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of the Celtic sacrifices from the work of Posidonius； but independently of each other； and of Caesar； for each of the three derivative accounts contain some details which are not to be found in either of the others。 By combining them； therefore； we can restore the original account of Posidonius with some probability； and thus obtain a picture of the sacrifices offered by the Celts of Gaul at the close of the second century before our era。 The following seem to have been the main outlines of the custom。 Condemned criminals were reserved by the Celts in order to be sacrificed to the gods at a great festival which took place once in every five years。 The more there were of such victims； the greater was believed to be the fertility of the land。 If there were not enough criminals to furnish victims； captives taken in war were immolated to supply the deficiency。 When the time came the victims were sacrificed by the Druids or priests。 Some they shot down with arrows； some they impaled； and some they burned alive in the following manner。 Colossal images of wicker…work or of wood and grass were constructed； these were filled with live men； cattle； and animals of other kinds； fire was then applied to the images； and they were burned with their living contents。
Such were the great festivals held once every five years。 But besides these quinquennial festivals； celebrated on so grand a scale； and with； apparently； so large an expenditure of human life； it seems reasonable to suppose that festivals of the same sort； only on a lesser scale； were held annually； and that from these annual festivals are lineally descended some at least of the fire…festivals which； with their traces of human sacrifices； are still celebrated year by year in many parts of Europe。 The gigantic images constructed of osiers or covered with grass in which the Druids enclosed their victims remind us of the leafy framework in which the human representative of the tree…spirit is still so often encased。 Hence； seeing that the fertility of the land was apparently supposed to depend upon the due performance of these sacrifices； Mannhardt interpreted the Celtic victims； cased in osiers and grass； as representatives of the tree…spirit or spirit of vegetation。
These wicker giants of the Druids seem to have had till lately； if not down to the present time； their representatives at the spring and midsummer festivals of modern Europe。 At Douay； down at least to the early part of the nineteenth century； a procession took place annually on the Sunday nearest to the seventh of July。 The great feature of the procession was a colossal figure； some twenty or thirty feet high； made of osiers； and called the giant； which was moved through the streets by means of rollers and ropes worked by men who were enclosed within the effigy。 The figure was armed as a knight with lance and sword； helmet and shield。 Behind him marched his wife and his three children； all constructed of osiers on the same principle； but on a smaller scale。 At Dunkirk the procession of the giants took place on Midsummer Day； the twenty…fourth of June。 The festival； which was known as the Follies of Dunkirk； attracted multitudes of spectators。 The giant was a huge figure of wicker…work； occasionally as much as forty…five feet high； dressed in a long blue robe with gold stripes； which reached to his feet； concealing the dozen or more men who made it dance and bob its head to the spectators。 This colossal effigy went by the name of Papa Reuss； and carried in its pocket a bouncing infant of Brobdingnagian proportions。 The rear was brought up by the daughter of the giant； constructed； like her sire； of wicker…work； and little； if at all； inferior to him in size。 Most towns and even villages of Brabant and Flanders have； or used to have； similar wicker giants which were annually led about to the delight of the populace； who loved these grotesque figures； spoke of them with patriotic enthusiasm； and never wearied of gazing at them。 At Antwerp the giant was so big that no gate in the city was large enough to let him go through； hence he could not visit his brother giants in neighbouring towns； as the other Belgian giants used to do on solemn occasions。
In England artificial giants seem to have been a standing feature of the midsummer festival。 A writer of the sixteenth century speaks of Midsommer pageants in London； where to make the people wonder； are set forth great and uglie gyants marching as if they were alive； and armed at all points； but within they are stuffed full of browne paper and tow； which the shrewd boyes； underpeering； do guilefully discover； and turne to a greate derision。 At Chester the annual pageant on Midsummer Eve included the effigies of four giants； with animals； hobby…horses； and other figures。 At Coventry it appears that the giant's wife figured beside the giant。 At Burford； in Oxfordshire； Midsummer Eve used to be celebrated with great jollity by the carrying of a giant and a dragon up and down the town。 The last survivor of these perambulating English giants lingered at Salisbury； where an antiquary found him mouldering to decay in the neglected hall of the Tailors' Company about the year 1844。 His bodily framework was a lath and hoop； like the one which used to be worn by Jack…in…the…Green on May Day。
In these cases the giants merely figured in the processions。 But sometimes they were burned in the summer bonfires。 Thus the people of the Rue aux Ours in Paris used annually to make a great wicker…work figure； dressed as a soldier； which they promenaded up and down the streets for several days； and solemnly burned on the third of July； the crowd of spectators singing Salve Regina。 A personage who bore the title of king presided over the ceremony with a lighted torch in his hand。 The burning fragments of the image were scattered among the people； who eagerly scrambled for them。 The custom was abolished in 1743。 In Brie； Isle de France； a wicker…work giant； eighteen feet high； was annually burned on Midsummer Eve。
Again； the Druidical custom of burning live animals； enclosed in wicker…work； has its counterpart at the spring and midsummer festivals。 At Luchon in the Pyrenees on Midsummer Eve a hollow column； composed of strong wicker…work； is raised to the height of about sixty feet in the centre of the principal suburb； and interlaced with green foliage up to the very top； while the most beautiful flowers and shrubs procurable are artistically arranged in groups below； so as to form a sort of background to the scene。 The column is then filled with combustible materials； ready for ignition。 At an appointed hourabout 8 P。M。a grand procession； composed of the clergy； followed by young men and maidens in holiday attire； pour forth from the town chanting hymns； and take up their position around the column。 Meanwhile； bonfires are lit； with beautiful effect； in the surrounding hills。 As many living serpents as could be collected are now thrown into the column； which is set on fire at the base by means of torches； armed with which about fifty boys and men dance around with frantic gestures。 The serpents； to avoid the flames； wriggle their way to the top； whence they are seen lashing out laterally until finally obliged to drop； their struggles for life giving rise to enthusiastic delight among the surrounding spectators。 This is a favourite annual ceremony for the inhabitants of Luchon and its neighbourhood； and local tradition assigns it to a heathen origin。 In the midsummer fires formerly kindled on the Place de Grève at Paris it was the custom to burn a basket； barrel； or sack full of live cats； which was hung from a tall mast in the midst of the bonfire； sometimes a fox was burned。 The people collected the embers and ashes of the fire and took them home； believing that they brought good luck。 The French kings often witnessed these spectacles and even lit the bonfire with their own hands。 In 1648 Louis the Fourteenth； crowned with a wreath of roses and carrying a bunch of roses in his hand； kindled the fire； danced at it and partook of the banquet afterwards in the town hall。 But this was the last occasion when a monarch presided at the midsummer bonfire in Paris。 At Metz midsummer fires were lighted with great pomp on the esplanade； and a dozen cats； enclosed in wicker cages； were burned alive in them； to the amusement of the people。 Similarly at Gap； in the department of the High Alps； cats used to be roasted over the midsummer bonfire。 In Russia a white cock was sometimes burned in the midsummer bonfire； in Meissen or Thuringia a horse's head used to be thrown into it。 Sometimes animals are burned in the spring bonfires。 In the Vosges cats were burned on Shrove Tuesday； in Alsace they were thrown into the Easter bonfire。 In the department of the Ardennes cats were flung into the bonfires kindled on the first Sunday in Lent； sometimes； by a refinement of cruelty； they were hung over the fire from the end of a pole and roasted alive。 The cat； which represented the devil； could never suffer enough。 While the creatures were perishing in the flames； the shepherds guarded their flocks and forced them to leap over the fire； esteeming this an infallible means of preserving them from disease and witchcraft。 W