Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-01-11
RELIGIOUS BRITTANY.
Paganism and Christianity Strik-
ingIy Blended Over There.
WAKEMAN'S NICE PEN PICTURES
Of the Most SupestitiOus of ALI Evangelical
Believers.
COLLINS AND DRAGONS YET ON GUARD
roORREsrOxDrxor OF THE D1sPATcB.

CORRESPONDENCE OF THE DISPATCH
QUIMPERLE, BRITTANY, December 26.-
In the Intervening of pagsnism and Chris
tisnity there was undoubtedly large &C.
elesiastieal sanction entertained toward
many of the superstitious practices of the
Armoricans, the ancient Breton people. As
with their race brethren Of Ireland, Wales
and Cornwall, the retention to almost the
present day of a distinct language, and the
fostering Of the clan theory of society, left
countless legends, superstitions and customs
among this stolid though remarkably i'm
pressive and sentimental people. The most
trivial study of the subject will reveal, espe-
cialIy in Brittany, Ireland and Cornwall,
precisely the same tremendous groupings Of
pagan monuments; startlingly similar Gus
toms and practices lingering as ineradicable
outgroEth of like pagan influence from a
common Celtic parentage; rude and al
most barbarie mythology, halfpagan and
half-ChrIstian, from q like stock and
time; and, a wondrous troop of wraiths,
fairies, elves, and quaint old legends
clung to and treasured with the
same interesting and defiant peril
nacity. Brittany has less Of the queer and
comical giants and giant fighters like Bel
lerian, Cormoran, Jack the Giantkiller,
Holiburn of the Cairn, Nancledry, Trebig
gan, BlunderDus, Gogmagog, Thunderbone
and Bolster, Of Cornish mythology. Breton
peasantry are perhaps not in the thralI Of SO
many and such variety of the "wee folk,
as NAV be found in the brownies" tn
''spriggans," the "buccas" or knockers"
and the "piskies" of Cornwall, or the "ban-
shee," the "farshee, the ''dullaghans," the
''pookas" the "hurlers," and those rare
little inns in green, the "leprechauns, of
Ireland; but still the Breton folk boast their
giants bold, as wonderful as CORVALLIS;
their demonology possesses kindly elves and
torturing fairy rascals Of equal standing,
and from the same origin as those of the
Irish; while find innumerable portents,
superstitions and superstitious customs pre-
eisely the same among the peasantry Of each
country.
RELIGION OF THE LowLY.
The remarkable thing about it all is that,
while the lowly of Ireland and Brittany are
fervent Catholics, there is scarcely Catho-
lie in Cornwall, nine-tenths of its people
being equally as fervelt Wesleyan Method
lists, and the remainder, Church of England
adherents.
Among all these people the wonderful
stone monuments of their early pagan ances-
tors are the haunts of the "wee folk" The
latter hold possession of them; perform
nightly the old Druidic rites about them;
guard untold treasures beneath them; entice
unworthy folk to them for all manner of
confusion and worse; cause blights and
charms to be wrought within their weird
presenees; create tests of marital fidelity or
OF innocence or guilt of crime; provide sOver-
eign remedies for certain diseases; give ep- |
portunities to those who will brave their |
presence at night for sale of their souls to |
the evil one, as well as for secret rites which |
effect expatiation; and issue forth at all |
grewsome hours to all manner of folk with
harm and help on expeditions Of punish
ment and errands of mercy.
All this is to that degree of likeness and |
persistent treasuring that were there no
other chronological parallels, one could not |
escape the proof that the first Celts of Ire
land and the first people OF Cornwall and |
Brittany were not only common stock, but
were, while pagans, people of common
language, customs, and of interest as against |
the savage and finally all-conquering Sax
ons. Another fact of interest has aided in
investing these granite enigmas of pagan
times with sacred interest. When Chris
tianity first stroYe 10 overthrow paganism
in Brittany, Cornwall and ireland, it was
found necessary 10 temporiZe with existing
bellies Thus, the earliest Christian mis-
siOnaries dare not at once destroy, or cause
the removal of, the ogham stones of Ireland,
the huge monoliths of Cornwall and the
mighty pillar stones and dolmens of Brit
tany. Instead, as mighty emblems of the
new religion were built upon them, or be-
side them.
THE STONE CROSS EVERYWHERE.
Go where you will in these three lands.
each marVelously rich in pagan remains,
the great stone cross will be seen cleaning
pure and white, upon or beside, the emblems
OF the Druidic faith. So intense was the
reverence for the latter among the early
peoples that no one save Charlemagne, in
Brittany, ever had the power or hardihood
to attempt their widespread destruction.
This compromise effected and ever since
maintained between Paganism and Chris
tianity has always been thoroughly recog-
nized by every priest of ireland and recteur
OF Brittany; while the power of Wesley in
gaining complete control over the hearts of
The people of Cornwall was in no other way
so remarkably shown as in his preaching,
precisely as did St. Patrick ], 300 years be-
fore him, in the open fields, where the
Christian Cross and the pagan monument,
hallowed in common by the people, stood
side by side together.
One must know these facts 10 know these
people, and to understand the deeply sacred
traditional association in their minds link
ing their lives and religion of the present to
the Druidic beliefs and practices and the
heroic myths Of the past. 1t accounts not
only for the sanctity with which all these
relics are regarded. but also for the extraor-
binary demonology with which they are in
vested aud those weird and semi-barbaric
powers with which they are accredited. 1t
is universal belief in the department Of
Morbihan, among the lowly, that one cures
rheumatism by dragging himself across or
Through followed Druidic stone and in
voking the good offices of St. Etinne,
A bit of stone chipped from these pagan
monuments is a sovereign cure for headache
with the Breton peasantry. The "rockiup-
stones, or stones of the dwarfs,'' furnish
tests OF innocence, as in Ireland and Corn
wall, but in an exactly opposite manner.
In the latter countries one accused of puilt
may move q rocking stone by the gentlest
touch. If innocent. Here ones innocence is
alone certified to If the application of his
greatest strength fails to cause its yibrs-
ton.
NOTEWORTHY TRYsTEG PLACE.
Each Saturday in June the youths and
lasses repair to a pagan dolmen, vigorously |
excluding all married folk, for long and
vigorous dances about the ancient and
sepulchral monument. The men are pro-
yided with green wheatears in their hat
bands, the maidens with fax blossoms
pinned to their high, white caps. On az
irving at the place those whose affections or
troths have been plighted, lay their wreaths
of wheat and fax upon the gray old stones.
If during the festivities their loves remEin
unchanged the offerings will for weeks re-
main green and fresh; !, but ii their affections
be diverted, the Eithering of the wreaths
will instantaneously follow.
These are but a few instances among
scores l could cite OF Breton belief in the su- !
pernatural powers, in common with a like or
similar belief of the Irish and Cornwall peas
sntry, inherently existing in these pagan
monuments. When we come % the demo- j
nOlogy, legendary lore and treasured every :