New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-05-21

founded In New York, Boston, Chicago
and Pittsburgh. Cincinnati and st.
Louis have also taken up the move
ment; which is an excellent thing, not
only as a promoter Of graceful and
healthy physical exercise, but also os
a stimulant Of the imagination, an in
centive TO historical study and an an
tidote 20 the vulgar, insne and frivol-
Gus dances which monopolize careless
public attention to-day.
The Ceremonies and Dances.
The episodes In the interluds de-
signed to reproduce an Elizsbethsn May
Day festival on the outskirts Of an
English town will not only be found
to be pleasant TO look at: they Will
also be historically and srcheologically
interesting and instructive. They will
carry the imagination Of the folklore
student back 10 period sntedating all
written records. The careless observer
will see in the frat incident little more
than a primitive kind Of football game;
and those Of a speculative mind, being
told that its symbolism is very old and
widely distributed among the peoples
Of the earth, will probably wonder
whether or not the game may have had
a religious origin. That question would
carry US too far afeld here. 1t is
enough that we know that football was
played by the peoples Of classical an
tiquity. that savages play It to-day and
that if it was not known in Great Brit
ain before the Roman invasion, IL may
have been carried thither at that time.
Driving Out Old Winter.
The ceremony which Mr.. Sharp calls
the Contest between Spring and Winter
is probably much older than that, how
ever. This is what the spectators Will
see: A group of young men, represent
ing Winter, clothed in black, led by an
inpersonator of Frost, Will come upon
the feld carrying a largo ball, which
they will place upon the ground and
place themselves about il as guardians.
Their attitude will be one of detection.
Another group, clad IN green, led by
Sun and representing Spring, will en-
ter from another gate. These will at
tack the representatives Of Winter, who
will defend the ball, which will be
kicked from side TO side, Spring trying
to drive it toward the blue ground be
yond the yellow sands, Winter trying
10 keep 1t away. Villagers come in by
twos and threes and join the ranks Of
Spring. Finally one of the representa-
tives of Spring seizes the ball and runs
toward the water, into which 1t IS
thrown with ceremony. Meanwhile
girls have entered and joined in the
melee, and they help to drive Winter
back into his cave, which is Caliban's
cell.
Many peoples celebrate the death Of
Winter aud the birth Of Spring or Sum
mer with rites analogous to this cere-
mony. Generally, however, it is not
ball which is buffeted about and thrown
into the water. but symbolical figure.
In some parts of Russia, on the last
day of the Maslyanitsa q. E., butter
week" the week Immediately preceding
Lent. in carnival time), the death OF
Winter is celebrated by the burning
of the STRAW Mujik." The Bulgarians
have similar ceremony. In Poland q
man of hemp or straw is thrown into
a pond, with the words, "The devil take
theel" In Lusatia the straw figure IS
said 70 be Death, and is fastened 10 a
pole. pelted with sticks and stones and
then thrown into a body Of water, or
carried to the edge OF the village lands
and flung across the boundary. The
participants in the ceremony, on their
return to their homes, carry green
boughs or a tree: Death has been sup
planted by Life, Winter by Spring.
Here is a close analogy with the Eng
lish May games, some Of which also
have the ceremony Of Punishment over
the village bounds, as well as the bring
ing home Of the May-pole, branches,
flowers and knots Of May"