The Spanish Fork press. [volume] (Spanish Fork, Utah) 1902-current, 1910-03-24

Jupiter and Leda, who came forth
from an egg deposited by Leda while
IN the guise of 81 snow-white swan
castor and PolluX had so distinguished
themselves with Jason in search OF
the golden fleece and In the Calydon.
ian hunt that they were made the
deities of boxing, wrestling and all
equestrian sports. One of these twins.
castor, was mortal and was killed
IN combat with the sons of Asphareus
Pollux, who was immortal, implored
Jupiter to allow him to die also that
he might not be parted from his broth.
er. Instead, Jupiter permitted Castor
to return to earth on condition that
Pollux would spend half his life in
hades. When Jupiter saw that the
affection of Pollux for his brother did
not hesitate at this condition he trans.
lated them both to the skies where
they form bright constellation. The
position of this constellation, which
is known as the Gemini, determined
the date of the Roman egg festival.
While some think that we may have
derived our Easter egg custom from
either Persia or Rome, others incline
to the belief that it comes to us from
the Jews, who in turn derived it from
the Egyptians. Eggs were held by
the ancient Egyptians as an emblem
or the renovation of the world after
the deluge. The Jews adopted this
emblem to their own use as a type of
their deliverance from the bondage
in Egypt. 1t was because of this that
we find an egg among the articles pre-.
scribed by law to be placed upon the
table at the Pasch.
In some parts - Russia 1t was the
custom for every person in the parish
to give colored egg to the pastor of
the church on Easter morning. Some
OF the Russians wear gold egg as an
ornament during the entire Easter
season, while the custom of making
presents of eggs is common in all
parts of the country. In Russia these
eggs are given directly, while in Ger.
many 1t is essential that they be not
given from hand to hand; they must
be hidden and found, else no good
luck will follow.
Another very common egg game is
that Of rolling hard boiled and colored
eggs on the ground. This game is
played with few variations in nearly
all parts of Europe. In the United
States the egg rolling on the White
House lawn on Easter Monday is an
annual festival to which hundreds OF
children look forward.
Another familiar Easter symbol is |
the rabbit or hare. The presence of
the hare may be quite likely accounted |
for by the fact that the hare has long |
been the symbol of the moon, and. as |
every one knows, Easter derives its
date from the moon, the Council OF
Nice having decreed in 325 that
Easter should be celebrated upon the
first Sunday following the full moon
which comes next after the 2lst OF
March. 1t is more than likely that il
s from this fact of Easter following
he moon that we find the hare mixed
up with our Easter celebration.
In Germany the hare is usually pic
ured sitting beside nest of colored
'sSs, and on Easter every German
household boasts small image of a
lare executed in chocolate.
In the county of Warwick, England,
here was an old custom which bound
he parson of the parish to give a
alf's head and 100 eggs to any young
nan who would catch a hare and
ring it to the church before ten
'clock on Easter morning.
From Lancashire comes an explana.
ion of another familiar sign of Easter
the Easter lily The beautiful Ian
ashire myth has 1t that after the
esurrection the places where our
ord trod were marked by white lilies
hitch sprang up and blossomed in his
ootsteps.