Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1888-05-08
Winding the May Pole and Other
May Day Frolics.

Il OF "Msrrle knglsnd" wOald Else hours be-
for. The dawn 10 go msying In the woods
10 the sound OF ringing music aud blow
Ing Of horns.
Pm, ,hsy hunted the May bOashes. the
zines, that could be found. Thsse they
gaflsndei with flowers then forming .
procession. bore thsm bach In tfiomph 10
hang them over the doors and ls,tices
where sleepy swsins or msidens had istily
losi the prscloos morning hours.
There Vas tradition that they who thss
early -eIt forth on May day morning,
and WASHED their faces with the early dew,
The summer .an voad sps.e from tan or
frvckis. aud that special fs,ors OF grace
and beauty would be granted teen all
through the yesr.
The Nay pole stool UPON the village
green nom year to year. IL W. ~ much
an Institution belonging n the parish ~
The church itself
Every May time II wss oruamsntei with
Wreath. and sr,sm,rs and around II In
the bright May weather the roliok aud
dance vsnt on until the lengthensd
shadows closed the festivities AMI The
day.
AZ the close OF the iith century on the
arst % May. the parishes ussi 30 jOin to-
grthsr for their several Msyings
Thy fetched their May poles. with
gfOups OF morric@ players and skilled
archer. and ,p-nt The live lous day In nsr.
~ psstime. In the evening They lighted
bonnrss In the streets AMI kept up their
games and frolics uuul midnight
In soms cases the May pol. Was 10 b.
cot and drawn home. so Into the for,s,
thsy went, each rustic farmer driving
| thiihsr hs oxen yOkei. Choosing The
str.ightst sbi hAbdsomssi tee. with
siariy ares they soon laid II low atd
while the yOurg men trimmed the limits
smoothly aud pesl,d OF The barb, The
women and m,iasns gathered Wild fIvsf.
which thsy wove Into harnesses for The
Oxen. Then the msidsns usd hOseg,ys a.
The horns Of The orsn. AMI hung gIlands
upon their Jokes.
when the May pole was made ready and
/ the last garland completed, al covered
With flowers. IL vas carried home some.
I times forty OF nny pairs % Oxen drawing
/ n. and too % three hapirsi msn, women
aud ehlldrsn follouiug snsr.
Thu. tqalppsd 10 Vas raised With shouts
snd msrry siBglng snt snshtsr, hsndksr'
chiefs and Gag. streaming from ia top
/ Then The gfuuni al around Il VAS sirssn
With nIstfs ADD near by, 10 m,ny Gases
.ammsr booths. bowers, sni afbors wsrs
/ halli. AMI Coz days. and somstlmss dafiug
the sbiirv uoh,h % Nay rouai oiisstivl'
tie. ~oald - ksp, ~.
10 America The climate OF early May Tot.
| bids ibialEsncs In oat 10 OF f,tss. to any
] gf,si ,Itsnt, except. psrhsp-. In some OF
tie Middle All sogihsrn 90 The far West.
sfu States
The A.uging OF May BASKETS Which wss
one % The msffy mAtlngs of May day q
garter % century ago In New kuEl,bd,
.. bslng revived. .ni s,sfy pretty Idea II
IL too. III. asuh.tiiuis Tor TIE h,ugitE
% Nay bougts In "Msftls Lrglsrd' so
much Ia vogue osniufy 90 to- ago.
In rural to-ns the yJaus people prepare
| pr,uy. fsnciiui basksu fihe MsinOu'
srs srs 10 blossom they gather them the
dAy beior, the Msyius.
E.rly on MAJ morning. before The d.~n.
they an the b.ssst. With ain. 90 hostr..
(.oms slih BOTH AMI The merry pay-sr,
80 forth speeding With swim step. iron
hoa.s - house ~ haas their garland. AL
baskets
IL. rule % The n1y-srs that 80 they
/ NEE, AMI pas. each other on their way, No
toksa % f,cogbiiioa shall be given sad no
secrets disclosed.
Alsr bfcakf,s,ine, they All meet o, Tie
/ fsaisErgss vasfv The May pole stands
/ bright With fibbon. AL stfssm-f-
Thsu cone. The chOos.as ~ The Nay
| Qlesn. who head. the Procession Ani, N
ne d.y 10 ias, % they 20 10 the woods 10
| search 90 nsstts ani gfy.us.
flo-sr. may MT be p.eoufal. Bat ihs
queen mast -e,s . ctospi All the cpr1
uat!on mast occsf oat unirr ihs baidlng
tree. 50 tsnisf iv.. AMI mo.-r- sfr
woven together. AM. with due f'mpniss
M invc.turc tAs girsn IL cfosasi Al
| l1ia hands. aBi form rias. slnging mer.
| ~ May .ongs &c they dance FOuui their
hsppy May elesH.
Tnsu Eariani. are woven f1f the May
| pole. and back they 20 bearing their Ofsf'
Ing. api singing GAY songs
The NAY feast 1. spread 81 nOou each
nng-sr having brought basks, OF dsiniles
al loln In The spresdiug OF II, plenle fash
ton. each laying gsfisnjs upon The table.
Sasrp appsiilss sf, not wanting and The
goodies" sfr no, long In disappearing
Ia the anrfnoon comes The wtspISo 90
ruE NarFJLE IL IL taken fJf granted ias'
The Nay pole h.s already been set. lila
doors 10 should not be more than ten or
twelve icsi tail tApsfiag to~ari. The top
and painted white. A oosvsnicni sits IL
es1h luNntS W 1ihtntNt ~ ~ Vs' s"A
fuaf 81 Tue Top.
The ribbons, (eolorei e.mbrie with edge
closely overcast is better a. 10 IL more
pllabl,) .hOai BE- 81 least three feet longer
than the pole, and thslr oolors, searist,
orange. purple. ysllow. green. aud blue.
fastened 10 regular Older. two Of each hind,
upon opposltss sides ~ the top, so that
s,eh color will come opposite ~. mate.
Sin boys aud sir girls (ihis II The small
cot number that can wtu srg,ge In ~
should Dc chosen 10 carry Tie ribbons
and ouly those who are good iuAisis and
nusi,is will 90. Eseh one should wear
The color Of bis of her rlbbon-ihe boy,
wearing h,nnel blOuses and stockings Of
The same color a. The ribbon chosen the
girls peasant Jackets, hair tibbops and
stockings 10 match their color.
nov TO WIND IuH NAY roLr.
10 would be Impossible 10 give directions
In fall for This pleasant ffolic. few sug'
gssiiOns ~ill give the Necessary start, the
leader must plan The r,si.
IL l. well 10 dTst describe . circle around
the base Of The pole, peihsps four OF i've
feet from The center or stat Divide this
into twelve ,qui.dlstsnt sections, marking |
each fOf TIE color Of each nbDOu Zach |
person must be true 10 hi. or her color, |
FOR on this depends much OF the sueesss VI
The winding.
The next matter 20 decide IL how many |
steps sBi how many bars OF music are re-
qsifed Tor going quarter. half, or entirely |
srOand the May pole aud 10 thu center AMI |
return. Another thing must always be
noted whsievrr movements are planned
that wind the ribbons 10 the right, must,
later on, be correspondlbgly made towards
the lsft. For instance. all join hands, go.
Ing 10 the len once, twice or three times
around the pole. there must be CORE
spending return, In order ~ bring each
ribbon back 10 its place.
A few OF the simple movements are
these, -
I, Place ribbon above the head, turn In
place eight steps 10 The right Rspe 1
Return towards ltn-
2. Boys bod ribbon high. girls TO right
several times around pole. Return. Girls
bold ribbons the same.
), To wind the BARRIERS pole" take rib
bon In right hand, all Join hands, go
around the pole until the full length Of the
ribt,on is wound. Retain.
4, The fasl braidiRg Of the May pole !.
the most difficult ieai and II the usual