New-York tribune., 1901-12-29

ROTH Jews AND MAHOMETAN.S
REGARD ITAS THE BIRTH
DAY OF ADAM.

.,.bo,,eb there seems to be a disposition in
- r-ri+ed States to allow the celebration OF
,-err Years Day to fall into desuetude, ana IL
has been shorn Of much Of its oldtine glory IN
America by the Importance now attrlputeo
here to Christmas. ii still retains 1ts rank
"a the most ancient festival of the world Both
the Mahometans and the Jews regard the
first day of their respective years as 'he ennl-
versary Of the birth, rather creation Gay Oh
Adam, and celebrate it with all sorts or re-
joicings and entertainments. while in oiden
times before the Christian era 1t was observed
as q dav sacred to the god Janus. The ancient
Romans made it a public holiday. and selected
il as the proper date for the exchange OF pres
ents of giIded fruits. IT was the day. moreover.
on which the newly elected magistrates OF the
Athenian Republic. we'll as those Of the
mighty commonwealth on the banks Of the
Tiher entered upon their duties. The Druids
also held the first day of the year in particular
honor and veneration. and even now a number
of pagan superstitions in connection Herewith
have survived among the peasantry of Brittany,
Wales and the southwestern counties of Eng
land To this day the lower classes of the dis
tricts just named retain firm belief in the
fortune bringing properties OF the mistletoe.
while the people who live along the shores of
the Bay of Biscay are absolutely convinced that
at the moment when the clock strikes II
New Years Eve the Misunderstanding dogs.
horses, sheep, oxen and pigs-become endowed
for the space of hour with the power of
speech and that the huge Druidical monoliths
known dolmens menhirs extricate them
selves from their sockets for the purpose Of
rolling down to the seashore to refresh them
selves by dip in the briny waters. So firmly
rooted is this belief that Brittany peasant
would dare wander about in the neghborhood
Of these hoary ruins of the stone age at that
hour being assured that some terrible fate
would overtake him if he to happen to
witness this annual excursion Of the dolmens.
and il may safely be taken for granted that
were he by any chance TO catch sight Of them
at that hour of the morning of the first day of
the year they would certainly appear to him
TO be dancing and reeling about in a weird
saraband. For in Brittany as in many other
parts OF Europe. the year is ushered in
with heavy and copious potations, the result
Of which is to cause the drinker to see many
strange things.
In Scandinavia the favorite beverage on these
occasions is drunk from silver or wooden tank
ards. preferably from horns These latter
are those Of the ure OK. animal now extinct,
and are frequently not only of great antiquity,
but also of much beauty. Many of them in
deed are old enough to have been used by the
their return from successful raids when they
sang the songs celebrating the virtues of the
heroes who had died en- the battlefield and had
entered fully armed into Talhalla. Drinking
from these horns requires a peculiar knack,
otherwise the contents certain to empty
themselves upon one.
In Russia the first day Of the year is ushered
in by a long and rather tedious service at
church. the drinking following afterward The
fbators are frequently interrupted by prostra-
tons before the Icon or Sacred Picture which
constitutes important feature of every Mus
covttc household. Every now and again one Of
the drinkers win stagger UP tc IL and devoutly
cross himself presumably with the object of
aVertinS by means OF divine assistance the dis
agreeable consequences Of intoxication
In the ancient Church of St Michael ar
SchWatz, In the Tyrol. the sacred edifce is in
variably kept securely closed on the evening
before New Year. and the people OF the district
are convinced that on these occasions when no
one Is present, an immense toad comes crawling
before the altar. where 1t kneeIs and prays
weeping bitterly. No ever hurts toad in
the Tyrol. for the population are mbued with
the belief that toads for the most part good
Christians, who have made vows TO go on nil
grimages. and who have died without fulfilling
their obligations in this respect So the DOOR
creatures go hopping bout astray bepildered
and perplexed, striving to find their way 10
shrines, which have perchance long since ceased
10 exist. There are some who may be tempted
10 laugh at this queer idea. But to my mind II
is one Of much pathos. and productive of good
since it prevents cruelty to the poor despised
toad. 1t is almost as pretty belief as that
current among the European peasantry 10 the
effect that the robins are indebted for their red
breasts to their efforts to pluck the nails from
the hands and feet and the thorns from the
brow Of the crucified Christ
In certain parts of Southern France New
Years Eve continues TO be celebrated 70 this
day by the famous Feast of Asses" Of medieval
ages. Before the congregation is admitted to
the church. a huge brazier. all glowing with
hames, is placed in the centre of the nave unon