Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-04-27

ant, and the people OF more intelligence re-
late stories of them to their children. Feast
ing, dancing and yule games still occupy
most of the merry months of winter, and the
mistletoe is a part of the ceremonies. A
little mystery is enjoyed by all nations-it
adds the sparkle and sharpness to the wine.
In this enlightened age many otherwise IN
telligent people believe in omens, in astrol-
ogy, in communication with the spirits Of
the dead through the agency of an Indian
princess or bootblack.
ANGLo-sAxoN FAITHS.
The Anglo Saxons also believed in the
myths of the Scandinavians, and worshiped
idols emblematic of the sun, moon, earth
ana the various seasons. Until this day the
old families of England bring in the yule
log in the Christmas season, a custom which
represents the ancient ceremony of eele-
brating the return of the sun with his light
and heat on the turn of the year. They also
believed in elves, dwarfs and giants; in fact,
the familiar superstitions of Britain are
based on their histories of these fairy Great
ures.
The legendary history Of the British
Islands is interlaced with all sorts of wizard
stories of these queer creatures aud of the
"Old Boy" and his connection with them,
and with the monks who often tried to in
crease the belief of the ignorant and SUPER
stitious people in such things. The old
story OF ST. Dunstan, Archbishop OF Canter-
bury, is specimen. He died in 988 A D.,
but when boy he studied so hard that he
was reduced very much, but an angel took
him medicine in a great storm. st. Dunstan
ran toward the church to return thanks,
when he was met by Satan and many black
dogs. He was enabled by faith to fight of
his pursuers, when the angel carried him
through the roof and set him down in the
church. Another time the sold gentleman"
came to get the saint when st. Dunstan took
the DEVILS hot tongs and seized the fend by
the nose with it, causing his hasty retreat.
FAIRIES AND THE BABIES.
Great fear was always upon mothers that
the fairies would steal their infants from
the cradles, and even men and women were
supposed to be carried away by them. They
had to make septennial present of one Of
their number to Satan, and they preferred
to present one of the human family instead.
They carried away young married women to
be nurses for the fairies infants, and in Ire
land it is yet believed that when a young
married woman dies of puerperal fever that
the fairies have carried her off for their
peculiar uses.
The land of the fairies was situated some
where under ground, where they had splen-
did palaces and where their kings and
queens held brilliant court with wonderful
professions, magnificent dressing, princi-
pally of bright green color, and many rode
on beautiful milk-white steeds. When they
came on top of earth among the shady
groves, they would mingle in the dance to
such delicious and ravishing music as mortal
ears never heard. All early visitors do not
agree on the many features of fairy land,
but they all give their king and queen the
names of Oberon and Titania. Early Ger
man and French writer's speak of them, and
the French say that Oberon was a tiny
creature of great loveliness, with crown Of
jewels and a horn in his hand, whose sweet
music set everybody dancing.
In Scotland it was the custom to roast the
supposititious child when the imposter would
disappear and the real child would reappear.
Toadstones were considered an infallible
preservative as against fairies stealing the
children. Education has not yet been
spread far enough in the British Isles to
wholly eradicate the superstitious belief in
fairies in their various forms.
BUMBALo.