The Crittenden record. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1904-1907, 1907-01-11
'IllE HOT CROSS BUN
rwo THEORIES AS TO THE ORIGIN
OF ITS MARKING.

symbols In the shape Of PretEeIs and
certain Cnke--The Siege Of RIOS
took and the Bakers Of schwaan.
German Commonwealth Cakes.
Who would think OF the prctzel as an
Astronomical symbol or the hot cross
bun as "A missionary document Yet II |
Is said that originally the one was In.
tended to represent the sun and the
four seasons aud the other TO convert
pagan England to Christianity. The
former IL declared to have been hrst
made by the Romans. who called Il
the annulus-a word they are said to
have formed out Of annus. yearly
which they meant year ring. The ring
represented the suns annual circuit
and the four spokcs the seasons IL
was afterward known under other
names In the more n0rtherly countries
OF Europe. There are two stories Of
the origin OF the hot cross bun. The
Christian missionaries TO England are
said to have discovered that, although
they could alter the views OF the peo.
pie on religious matters. they could not
induce them 10 abandon their time
hono'cl pagan customs one Of these
wa. the eating Of certain kind 0f
cake IN honor Of the Goddess Of
Spring They decided 20 put the sign
NJ the eros. Ou the Saxon buns and
launch thea forth on a missionary en-.
tcrpri.e The buns accomplished their
mission
Tho other story Is that In early times
IN the Observance 81 holy week the
church was more strict In the matter
Of fast. than now Only certain
amount ~ fipd could be- eaten Til,
was Indicated by two boundary mark
made In the dough 10 show the length
ami width ~ the piece The loaye'
were sold In churches aud were car
rlei from place % place by pilgrims
So the custom ~ crossing the bread
used on Good Friday became fixed.
These ATE not the only kinds %
shapes Of bread whose origin has beef
traced 10 old circumstances. The cres
cent shaped rolls which one sees II
some parts u The city had a curiou
birth. on one u the occasions whei
the Turks bes!eged Vienna. Pete
windler aud his wife had bakery 4
that city. This bakers patriotism wa
| llncturcd with sense Of humor an
possibly a sense Of business. At an
rste. he conceived the idea Of maxim
rolls Ia the shape % a crescent. th
emblem ~ the Turks They found
ready sale. for everybody wanted {
dcvour the half moons typifying III
Muhamnedans At the outer gate.
Germany l. the home OF commemori
tive cakes and bread. Other countrie
while having a. many varieties, haS
not woven sentiment about them
the same extent
4 great many Americans would NJ
know what schwaanerkuchen Is unle'
they asked = native % the old Germs
city Of RostOck II Il 20 be had on
AZ certain season Of the year becau'
n commentaries a kindly act of maj
years ago. Rostock was surrounded
an enemy The clty gates were close
and the enemy had come close 70 q
walls. with clubs. spears. heavy mort
slings aud many other oil time Imp
mcnts Of war. once and again nj
again they rushed upon the walls wi
thunderous noise aud changing wea
ons. but the brave burghers A. Oft
forced them back Then. urged q
ward by threatening famine. the lati
sailed beyond the gates aud dro
back the TO- until the Siege was rals'
n was with great Joy that they ~
the baker. OF Schwaan. q villa
twelve miles down the river warno
at the gate ~ the enemy drew ava
bearing heavily laden baskets % cak
II was such a goisend TO the famlsh
burghcrs that they rewarded
Schvaaner bakers by giving them
privilege Of coming b RostOck evs
year on Maundy Thursday TO %
their cakes Tor sale. For many ye'
this custom prevailed. 10 the proat
= the bakers from the nelghboriug tov
In time. however. the bakers " z
took. showing ingratitude. some mil
think. bakei the schwaanerkucl
= themselves To this very day eve
body In Rosiock eats schwaanerkucl
In holy week.
Another German bread. which
shapc resembles a capital W, ov
l,s existence to the Siege u the q
~ man town u Krallshclm 10 1912 4
called haar afcn, or hair monkeys
name suggested 10y the appearance
= tue apnaritInn which RAISED the NJ,
n The efforts ~ the brsirecrs 10 take
II place had been Ia vain. They drct
10 snryc the burghcr. ani their "a
lies 50 they sat down before
town. There they at Tor seven mon
Ry this time the provisions were
III t.ng short. ani starvation seemed
II e,imhle one woman had pond,
i,nv uf.,n the subject aud nn