Semi=weekly graphic., 1896-12-19

Curious Customs but Little Known In This
 Country superstilions About Beasts and
 rirds- Blessing the FIoeI,s d Rooster
 Mass In spain.
 ar>1s~. Among the most pleas
 le38155 1S8 ing features of the uni 4E#as,4s s2s 34 vcrsal good will that pre-
 >szssfj3a5 jj}3a5zzI lzI vails at Christmastide ill
 F thoold world Is the kindly
 2 disposition shown to ex- tend the enjoyment of tho festivity to the dumb animals, W ich just at this season of he year may be said to bo brought into more friendly and intimate contact with their masters than at any other time cf tho ycar. Throughout Scandinavia, Germany and Austria tho peasants are accustomed to erect ill front of their cottages on Christmas day q polo to which is fastened largo 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 siIIs on the evening of Dec 24. Tho Albanians, the Montonegrins and ia fact aearly all the races of the southeast Of Europe, irrespective of creed OF nationality, mako a point of distributing their first largo Christmas meal caI1o among the cattle, after hav- ing broken it on the horn of on OK while during the siege of Paris, when each soldier of the beleagueriug Ger man army managed to have his little Christmas tree, however scant or poor set up on Christmas eye ia remembrance of the loved ones at home, nearly every trooper made q point of leading up his harse to see bis tree and to receive his masters ratioa 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 plaeo cake upon table and to drive the oxen around it, those who attempt to taste the food boing slaughtered on Che spot. In tEe isle Gf Man the erael pastime kHova as hunting tho wrcu, ' and which dates back to pagan times is still practieed every Christmas morning, all the villagers turning out. every one armed with two aticss-oue for beating tha bushes and the other for throwing at the birds. Tho origin of the custom is 10 be found iu the legend ae- cordiHg o which therc formerly lived in the isle ef Man very beautiful fairy who exercised great influence over the male population by means of her voice, eHticing them into tho sea, wher0 they were drowned. So long did this continue that fears were entertained that the is- land would He GepopulatCd. Eventually, however, a knight crrmt If King Ar thurs Round Table appeared upon the scene, aEd he having discovered d means of overcoming the fairy' charm, pressed her so hand with a plot for her destruction that she cOuId only save herself by taking tho form of q wrcu While she was in this form spell was cast upon Ter which compelled her to assume the birds form on each Christ mas day and dccroed that she should ul- timately die by human hands," hence the cruel hunting of the wren is kept up, and after the birds have been killed the children place them Cn ivy bushes and carry them around in procession.
 But it ls in Franco, especially in the western and southern portions thereof, that the peasants made point of intro dueiug their domestic animals into tEa celebration of Christmas net euIY at home, but also at church, a tho ground that the poor creatures having partici- pated il the joy of mankind at the .-Fg Ag.i,. q annual c0mmemOratien of the event Thus in Brittany cattle and sheep may be said to form part of the congregation that attends the quaint yet thoroughly ncverent mass performed in most Of the churches of the scacoast villages on Christmas eve. On the right side of the altar bowor is constructed of fragrant pine and fir branches, with great bunch os ef erimscH berried hellies and mistle- toe gdstcnirg among tEe Yerdure. Un- der this canopy there sits the most beautiful maiden of tho village her hair falling on her loose white gar ments, vhileiu her arms there roposes n young infant. Beside her stands a young man wearing gold embroidered rab0 and leaning on d staff, while an OK, donkey and four sheep quietly munch corn from ! couple of managers As soon as tho gospel has been read small chorister concealed in the card board figure of a rooster begins to chant the verses, "For to us a child is born. " initiating cleverly at the close of each strophe tAe crow of t chanticleer The deep bass voice of another grown uDcbor- ister hidden somewherein in the fir branch bower above described 'Iows" the ro- sPoHse of ssUbi?a fwhcre1, which sounds q if it proceeds from the OK. 4 tenc~ ehorister concealed near the sheep baas the word Bethlehem " and then a baritone Nc p, apparently proceeding from the donkey, brqys "Eamus tIct us go thither). Thereupon the rector, his acolytes and the entire eonerega- tion form a procession and march from tho altar to tho bower whore tho repre- sentation of the nativity. is arraneod