Norwich bulletin., 1916-12-22
PAHz T SCENE 0F1Y CHRISTMAS T1oRN1Nes I----~---l ,

| flavor of their old pagan practices, their very word for Christmas being | Bojich," which means t'The Little God" As in ancient times the Serbs sacrificed a pig to the sun god, so .suAy in every | Serbian home roast pig should be the principal Christmas dish.
 Serbians as 'Badnyi Dan," or. the day of the old Badnyak, who is some sort of a divinity connected with the young Boiich of Christmas. day. Very early in the morning two of the family s strong young men, attended by the younger boys, make their way to the
 forest, where. after having. crossed | themselves three times, as is the usual custom among the Greek Church fol- i lowers, or after saying a brief prayer,
 they select a tree which is toabe known have provided themselves with sup ply of grain, wheat kernels being used
 many times in the ceremonies which mark their queer rites. Greeting the tree with the words, Happy Badnyi day to you!" one of the
 young men throws a handful of wheat upon it, while the other carefully plies his ax. Great care must be taken in choppfng down the tree, for it must fall toward the east, exactly at the
 moment the sun god rises. The first chip that falls is carefully preserved by one of the children and brought home with the Badnyi, which is always cut into two or three pieces, the longer log being the most precious.
 *s- i On reaching the house the mother of the family comes out, bringing 8 small | flat wheat cake of unleavened flour
 called "pogacfa," which she breaks. on | the longer Badnyi, the logs being left | outside the house each side of the door ] The whole day is spent in making i preparations for the following day, the
 women baking cakes shaped like sheep, | n 0S md oh | things, while the men folks get fat 1 pig ready for roasting. Just at sunset
 one of the men is given new woolep | gloves, to go out and bring in the | Badnyak.
 As he passes the threshold the mother
 of the family throws at him handful
 of wheat from bowl in which she has
 kept all day the chip brought her in
 the morning. The young man greets /, all present. And then, inE many remote I parts of the country, the father drinks 1 glass Of wine to the health of the | Badnyak, and pours wine on the log i It is considered most important that l the great log be kept brightly burning g
 all night: When the log is lighted, the young folks run out and fire off guns o1 pistols, and when the roast pig is done i that fact also is announced to the
 popping. of " earns.
 The first visitor in every Serbian | nome on Christmas morning must al l ways be the 'Polaznik.' He is usually
 neighbours son, who arrives very early armed with glove full of wheat At his knock the door is opened and he merrily throws the grain. at the
 company at thsm freside and into the
 corners of the f%bm, saying: Christ is born.' To which the house motbep re- plies by throwing wheat on him, while
 all join in exclaiming: He is born in deed.'
 i Taking up a heavy shovel. the Christ mas guest now strikes the Badnyak sharp blows, which make the sparks fly, while he pronounces good wishes for each of the family, the cows, goats horses, sheep, bees and fields Having | kissed his host, he falls on his knee es
 and kisses the end of the Badnyak, 1t always Is placed on the fire so that one end protrudes into the room. The Polaznik crosses himself a number lo1 times and then places a small acoin or the log as his Christmas gift.
 An amusing part of the ceremony is ] the custom of pulling out the chail