, 1876-07-03
WAEPURGTS.
The Witches Yearly Festival at the
BIocksborg.

almost always consists Of German Paganisu
mingled with Christian ideas, the superstition
once, aud even at the present time connected
with the 18th Of May, is purely Of u Heather
character.
| wA1pURa1s' DAT,
now consecrated to St. Walpurga, is, togcthe,
with Its customs, supcrstitions, ghosts, &c.
nothing except Il relic of q spring-fcstival deai
! Gated to Donur, Or Thor, the Weather. God. It
is therefore, rich In magic and signs, partly o1
| q good and purity Of O bud character. In Hol.
stein they say dew On this morning signifies q
rich year for butter. In Obcrpfalz, this dew
was, and even still Is, considered as restora-
tive. In Lower Saxony, to roll in it naked pro
tccts from ycr1nin and certain skin-iscases and
to wash;w with It drives away frecklcs. In West
phalia, at sunrise on Walpurgis' Day, they cut a
piec: Of southern wood, which was sacred to
Donar, and strike tho CONS Herewith Oh the
back, in order that their milk may be abundant.
Lpntis sown Oh this day thrive woulrously
we'll. 4 garland Of ivy Worn by maiden Oh
Walpurg!s' Day lures lovers and suitors. 4
the wearer to recognize all the witches in the
church, since these are distinguished from other
women Of the congregation by having milk
pails OIL their head. Ii it rains on the 1st Of
Any, then, according to the rule Of the Mechle1l-
burg peasants, there will be poor harvest. On
with said rain will be free from headache the
following year. In silcsia, they know tlet
children born on this day become weak and
simple. In East Prussia, geese hatchcd on Wal
purgis Day do not thrive.
Still more important than Walpurgis' Day Is
THE NIGHT PRECEDING IT,
in which all magic powers are lot loose; for
then the Devil aud the witches celebrate :: great
festival on some mountain; at the close of
which bad women scatter III oil directions il or
A.r -f,,t3
tion the people in North Germany have various
means which caution and superstition do not
overlook. The most common one is, that on
the evening preceding Walpursis' Day, they
paint Oh all the doors cross or sorceress foot.
III some pl:res they tnke three little heaps Of
salt, quietly scatter it between the horns Of
COW, and then 90 backwards out Of the stall.
Likewise, Il good receipt against witches, aud
against the evil glance, is that, on Walpurgis'
Night, branches Of alder and dragons'blood
thcy protect tho animals from sorcercsses by
giyln!, them, on the evening of the 30th Of
April, mixture Of garlic, dill, flour, and honey.
Iii some places it Is sufficient If they 1ay q
scythe or az before the stlll-door to keep of
tue witches; and IN many villages simply 4
broom answers. The harvest will bc protected
from injury if, on Walpurgis' Night, the pea
SAINTS shoot firearms, or ii the church-bcls bo
rung awhile.
were formerly, and arI how In many countries,
women whu gave themselves over to the Devil,
and with his help did much mischief Witch
craft often descended from the mother to the
daughter, but usually witches were young girls,
often, indeed, little children,- instructed BY
old women. In the first place, tho bewitchel
must renouncc God, baptism, and the Church,
and swear allegiance to the Devil They walked
them to cross~way, or to the first dung heap,
laid their hands On peeled staff held by the en-
t],ar1tcI, and s:id, II seize on this blanchcu
fY@1r
1nandmcnts,, Then the bond WIS closed etcr-
n:llly, but it was scaled at the
GREAT YEARLY WITC1I-CoSyENTION, OR 6AB-
BATH,
WIieh, In North Germany, WAS held on Walpur-
efs' Nigllt. ut tllu Blocksbcrg In Southern Ger
many, it was held ut other times and places.
When the festiye dny came, the Nortf-German
witches prepared With certain magic means for
the Journey to Blocksberg. They un0ressed,
aud anointed themselves will. a salve which
Or a ram, brooln or Il poker, with disllovclod
hair, 20 out of the chimney, md ride through
the air. Old and young sister-witchescomc 1y-
ing from al directions,- and kobolds,
Without heads, md othcr forms Of witehcs'
until tho collection is innumcrablc. Then
THE PRINCE or HE'LL
appears in the form Of ram with human
couutcnancc, and, from q rocky chauccl, cxho7ts
lis troops to faithfulncss, for which he promises
them riches, honor, and long life. The new
ones are then introduced to hin by the old. A
short examination follows, and, if be finds the
uoviccs ready to deny the faith etcrnally, they
must assent to formula in which they re1louncc |
God anu the ss Fat Woman (as the Virgin Is
called in the language OF HelD, the Command |
ruouts and the Slcrarnents They must vow !
and pledge faitlfulness and obedience to the |
Father Of Lies and Sins, and promise likewise
to bring to him as many new servants Us pos
5ibIc. ~
The Dent now presents the witches with |
triucs To tho noorer he gives butter, cheese, |
md lard: to t{t; richer. d rose, brooch, or q ]
neck-rihbon. lie baptizcs them with dirty |