Balder the Beautiful Part 31

[617] See above, p. 183.

[618] See above, p. 231.

[619] Marie Trevelyan, _Folk-lore and Folk-stories of Wales_ (London, 1909), pp. 254 _sq._

[620] (General) Charles Vallancey, _Collectanea de Rebus Hibernicis_, iii. (Dublin, 1786), pp. 459-461.

[621] Miss A. Watson, quoted by A.C. Haddon, "A Batch of Irish Folk-lore," _Folk-lore_, iv. (1893) pp. 361 _sq._

[622] Leland L. Duncan, "Further Notes from County Leitrim,"

_Folk-lore_, v. (1894) pp. 195-197.

[623] H.J. Byrne, "All Hallows Eve and other Festivals in Connaught,"

_Folk-lore_, xviii. (1907) pp. 437 _sq._

[624] Joseph Train, _Historical and Statistical Account of the Isle of Man_ (Douglas, Isle of Man, 1845), ii. 123; (Sir) John Rhys, _Celtic Folk-lore, Welsh and Manx_ (Oxford, 1901), i. 315 _sqq._

[625] (Sir) John Rhys, _Celtic Folk-lore, Welsh and Manx_ (Oxford, 1901), i. 318-321.

[626] John Harland and T.T. Wilkinson, _Lancashire Folk-lore_ (Manchester and London, 1882), pp. 3 _sq_.

[627] J. Harland and T.T. Wilkinson, _op. cit_. p. 140.

[628] Annie Milner, in William Hone's _Year Book_ (London, preface dated January, 1832), coll. 1276-1279 (letter dated June, 1831); R.T. Hampson, _Medii Aevi Kalendarium_ (London, 1841), i. 365; T.F. Thiselton Dyer, _British Popular Customs_ (London, 1876), p. 395.

[629] _County Folk-lore_ vol. iv. _Northumberland_, collected by M.C.

Balfour (London, 1904), p. 78. Compare W. Henderson, _Notes on the Folk-lore of the Northern Counties of England_ (London, 1879), pp. 96 _sq_.

[630] Baron Dupin, in _Memoires publiees par la Societe Royale des Antiquaires de France_, iv. (1823) p. 108.

[631] The evidence for the solar origin of Christmas is given in _Adonis, Attis, Osiris_, Second Edition, pp. 254-256.

[632] For the various names (Yu-batch, Yu-block, Yule-log, etc.) see Francis Grose, _Provincial Glossary_, New Edition (London, 1811), p.

141; Joseph Wright, _The English Dialect Dictionary_ (London, 1898-1905), vi. 593, _s.v._ "Yule."

[633] "I am pretty confident that the Yule block will be found, in its first use, to have been only a counterpart of the Midsummer fires, made within doors because of the cold weather at this winter solstice, as those in the hot season, at the summer one, are kindled in the open air." (John Brand, _Popular Antiquities of Great Britain_, London, 1882-1883, i. 471). His opinion is approved by W. Mannhardt _(Der Baumkultus der Germanen und ihrer Nachbarstamme_, p. 236).

[634] "_Et arborem in nativitate domini ad festivum ignem suum adducendam esse dicebat_" (quoted by Jacob Grimm, _Deutsche Mythologie_, i. 522).

[635] Monta.n.u.s, _Die deutschen Volksfeste, Volksbrauche und deutscher Volksglaube_ (Iserlohn, N.D.), p. 12. The Sieg and Lahn are two rivers of Central Germany, between Siegen and Marburg.

[636] J.H. Schmitz, _Sitten und Sagen, Lieder, Spruchworter und Rathsel des Eifler Volkes_ (Treves, 1856-1858), i. 4.

[637] Adalbert Kuhn, _Sagen, Gebrauche und Marchen aus Westfalen_ (Leipsic, 1859), ii. -- 319, pp. 103 _sq_.

[638] A. Kuhn, _op. cit._ ii. -- 523, p. 187.

[639] August Witzschel, _Sagen, Sitten und Gebrauche aus Thuringen_ (Vienna, 1878), p. 172.

[640] K. Hoffmann-Krayer, _Feste und Brauche des Schweizervolkes_ (Zurich, 1913), pp. 108 _sq._

[641] Le Baron de Reinsberg-Duringsfeld, _Calendrier Belge_ (Brussels, 1861-1862), ii. 326 _sq._ Compare J.W. Wolf, _Beitragezur deutschen Mythologie_ (Gottingen, 1852-1858), i. 117.

[642] J.B. Thiers, _Traite des Superst.i.tions_*[5] (Paris, 1741), i. 302 _sq._; Eugene Cortet, _Essai sur les Fetes Religieuses_ (Paris, 1867), pp. _266 sq._

[643] J.B. Thiers, _Traite des Superst.i.tions_ (Paris, 1679), p. 323.

[644] Aubin-Louis Millin, _Voyage dans les Departemens du Midi de la France_ (Paris, 1807-1811), iii. 336 _sq._ The fire so kindled was called _caco fuech_.

[645] Alfred de Nore, _Coutumes, Mythes et Traditions des Provinces de France_ (Paris and Lyons, 1846), pp. 151 _sq._ The three festivals during which the Yule log is expected to burn are probably Christmas Day (December 25th), St. Stephen's Day (December 26th), and St. John the Evangelist's Day (December 27th). Compare J.L.M. Nogues, _Les Moeurs d'autrefois en Saintonge et en Aunis_ (Saintes, 1891), pp. 45-47.

According to the latter writer, in Saintonge it was the mistress of the house who blessed the Yule log, sprinkling salt and holy water on it; in Poitou it was the eldest male who officiated. The log was called the _cosse de No_.

[646] Laisnel de Salle, _Croyances et Legendes du Centres de la France_ (Paris, 1875), i. 1-3.

[647] Jules Lecoeur, _Esquisses du Bocage Normand_ (Conde-sur-Noireau, 1883-1887), ii. 291. The author speaks of the custom as still practised in out-of-the-way villages at the time when he wrote. The usage of preserving the remains of the Yule-log (called _trefouet_) in Normandy is mentioned also by M'elle Amelie Bosquet, _La Normandie Romanesque et Merveilleuse_ (Paris and Rouen, 1845), p. 294.

[648] A. de Nore, _Coutumes, Mythes, et Traditions des Provinces de France_ (Paris and Lyons, 1846), p. 256.

[649] Paul Sebillot, _Coutumes populaires de la Haute-Bretagne_ (Paris, 1886), pp. 217 _sq._

[650] Albert Meyrac, _Traditions, Coutumes, Legendes et Contes des Ardennes_ (Charleville, 1890), pp. 96 _sq._

[651] See above, p. 251.

[652] Lerouze, in _Memoires de l'Academie Celtique_, iii. (1809) p. 441, quoted by J. Brand, _Popular Antiquities of Great Britain_ (London, 1882-1883), i. 469 note.

[653] L.F. Sauve, _Le Folk-lore des Hautes-Vosges_ (Paris, 1889), pp.

370 _sq._

[654] Charles Beauquier, _Les Mois en Franche-Comte_ (Paris, 1900), p.

183.

[655] A. de Nore, _Coutumes, Mythes, et Traditions des Provinces de France_ (Paris and Lyons, 1846), pp. 302 _sq._

[656] John Brand, _Popular Antiquities of Great Britain_ (London, 1882-1883), i. 467.

[657] J. Brand, _op. cit._ i. 455; _The Denham Tracts_, edited by Dr.

James Hardy (London, 1892-1895), ii. 25 _sq._

[658] Herrick, _Hesperides_, "Ceremonies for Christma.s.se":

"_Come, bring with a noise, My merrie merrie boyes, The Christmas log to the firing_;...

_With the last yeeres brand Light the neiv block_"

And, again, in his verses, "Ceremonies for Candlema.s.se Day":

"_Kindle the Christmas brand, and then Till sunne-set let it burne; Which quencht, then lay it up agen, Till Christmas next returne.

Part must be kept, wherewith to teend The Christmas log next yeare; And where 'tis safely kept, the fiend Can do no mischiefe there_"