按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
ch 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 （？） power is destroyed。 At Debschwitz or Dobschwitz； near Gera； the ceremony of Driving out Death is or was annually observed on the first of March。 The young people make up a figure of straw or the like materials； dress it in old clothes； which they have begged from houses in the village； and carry it out and throw it into the river。 On returning to the village they break the good news to the people； and receive eggs and other victuals as a reward。 The ceremony is or was supposed to purify the village and to protect the inhabitants from sickness and plague。 In other villages of Thüringen； in which the population was originally Slavonic； the carrying out of the puppet is accompanied with the singing of a song； which begins； Now we carry Death out of the village and Spring into the village。 At the end of the seventeenth and beginning of the eighteenth century the custom was observed in Thüringen as follows。 The boys and girls made an effigy of straw or the like materials； but the shape of the figure varied from year to year。 In one year it would represent an old man； in the next an old woman； in the third a young man； and in the fourth a maiden； and the dress of the figure varied with the character it personated。 There used to be a sharp contest as to where the effigy was to be made； for the people thought that the house from which it was carried forth would not be visited with death that year。 Having been made； the puppet was fastened to a pole and carried by a girl if it represented an old man； but by a boy if it represented an old woman。 Thus it was borne in procession； the young people holding sticks in their hands and singing that they were driving out Death。 When they came to water they threw the effigy into it and ran hastily back； fearing that it might jump on their shoulders and wring their necks。 They also took care not to touch it； lest it should dry them up。 On their return they beat the cattle with the sticks； believing that this would make the animals fat or fruitful。 Afterwards they visited the house or houses from which they had carried the image of Death； where they received a dole of half…boiled peas。 The custom of Carrying out Death was practised also in Saxony。 At Leipsic the bastards and public women used to make a straw effigy of Death every year at Mid…Lent。 This they carried through all the streets with songs and showed it to the young married women。 Finally they threw it into the river Parthe。 By this ceremony they professed to make the young wives fruitful； to purify the city； and to protect the inhabitants for that year from plague and other epidemics。
Ceremonies of the same sort are observed at Mid…Lent in Silesia。 Thus in many places the grown girls with the help of the young men dress up a straw figure with women's clothes and carry it out of the village towards the setting sun。 At the boundary they strip it of its clothes； tear it in pieces； and scatter the fragments about the fields。 This is called Burying Death。 As they carry the image out； they sing that they are about to bury Death under an oak； that he may depart from the people。 Sometimes the song runs that they are bearing Death over hill and dale to return no more。 In the Polish neighbourhood of Gross…Strehlitz the puppet is called Goik。 It is carried on horseback and thrown into the nearest water。 The people think that the ceremony protects them from sickness of every sort in the coming year。 In the districts of Wohlau and Guhrau the image of Death used to be thrown over the boundary of the next village。 But as the neighbours feared to receive the ill…omened figure； they were on the look…out to repel it； and hard knocks were often exchanged between the two parties。 In some Polish parts of Upper Silesia the effigy； representing an old woman； goes by the name of Marzana； the goddess of death。 It is made in the house where the last death occurred； and is carried on a pole to the boundary of the village； where it is thrown into a pond or burnt。 At Polkwitz the custom of Carrying out Death fell into abeyance； but an outbreak of fata