Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1902-07-03

what he took to be a shilling. On be-
ing extracted, however, it proved to
be counterfeit. Probably the donor,
finding that he could get no value for
his coin In the natural world con-
cluded he might as well try, as last
resource, what effect it might have
in the spiritual.
OF course the poor cottars and
others who flock to st. Maebrubha
with their nails and their pence, do
not for moment admit that they are
assisting at a pagan ceremony. But
they most undoubtedly are. Well
| worship has always occupied an i'm
portant place in paganism, and the
sacred oak, before which each pill
grim must thrice kneel ere humbly
presenting his offering-what is it but
an obvious survival of the sacred
groves of Druidical times?
Similarly, the final rite, in which the
patient is towed thrice around the
island at the stern of a boat with the
course of the sun, is clearly a custom
derived from those distant days, when
the alteration of that orb, the visible
source of light and life, was the ordi-
nary and obvious duty of those whom
he benefited.
But these are harmless observ-
ances. There is darker side to the
picture. For instance, the cock has
always played a prominent part in
paganism the world over. In India,
in Ceylon, in Haiti, he is to this day
openly sacrificed by being buried
alive. So, too, Is he in parts of
Scotland; but secretly, at dead of
night, with much mystery, the object
being TO effect cure in cases of
epilepsy and insanity, by propitiating
the demon that is supposed to dwell
in those afflicted by these terrible
maladies. Also, it is said, it is by
no means unknown among the High |
land crofters for one Of herd of cat |
tie to be inferred alive after a siIni- |
lar fashion, as an offering to the i
spirit of the murrain, when that dis
ease, or anything resembling it, is
more than usually prevalent.
Paganism is something which one
does not usually associate with
Catholic Ireland. 1t is a fact, how
ever, that along parts of the wild
Kerry coast mystic rites, which sa-
wants have'had no difficulty in identi-
flying with those incidental to the
worship of the Greek god Priapus, are
performed to this day with more or
less regularity.
The natives-wild, ignorant fisher
folk for the most part-are shy of let
ting strangers know anything about
the rites in question, and inquirers
are usually bluntly told to mind their
own business, and not to pry into
with which they have no con-
Germ 1t is known however, that the
ceremony is emblematic of
those human sacrifices that were un-
doubtedly exacted by the god of old
A youth of 10 or 16 is the central
figure. On the morning of the day
appointed he is stripped naked and
carried to the sea beach, accompanied
by numbers of fishermen, their wives
and daughters. In front of him
marches an aged man fiourishing a
hatchet. The rear of the procession +;
Is closed by another venerable man
with saw, which he also brandishes
In the air at certain intervals
AS soon as the cortege arrives at
the waters edge the lad is dipped
thrice into the sea, after which the
whole following, both men and women,
form a ring round him and shout
loyfully Certain emblematic passes
are also made over his head and
heart with the saw and the Ratchet,
after which he is carried, still nude.
back TO the village whence he came.
This mummery Is supposed to not only
insure to fishermen taking part In It
an abundant harvest of the sea, but to ,
also secure to the community at large j
teeming fiocks and fruitful fields.
This, of course. is paganism pure ,
and simple; but it is refined and .
idealized form of paganism. In some ,
OF the outlying islands. however, and