The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1878-04-03
EASTER GAMES IN GERMANY.

Easter Monday is looked upon as grand
holiday by the pessantry in many parts OF
Germany. Weddings are often deferred to
this day, and many village games are reserved
for this season. The lads and lassies all ap-
pear in their gala costumes the girls with
short, dark skirts, braided with gold or sill
yer, snowy aprons and full white sleeves,
bright colored bodices and odd little caps;
the boys with knee-breeches, white stock
ings, low shoes, and scarlet or yellow vests,
the solid gold or silver buttons on which are
often their whole inheritance. But when
they are dancing gayly together on the
green, they look good deal happier than if
they were little kings and queens.
Games vary in different villages through
out the country, but one example will give
some idea of what they are like.
Two of the leading young men of the place
take entire charge of the days amusements,
selecting for the purpose as the scene of fes'
tivities some inn or Wrthsc6aft, to which is
attached large garden or meadow.
For several preceding evenings, when work
is over, they go about from house to house,
dressed in, their best, and carrying large
baskets on their arms. Everywhere they are
kindly received, and bread with wine or cider
is placed before them. While they eat and
drink, the baskets are quietly slipped away
by some member of the family, generous
donation of eggs is placed within them, and
they are secretly returned to their places
The eggs are not asked for, neither are they
alluded to in any way; but the object of the
visit is well understood and prepared for long
beforehand.
When Monday morning dawns, the inn is
found to have been gayly decorated with gar
lands of green and flowers, and huttering
ribbons of many colors. The tree nearest
the house is ornamented in like manner, and
on it the prize to be contsnded for, cOnspic-
uously hangs. On the smooth grass hard
by, a strip, few feet wide and perhaps a
hundred long, has been roped in, and at
either end of this narrow plot large, shall
low, round-bottomed basket, called Wanme,
is placed, one filled with chat and the other
with eggs, dozens upon dozens, cooked and
raw, white and colOred.
The plan of the peculiar game which fol-
lows is that one player is pitted to run a
given distance, while another safely throws
the eggs from one basket to the other, he
who first completes his task being, of course,
the winner. Accordingly, when the young
men and maidens have arrived, two leaders
draw lots to determine who. shall run and
who shall throw. That decided, the contes-
tants are gsyly decked with ribbons, band
strikes up lively air, caperiug clown clears
the way, and the game begins. He who
throws takes the eggs, and one after another
swiftly whirls them the length of the course,
and into the chaff filled basket, which is held
in the hands of an assistant. Occasionally
he makes diversion by pitching a hard one
to be scrambled for by the crowds of children
who have assembled to see the sport. Mean
time while wsgers are made as to who will
likely VIM the other contestant speeds the
distance of a mile or two to an appointed
goal, marks it as proof of his having touched
it, and if he succeeds in returning before all
the eggs are thrown, the victory and the
prize are his, otherwise they belong to his
opponent. The game finished, the prize is
presented to the victor with due ceremony
and amid the cheers of the crowd; the hard
eggs are distributed among the company, and
the raw ones carried uprosriously into the
neighboring inn, there to be cooked in vsri-
GUS ways and eaten.
The remainder of the day is spent in dane
ing and merry.making, and if wedding can
possibly be arranged to.take place on that
afternoon the fun is wilder than eVer.-F
E. COrne, st. Nicholas for Aprz.