The Book of Hallowe'en Part 8

The hope of being healed there is like that given to Cuchulain (q.

v.), to persuade him to visit the fairy kingdom. Arthur was expected to come again sometime, as the sun renews his course. As he disappeared from the sight of Bedivere, the last of his knights,

"The new sun rose bringing the new year."

_Ibid._

Avilion means "apple-island." It was like the Hesperides of Greek mythology, the western islands where grew the golden apples of immortality.

In Cornwall after the sixth century, the sun-G.o.d became St.

Michael, and the eastern point where he appeared St. Michael's seat.

"Where the great vision of the guarded mount Looks toward Namancos, and Bayona's hold."

MILTON: _Lycidas._

As fruit to Pomona, so berries were devoted to fairies. They would not let any one cut a blackthorn shoot on Hallowe'en. In Cornwall sloes and blackberries were considered unfit to eat after the fairies had pa.s.sed by, because all the goodness was extracted. So they were eaten to heart's content on October 31st, and avoided thereafter. Hazels, because they were thought to contain wisdom and knowledge, were also sacred.

Besides leaving berries for the "Little People," food was set out for them on Hallowe'en, and on other occasions. They rewarded this hospitality by doing an extraordinary amount of work.

"--how the drudging goblin sweat To earn his cream-bowl duly set, When in one night, ere glimpse of morn, His shadowy flail hath threshed the corn That ten day-laborers could not end.

Then lies him down the lubbar fiend, And stretcht out all the chimney's length Basks at the fire his hairy strength."

MILTON: _L'Allegro._

Such sprites did not scruple to pull away the chair as one was about to sit down, to pinch, or even to steal children and leave changelings in their places. The first hint of dawn drove them back to their haunts.

"When larks 'gin sing, Away we fling; And babes new borne steal as we go, And elfe in bed We leave instead, And wend us laughing, ho, ho, ho!"

JONSON: _Robin Goodfellow._

Soulless and without grat.i.tude or memory spirits of the air may be, like Ariel in _The Tempest_. He, like the fairy harpers of Ireland, puts men to sleep with his music.

"_Sebastian._ What, art thou waking?

_Antonio._ Do you not hear me speak?

_Sebastian._ I do; and, surely, It is a sleepy language; and thou speak'st Out of thy sleep: What is it thou didst say?

This is a strange repose, to be asleep With eyes wide open; standing, speaking, moving, And yet so fast asleep."

SHAKSPERE: _The Tempest._

The people of England, in common with those who lived in the other countries of Great Britain and in Europe, dreaded the coming of winter not only on account of the cold and loneliness, but because they believed that at this time the powers of evil were abroad and ascendant. This belief harked back to the old idea that the sun had been vanquished by his enemies in the late autumn. It was to forget the fearful influences about them that the English kept festival so much in the winter-time. The Lords of Misrule, leaders of the revelry, "beginning their rule on All Hallow Eve, continued the same till the morrow after the Feast of the Purification, commonlie called Candelmas day: In all of which s.p.a.ce there were fine and subtle disguisinges, Maskes, and Mummeries." This was written of King Henry IV's court at Eltham, in 1401, and is true of centuries before and after. They gathered about the fire and made merry while the October tempests whirled the leaves outside, and shrieked round the house like ghosts and demons on a mad carousal.

"The autumn wind--oh hear it howl: Without--October's tempests scowl, As he troops away on the raving wind!

And leaveth dry leaves in his path behind.

"'Tis the night--the night Of the graves' delight, And the warlock[1] are at their play!

Ye think that without The wild winds shout, But no, it is they--it is they!"

c.o.xE: _Hallowe'en._

[1] Devils.

Witchcraft--the origin of which will be traced farther on--had a strong following in England. The three witches in _Macbeth_ are really fates who foretell the future, but they have a kettle in which they boil

"Fillet of a fenny snake,

Eye of newt, and toe of frog, Wool of bat, and tongue of dog, Adder's fork, and blindworm's sting, Lizard's leg, and owlet's wing, For a charm of powerful trouble----"

SHAKSPERE: _Macbeth._

They connect themselves thereby with those evil creatures who pursued Tam o' Shanter, and were servants of the Devil. In 1892 in Lincolns.h.i.+re, people believed that if they looked in through the church door on Hallowe'en they would see the Devil preaching his doctrines from the pulpit, and inscribing the names of new witches in his book.

The Spectre Huntsman, known in Windsor Forest as Herne the Hunter, and in Todmorden as Gabriel Ratchets, was the spirit of an unG.o.dly hunter who for his crimes was condemned to lead the chase till the Judgment Day. In a storm on Hallowe'en is heard the belling of his hounds.

"Still, still shall last the dreadful chase Till time itself shall have an end; By day they scour earth's cavern'd s.p.a.ce, At midnight's witching hour, ascend.

"This is the horn, the hound, and horse, That oft the lated peasant hears: Appall'd, he signs the frequent cross, When the wild din invades his ears."

SCOTT: _Wild Huntsman._

In the north of England Hallowe'en was called "nut-crack" and "snap-apple night." It was celebrated by "young people and sweethearts."

A variation of the nut test is, naming two for two lovers before they are put before the fire to roast. The unfaithful lover's nut cracks and jumps away, the loyal burns with a steady ardent flame to ashes.

"Two hazel-nuts I threw into the flame, And to each nut I gave a sweetheart's name.

This with the loudest bounce me sore amaz'd, That in a flame of brightest color blaz'd; As blaz'd the nut, so may thy pa.s.sion grow, For 't was thy nut that did so brightly glow."

GAY: _The Spell._

If they jump toward each other, they will be rivals. If one of the nuts has been named for the girl and burns quietly with a lover's nut, they will live happily together. If they are restless, there is trouble ahead.

"These glowing nuts are emblems true Of what in human life we view; The ill-matched couple fret and fume, And thus in strife themselves consume, Or from each other wildly start And with a noise forever part.

But see the happy, happy pair Of genuine love and truth sincere;

With mutual fondness, while they burn Still to each other kindly turn: And as the vital sparks decay, Together gently sink away.

Till, life's fierce ordeal being past, Their mingled ashes rest at last."

GRAYDON: _On Nuts Burning, Allhallows Eve._

Sometimes peas on a hot shovel are used instead.

Down the centuries from the Druid tree-wors.h.i.+p comes the spell of the walnut-tree. It is circled thrice, with the invocation: "Let her that is to be my true-love bring me some walnuts;" and directly a spirit will be seen in the tree gathering nuts.