wreathed　with　rowan　and　marsh　marigold；　and　bearing　suspended　within　it　two　balls；　is　still　carried　on　May　Day　by　villagers　in　some　parts　of　Ireland。　The　balls；　which　are　sometimes　covered　with　gold　and　silver　paper；　are　said　to　have　originally　represented　the　sun　and　moon。

In　some　villages　of　the　Vosges　Mountains　on　the　first　Sunday　of　May　young　girls　go　in　bands　from　house　to　house；　singing　a　song　in　praise　of　May；　in　which　mention　is　made　of　the　bread　and　meal　that　come　in　May。　If　money　is　given　them；　they　fasten　a　green　bough　to　the　door；　if　it　is　refused；　they　wish　the　family　many　children　and　no　bread　to　feed　them。　In　the　French　department　of　Mayenne；　boys　who　bore　the　name　of　Maillotins　used　to　go　about　from　farm　to　farm　on　the　first　of　May　singing　carols；　for　which　they　received　money　or　a　drink；　they　planted　a　small　tree　or　a　branch　of　a　tree。　Near　Saverne　in　Alsace　bands　of　people　go　about　carrying　May…trees。　Amongst　them　is　a　man　dressed　in　a　white　shirt　with　his　face　blackened；　in　front　of　him　is　carried　a　large　May…tree；　but　each　member　of　the　band　also　carries　a　smaller　one。　One　of　the　company　bears　a　huge　basket；　in　which　he　collects　eggs；　bacon；　and　so　forth。

On　the　Thursday　before　Whitsunday　the　Russian　villagers　go　out　into　the　woods；　sing　songs；　weave　garlands；　and　cut　down　a　young　birch…tree；　which　they　dress　up　in　woman's　clothes；　or　adorn　with　many…coloured　shreds　and　ribbons。　After　that　comes　a　feast；　at　the　end　of　which　they　take　the　dressed…up　birch…tree；　carry　it　home　to　their　village　with　joyful　dance　and　song；　and　set　it　up　in　one　of　the　houses；　where　it　remains　as　an　honoured　guest　till　Whitsunday。　On　the　two　intervening　days　they　pay　visits　to　the　house　where　their　'guest'　is；　but　on　the　third　day；　Whitsunday；　they　take　her　to　a　stream　and　fling　her　into　its　waters；　throwing　their　garlands　after　her。　In　this　Russian　custom　the　dressing　of　the　birch　in　woman's　clothes　shows　how　clearly　the　tree　is　personified；　and　the　throwing　it　into　a　stream　is　most　probably　a　raincharm。

In　some　parts　of　Sweden　on　the　eve　of　May　Day　lads　go　about　carrying　each　a　bunch　of　fresh　birch　twigs　wholly　or　partly　in　leaf。　With　the　village　fiddler　at　their　head；　they　make　the　round　of　the　houses　singing　May　songs；　the　burden　of　their　songs　is　a　prayer　for　fine　weather；　a　plentiful　harvest；　and　worldly　and　spiritual　blessings。　One　of　them　carries　a　basket　in　which　he　collects　gifts　of　eggs　and　the　like。　If　they　are　well　received；　they　stick　a　leafy　twig　in　the　roof　over　the　cottage　door。　But　in　Sweden　midsummer　is　the　season　when　these　ceremonies　are　chiefly　observed。　On　the　Eve　of　St。　John　（the　twenty…third　of　June）　the　houses　are　thoroughly　cleansed　and　garnished　with　green　boughs　and　flowers。　Young　fir…trees　are　raised　at　the　doorway　and　elsewhere　about　the　homestead；　and　very　often　small　umbrageous　arbours　are　constructed　in　the　garden。　In　Stockholm　on　this　day　a　leaf…market　is　held　at　which　thousands　of　May…poles　（Maj　Stanger）；　from　six　inches　to　twelve　feet　high；　decorated　with　leaves；　flowers；　slips　of　coloured　paper；　gilt　egg…shells　strung　on　reeds；　and　so　on；　are　exposed　for　sale。　Bonfires　are　lit　on　the　hills；　and　the　people　dance　round　them　and　jump　over　them。　But　the　chief　event　of　the　day　is　setting　up　the　May…pole。　This　consists　of　a　straight　and　tall　sprucepine　tree；　stripped　of　its　branches。　At　times　hoops　and　at　others　pieces　of　wood；　placed　crosswise；　are　attached　to　it　at　intervals；　whilst　at　others　it　is　provided　with　bows；　representing；　so　to　say；　a　man　with　his　arms　akimbo。　From　top　to　bottom　not　only　the　'Maj　Stang'　（May…pole）　itself；　but　the　hoops；　bows；　etc。；　are　ornamented　with　leaves；　flowers；　slips　of　various　cloth；　gilt　egg…shells；　etc。；　and　on　the　top　of　it　is　a　large　vane；　or　it　may　be　a　flag。　The　raising　of　the　May…pole；　the　decoration　of　which　is　done　by　the　village　maidens；　is　an　affair　of　much　ceremony；　the　people　flock　to　it　from　all　quarters；　and　dance　round　it　in　a　great　ring。　Midsummer　customs　of　the　same　sort　used　to　be　observed　in　some　parts　of　Germany。　Thus　in　the　towns　of　the　Upper　Harz　Mountains　tall　fir…trees；　with　the　bark　peeled　off　their　low