Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-10-26

soil. Ovid says that Gree saw him one
day when he was out hunting and fell in
love with him. When she found that he
did not reciprocate her affections she
changed him into a woodpecker. and his
purple coat with a golden clasp was
changed into the woodpecker's plumAge
The original OF these myths OF Picus
or P1cumnus. seems to have been an
actual parsonage. who WAS famous AZ an
augur and soothsayer. He is said TO
have been the first king of Latium. the
son OF Saturn. and the father of Faunus.
According to Virgil. one Of his descend
ants. Latinus. received the ambassadors
Of Aeneas after the Trojan war.
The festival OF All Saints as well a. its
vigil on the evening before 1t was in
Great Britain generally observed by q
certain sort of feasting for which apples.
nuts and a dish called lambs wool. which
was a corruption of Lamas Ubhal. tho
old name for Halloween. These three
foods were considered Indispensable.
An old account says that in Noting
ham, in TIA. lambs wool was prepared
by roasting apples on q string until they
dropped down into a large bowl OF spiced
ale. In Ireland. where II was a constant
feature of the merrment OF Holy Eve or
Halloween. it was made by bruising
roasted apples and mixing them with
milk. White wine was frequently sub
stituted for the ale or milk, and Brand
says that apples and nuts were frequent
ly added to the lambs wool as a neces-
sary part Of the entertainment.
In ancient England II was the custom
on All Hallows' day or Hallowmas for
poor people and peggars to go .'a-soul-
ing" as 1t was called. This phrase and
the habit Of soul-hunting at this time
merely indicated that the people who
went 'a-souling'' simply went around to
Others asking for money and promising
In return to fast for the souls OF the
donors of the aims or their kinsfolk."
1t was a custom among the richer Cath
olics In certain shires OF England to dis
pense cakes of oaten bread to the poor.
and they lin retribution Of their charity
felt themselves obliged to repeat this old
couplet: fK
God have your soul,
Beans and all.
These loaves In the Cleveland country
were called "sau'mas loaves." evidently
a corruption of Samanas loaves. They
were "sets of square farthing cakes with
currants in the center. commonly given
by bakers to their customers" 1t was
the custom to keep them In the house for
good luck. as was the case with Good
Friday bread and cross-buns. The use
of seedcakes at All Hallows was also
customary in Warwickshire.
In Latin countries OF Europe IL has
long been the custom for the living to
visit the graves of their departed rela-
tives or friends on All Souls day and
leave flowers or q visiting card for the
returning spirits to see In Naples. a.
a courtesy to the visiting spirits, even
the charnel houses were illuminated with
torches and decorated with flowers on
this day and the skeletons were dressed
in order that they might suitably receive
the visits OF their living and dead visit
ors. and were then arranged around the
walls In inches Thus placed, they held
a reception all day long to the crowds OF
living visitors who came to pay their No.
spects to them.
The hospitality to the returning spirits
was still further extended at Salerno Q
tom for the living not only to turn their
houses over to the spirits. but In each Of
the private homes sumptuous banquets
were provided for the souls of the depart
ed to enjoy In their brief return to former
scenes, and all the living residents of tbs
house would then leave the house and
spend the entire night at church SO that
they might not In any way. shape or man
ner disturb the spirits in their enjoyment
of these feasts. 1t was considered very
unlucky il any of the food provided was
found uneaten in the morning.
In Malaga the poor people who evident
ly could not afford to provide sumptuous
feasts for their departed friends would
decorate their beds and remain outside OF
their rooms all night, so that the spirits
might have a comfortable nights rest
while the living outside the doors ate
boiled chestnuts and remained awake all
night to guard them.