the golden bough-第52章

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；　or　flower；　or　in　vegetable　and　human　form　simultaneously；　as　by　a　tree；　bough；　or　flower　in　combination　with　a　puppet　or　a　living　person。　It　remains　to　show　that　the　representation　of　him　by　a　tree；　bough；　or　flower　is　sometimes　entirely　dropped；　while　the　representation　of　him　by　a　living　person　remains。　In　this　case　the　representative　character　of　the　person　is　generally　marked　by　dressing　him　or　her　in　leaves　or　flowers；　sometimes；　too；　it　is　indicated　by　the　name　he　or　she　bears。

Thus　in　some　parts　of　Russia　on　St。　George's　Day　（the　twenty…third　of　April）　a　youth　is　dressed　out；　like　our　Jack…in…the…Green；　with　leaves　and　flowers。　The　Slovenes　call　him　the　Green　George。　Holding　a　lighted　torch　in　one　hand　and　a　pie　in　the　other；　he　goes　out　to　the　corn…fields；　followed　by　girls　singing　appropriate　songs。　A　circle　of　brushwood　is　next　lighted；　in　the　middle　of　which　is　set　the　pie。　All　who　take　part　in　the　ceremony　then　sit　down　around　the　fire　and　divide　the　pie　among　them。　In　this　custom　the　Green　George　dressed　in　leaves　and　flowers　is　plainly　identical　with　the　similarly　disguised　Green　George　who　is　associated　with　a　tree　in　the　Carinthian；　Transylvanian；　and　Roumanian　customs　observed　on　the　same　day。　Again；　we　saw　that　in　Russia　at　Whitsuntide　a　birch…tree　is　dressed　in　woman's　clothes　and　set　up　in　the　house。　Clearly　equivalent　to　this　is　the　custom　observed　on　Whit…Monday　by　Russian　girls　in　the　district　of　Pinsk。　They　choose　the　prettiest　of　their　number；　envelop　her　in　a　mass　of　foliage　taken　from　the　birch…trees　and　maples；　and　carry　her　about　through　the　village。

In　Ruhla　as　soon　as　the　trees　begin　to　grow　green　in　spring；　the　children　assemble　on　a　Sunday　and　go　out　into　the　woods；　where　they　choose　one　of　their　playmates　to　be　the　Little　Leaf　Man。　They　break　branches　from　the　trees　and　twine　them　about　the　child　till　only　his　shoes　peep　out　from　the　leafy　mantle。　Holes　are　made　in　it　for　him　to　see　through；　and　two　of　the　children　lead　the　Little　Leaf　Man　that　he　may　not　stumble　or　fall。　Singing　and　dancing　they　take　him　from　house　to　house；　asking　for　gifts　of　food　such　as　eggs；　cream；　sausages；　and　cakes。　Lastly；　they　sprinkle　the　Leaf　Man　with　water　and　feast　on　the　food　they　have　collected。　In　the　Fricktal；　Switzerland；　at　Whitsuntide　boys　go　out　into　a　wood　and　swathe　one　of　their　number　in　leafy　boughs。　He　is　called　the　Whitsuntide…lout；　and　being　mounted　on　horseback　with　a　green　branch　in　his　hand　he　is　led　back　into　the　village。　At　the　village…well　a　halt　is　called　and　the　leaf…clad　lout　is　dismounted　and　ducked　in　the　trough。　Thereby　he　acquires　the　right　of　sprinkling　water　on　everybody；　and　he　exercises　the　right　specially　on　girls　and　street　urchins。　The　urchins　march　before　him　in　bands　begging　him　to　give　them　a　Whitsuntide　wetting。

In　England　the　best…known　example　of　these　leaf…clad　mummers　is　the　Jack…in…the…Green；　a　chimney…sweeper　who　walks　encased　in　a　pyramidal　framework　of　wickerwork；　which　is　covered　with　holly　and　ivy；　and　surmounted　by　a　crown　of　flowers　and　ribbons。　Thus　arrayed　he　dances　on　May　Day　at　the　head　of　a　troop　of　chimney…sweeps；　who　collect　pence。　In　Fricktal　a　similar　frame　of　basketwork　is　called　the　Whitsuntide　Basket。　As　soon　as　the　trees　begin　to　bud；　a　spot　is　chosen　in　the　wood；　and　here　the　village　lads　make　the　frame　with　all　secrecy；　lest　others　should　forestall　them。　Leafy　branches　are　twined　round　two　hoops；　one　of　which　rests　on　the　shoulders　of　the　wearer；　the　other　encircles　his　claves；　holes　are　made　for　his　eyes　and　mouth；　and　a　large　nosegay　crowns　the　whole。　In　this　guise　he　appears　suddenly　in　the　village　at　the　hour　of　vespers；　preceded　by　three　boys　blowing　on　horns　made　of　willow　bark。　The　great　object　of　his　supporters　is　to　set　up　the　Whitsuntide　Basket　on　the　village　well；　and　to　keep　it　and　him　there；　despite　the　efforts　of　the　lads　from　neighbouring　villages；　who　seek　to　carry　off　the　Whitsuntide　Basket　and　set　it　up　on　their　own　well。

In　the　class　of　cases　of　which　the　foregoing　are　specimens　it　is　obvious　that　the　leaf…clad　person　who　is　led　about　is　equivalent　to　the　May…tree；　May…bough；　or　May…doll；　which　is　carried　from　house　to　house　by　children　begging。　Both　are　representatives　of　the　beneficent　spirit　of　vegetation；　whose　visit　to　the　house　is　recompensed　by　a　present　of　money　or　food。

Often　the　leaf…clad　person　who　represents　the　spirit　of　vegetation　is　known　as　the　king　or　the　queen；　thus；　for　example；　he　or　she　is　called　the　May　King；　Whitsuntide　King；　Queen　of　May；　and　so　on。　These　titles；　as　Mannhardt　observes；　imply　that　the　spirit　incorporate　in　vegetation　is　a　ruler；　whose　creative　power　extends　far　and　wide。

In　a　village　near　Salzwedel　a　May…tree　is　set　up　at　Whitsuntide　and　the　boys　race　to　it；　he　who　reaches　it　first　is　king；　a　garland　of　flowers　is　put　round　his　neck　and　in　his　hand　he　carries　a　May…bush；　with　which；　as　the　procession　moves　along；　he　sweeps　away　the　dew。　At　each　house　they　sing　a　song；　wishing　the　inmates　good　luck；　referring　to　the　black　cow　in　the　stall　milking　white　milk；　black　hen　on　the　nest　laying　white　eggs；　and　begging　a　gift　of　eggs；　bacon；　and　so　on。　At　the　village　of　Ellgoth　in　Silesia　a　ceremony　called　the　King's　Race　is　observed　at　Whitsuntide。　A　pole　with　a　cloth　tied　to　it　is　set　up　in　a　meadow；　and　the　young　men　ride　past　it　on　horseback；　each　trying　to　snatch　away　the　cloth　as　he　gallops　by。　The　one　who　succeeds　in　carrying　it　off　and　dipping　it　in　the　neighbouring　Oder　is　proclaimed　King。　Here　the　pole　is　clearly　a　substitute　for　a　May…tree。　In　some　villages　of　Brunswick　at　Whitsuntide　a　May　King　is　completely　enveloped　in　a　May…bush。　In　some　parts　of　Thüringen　also　they　have　a　May　King　at　Whitsuntide；　but　he　is　dressed　up　rather　differently。　A　frame　of　wood　is　made　in　which　a　man　can　stand；　it　is　completely　covered　with　birch　boughs　and　is　surmounted　by　a　crown　of　birch　and　flowers；　in　which　a　bell　is　fastened。　This　frame　is　placed　in　the　wood　and　the　May　King　gets　into　it。　The　rest　go　out　and　look　for　him；　and　when　they　have　found　him　they　lead　him　back　into　the　village　to　the　magistrate；　the　clergyman；　and　others；　who　have　to　guess　who　is　in　the　verdurous　frame。　If　they　guess　wrong；　the　May　King　rings　his　bell　by　shaking　his　head；　and　a　forfeit　of　beer　or　the　like　must　be　paid　by　the　unsuccessful　guesser。　At　Wahrstedt　the　boys　at　Whitsuntide　choose　by　lot　a　king　and　a　high…steward。　The　latter　is　completely　concealed　in　a　May…bush；　wears　a　wooden　crown　wreathen　with　flowers；　and　carries　a　wooden　sword。　The　king；　on　the　other　hand；　is　only　distinguished　by　a　nosegay　in　his　cap；　and　a　reed；　with　a　red　ribbon　tied　to　it；　in　his　hand。　They　beg　for　eggs　from　house　to　house；　threatening　that；　where　none　are　given；　none　will　be　laid　by　the　hens　throughout　the　year。　In　this　custom　the　high…steward　appears；　for　some　reason；　to　have　usurped　the　insignia　of　the　king。　At　Hildesheim　five　or　six　young　fellows　go　about　on　the　afternoon　of　Whit…Monday　cracking　long　whips　in　measured　time　and　collecting　eggs　from　the　houses。　The　chief　person　of　the　band　is　the　Leaf　King；　a　lad　swathed　so　completely　in　birchen　twigs　that　nothing　of　him　can　be　seen　but　his　feet。　A　huge　head…dress　of　birchen　twigs　adds　to　his　apparent　stature。　In　his　hand　he　carries　a　long　crook；　with　which　he　tries　to　catch　stray　dogs　and　children。　In　some　parts　of　Bohemia　on　Whit…Monday　the　young　fellows　disguise　themselves　in　tall　caps　of　birch　bark　adorned　with　flowers。　One　of　them　is　dressed　as　a　king　and　dragged　on　a　sledge　to　the　village　green；　and　if　on　the　way　they　pass　a　pool　the　sledge　is　always　overturned　into　it。　Arrived　at　the　green　they　gather　round　the　king；　the　crier　jumps　on　a　stone　or　climbs　up　a　tree　and　recites　lampoons　about　each　house　and　its　inmates。　Afterwards　the　disguises　of　bark　are　stripped　off　and　they　go　about　the　village　in　holiday　attire；　carrying　a　May…tree　and　begging。　Cakes；　eggs；　and　corn　are　sometimes　given　them。　At　Grossvargula；　near　Langensalza；　in　the　eighteenth　century　a　Grass　King　used　to　be　led　about　in　procession　at　Whitsuntide。　He　was　encased　in　a　pyramid　of　poplar　branches；　the　top　of　which　was　adorned　with　a　royal　crown　of　branches　and　flowers。　He　rode　on　horseback　with　the　leafy