The Sauk Centre herald., 1896-12-24

TEND the enjoyment OF the feStlvlty to
the dumb animals, which just at this
season of the year may be said to be
brought into more friendly and intimate
contact with their masters than at any
other time of the year. Throughout
Scandinavia, Germany and Austria the
peasants are accustomed to erect in
front of their cottages on Christmas
day pole to which is fastened large
sheaf Of oats or corn for the benefit of
the little birds, while in many districts
grain is spread outside ON the doorstep
and window stills on the evening of Dec.
"a. The Albanians, the Montenegrins
and in fact nearly all the races of the
southeast of Europe. irrespective of
creed or nationality, make point of
distributing their first large Christmas
meal cake among the cattle, after hav-
ing broken it on the horn of an OK,
while during the siege of Paris, when
each soldier of the beleaguering Ger
man army managed to have his little
Christmas tree, however scant or poor,
set up on Christmas eve in remembrance
of the loved ones at home, nearly every
trooper made point of leading up his
horse to see his tree and to receive his
masters ration of bread in honor of the
occasion.
Only in certain districts of southern
Italy and in the isle of Man are excep-
tions to be found to this rule. Thus in
Calabria it IS customary among the
peasantry at Christmas time to place
cake upon table and to drive the oxen
around it, those who attempt to taste
the food being slaughtered ON the spot.
In the isle of Man the cruel pastime
known as "hunting the wren," and
which dates back to pagan times, is
still practiced every Christmas morning,
all the villagers turning out, every
one armed with two sticks-one for
beating the bushes and the other f1r
throwing at the birds. The origin of the
custom is to be found in the legend &C.
cording to which "there formerly lived
in the isle of Man very beautiful fairy
who exercised great influence over the
male population by means of her voice,
enticing them into the sea, where they
were drowned. So long did this continue
that fears were entertained that the is
land would be depopulated. Eventually.
) however, a knight errant of King Ar
thurs Round Table appeared upon tho
scene, and he, having discovered a
means of overcoming the fairy 3 charm,
pressed her so hard with a plot for her
destruction that she could only save
herself by taking the form of wren.
While she was in this form a spell was
cast upon her which compelled her to
assume the birds form ON each Christ
mas day and decreed that she should ul-
timately 'die by human hands," hence
the cruel hunting of the wren is kept
up, anu after the birds have been killed
the children place them on ivy bushes
and carry them around in procession.
But it is in France, especially in the
western and southern portions thereof,
that the peasants made point of intro
ducing their domestic animals into the
celebration Of Christmas not only at
home, but also at church, on the ground
that the poor creatures having partici
pated in the joy of mankind at the
birth of Christ should participate in the
annual conlmemoration of the event
Thus III Brittany cattle and sheep may
be said to form part of the congregation
that attends the quaint yet thoroughly
reverent mass performed in most of the
churches of the seacoast villages on
Christmas eve. On the right side Of the
altar bower is constructed of fragrant
pine and fir branches, with great bunch
es of crimson berried hollies and mistle-
toe glistening among the verdure. Un-
~der this canopy there sits the most
beautiful maiden of the village, her
hair falling on her loose white gar
ments, while in her arms there reposes
young infant. Beside her stands young
man wearing gold embroidered robe
and leaning on a staff, while an OK, a
donkey and four sheep quietly MUNICH
corn from a. couple of managers. AS
soon as the gospel has been read a
small chorister concealed in the card
board figure of rooster begins to chant
the verses, "For to us child is born, !"
initiating cleverly at the close of each
strophe the crow of chanticleer. The
deep bass voice of another grown up Choir
lister hidden somewhc-e in the fir branch
bower above described "lows' the re-
spouse of "Ubi?" (where), which sounds
as if it proceeds from the OK. A tenor
chorister concealed near the sheep baas
the word Bethlehem" and then a
baritone voice, apparently proceeding
from the donkey, brays "Eamus" (let
us go thither). ,Thereupon the rector,
his acolytes and the entire congrega-
rion form procession and march from
the altar to the bower where the repre-
sentation of the nativity is arranged.
The priest, having sprinkled the mother
and child as well as the animals with
holy water, thereupon makes his way to
the chief entrance to the church, the
doors of which are wide open, looking
usually out on to the sea. All the cattle
: and the f1ocks of the village have mean
while been driven into the churchyard
and stand crowded together in the sill.
very light Of the moon around the por.
tai. Taking up his position on the top.
most step of the porch. the rector ex.
claims: "God in his mercy, my deal
children, has sent me on this radiant
night Of the nativity to bless your cat