the golden bough-第213节

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　and　lads　and　lasses　leaped　over　the　fire　in　couples。　Here；　as　elsewhere；　a　close　connexion　was　traced　between　these　bonfires　and　the　harvest。　In　some　places　it　was　thought　that　those　who　leaped　over　the　fires　would　not　suffer　from　backache　at　reaping。　Sometimes；　as　the　young　folk　sprang　over　the　flames；　they　cried；　Grow；　that　the　hemp　may　be　three　ells　high！　This　notion　that　the　hemp　or　the　corn　would　grow　as　high　as　the　flames　blazed　or　as　the　people　jumped　over　them；　seems　to　have　been　widespread　in　Baden。　It　was　held　that　the　parents　of　the　young　people　who　bounded　highest　over　the　fire　would　have　the　most　abundant　harvest；　and　on　the　other　hand；　if　a　man　contributed　nothing　to　the　bonfire；　it　was　imagined　that　there　would　be　no　blessing　on　his　crops；　and　that　his　hemp　in　particular　would　never　grow。　At　Edersleben；　near　Sangerhausen；　a　high　pole　was　planted　in　the　ground　and　a　tarbarrel　was　hung　from　it　by　a　chain　which　reached　to　the　ground。　The　barrel　was　then　set　on　fire　and　swung　round　the　pole　amid　shouts　of　joy。

In　Denmark　and　Norway　also　midsummer　fires　were　kindled　on　St。　John's　Eve　on　roads；　open　spaces；　and　hills。　People　in　Norway　thought　that　the　fires　banished　sickness　from　among　the　cattle。　Even　yet　the　fires　are　said　to　be　lighted　all　over　Norway　on　Midsummer　Eve。　They　are　kindled　in　order　to　keep　off　the　witches；　who　are　said　to　be　flying　from　all　parts　that　night　to　the　Blocksberg；　where　the　big　witch　lives。　In　Sweden　the　Eve　of　St。　John　（St。　Hans）　is　the　most　joyous　night　of　the　whole　year。　Throughout　some　parts　of　the　country；　especially　in　the　provinces　of　Bohus　and　Scania　and　in　districts

bordering　on　Norway；　it　is　celebrated　by　the　frequent　discharge　of　firearms　and　by　huge　bonfires；　formerly　called　Balder's　Balefires　（Balder's　Balar）；　which　are　kindled　at　dusk　on　hills　and　eminences　and　throw　a　glare　of　light　over　the　surrounding　landscape。　The　people　dance　round　the　fires　and　leap　over　or　through　them。　In　parts　of　Norrland　on　St。　John's　Eve　the　bonfires　are　lit　at　the　cross…roads。　The　fuel　consists　of　nine　different　sorts　of　wood；　and　the　spectators　cast　into　the　flames　a　kind　of　toad…stool　（B？ran）　in　order　to　counteract　the　power　of　the　Trolls　and　other　evil　spirits；　who　are　believed　to　be　abroad　that　night；　for　at　that　mystic　season　the　mountains　open　and　from　their　cavernous　depths　the　uncanny　crew　pours　forth　to　dance　and　disport　themselves　for　a　time。　The　peasants　believe　that　should　any　of　the　Trolls　be　in　the　vicinity　they　will　show　themselves；　and　if　an　animal；　for　example　a　he　or　she　goat；　happens　to　be　seen　near　the　blazing；　crackling　pile；　the　peasants　are　firmly　persuaded　that　it　is　no　other　than　the　Evil　One　in　person。　Further；　it　deserves　to　be　remarked　that　in　Sweden　St。　John's　Eve　is　a　festival　of　water　as　well　as　of　fire；　for　certain　holy　springs　are　then　supposed　to　be　endowed　with　wonderful　medicinal　virtues；　and　many　sick　people　resort　to　them　for　the　healing　of　their　infirmities。

In　Austria　the　midsummer　customs　and　superstitions　resemble　those　of　Germany。　Thus　in　some　parts　of　the　Tyrol　bonfires　are　kindled　and　burning　discs　hurled　into　the　air。　In　the　lower　valley　of　the　Inn　a　tatterdemalion　effigy　is　carted　about　the　village　on　Midsummer　Day　and　then　burned。　He　is　called　the　Lotter；　which　has　been　corrupted　into　Luther。　At　Ambras；　one　of　the　villages　where　Martin　Luther　is　thus　burned　in　effigy；　they　say　that　if　you　go　through　the　village　between　eleven　and　twelve　on　St。　John's　Night　and　wash　yourself　in　three　wells；　you　will　see　all　who　are　to　die　in　the　following　year。　At　Gratz　on　St。　John's　Eve　（the　twenty…third　of　June）　the　common　people　used　to　make　a　puppet　called　the　Tatermann；　which　they　dragged　to　the　bleaching　ground；　and　pelted　with　burning　besoms　till　it　took　fire。　At　Reutte；　in　the　Tyrol；　people　believed　that　the　flax　would　grow　as　high　as　they　leaped　over　the　midsummer　bonfire；　and　they　took　pieces　of　charred　wood　from　the　fire　and　stuck　them　in　their　flax…fields　the　same　night；　leaving　them　there　till　the　flax　harvest　had　been　got　in。　In　Lower　Austria　bonfires　are　kindled　on　the　heights；　and　the　boys　caper　round　them；　brandishing　lighted　torches　drenched　in　pitch。　Whoever　jumps　thrice　across　the　fire　will　not　suffer　from　fever　within　the　year。　Cart…wheels　are　often　smeared　with　pitch；　ignited；　and　sent　rolling　and　blazing　down　the　hillsides。

All　over　Bohemia　bonfires　still　burn　on　Midsummer　Eve。　In　the　afternoon　boys　go　about　with　handcarts　from　house　to　house　collecting　fuel　and　threatening　with　evil　consequences　the　curmudgeons　who　refuse　them　a　dole。　Sometimes　the　young　men　fell　a　tall　straight　fir　in　the　woods　and　set　it　up　on　a　height；　where　the　girls　deck　it　with　nosegays；　wreaths　of　leaves；　and　red　ribbons。　Then　brushwood　is　piled　about　it；　and　at　nightfall　the　whole　is　set　on　fire。　While　the　flames　break　out；　the　young　men　climb　the　tree　and　fetch　down　the　wreaths　which　the　girls　had　placed　on　it。　After　that　lads　and　lasses　stand　on　opposite　sides　of　the　fire　and　look　at　one　another　through　the　wreaths　to　see　whether　they　will　be　true　to　each　other　and　marry　within　the　year。　Also　the　girls　throw　the　wreaths　across　the　flames　to　the　men；　and　woe　to　the　awkward　swain　who　fails　to　catch　the　wreath　thrown　him　by　his　sweetheart。　When　the　blaze　has　died　down；　each　couple　takes　hands　and　leaps　thrice　across　the　fire。　He　or　she　who　does　so　will　be　free　from　ague　throughout　the　year；　and　the　flax　will　grow　as　high　as　the　young　folks　leap。　A　girl　who　sees　nine　bonfires　on　Midsummer　Eve　will　marry　before　the　year　is　out。　The　singed　wreaths　are　carried　home　and　carefully　preserved　throughout　the　year。　During　thunderstorms　a　bit　of　the　wreath　is　burned　on　the　hearth　with　a　prayer；　some　of　it　is　given　to　kine　that　are　sick　or　calving；　and　some　of　it　serves　to　fumigate　house　and　cattle…stall；　that　man　and　beast　may　keep　hale　and　well。　Sometimes　an　old　cart…wheel　is　smeared　with　resin；　ignited；　and　sent　rolling　down　the　hill。　Often　the　boys　collect　all　the　worn…out　besoms　they　can　get　hold　of；　dip　them　in　pitch；　and　having　set　them　on　fire　wave　them　about　or　throw　them　high　into　the　air。　Or　they　rush　down　the　hillside　in　troops；　brandishing　the　flaming　brooms　and　shouting。　The　stumps　of　the　brooms　and　embers　from　the　fire　are　preserved　and　stuck　in　cabbage　gardens　to　protect　the　cabbages　from　caterpillars　and　gnats。　Some　people　insert　charred　sticks　and　ashes　from　the　midsummer　bonfire　in　their　sown　fields　and　meadows；　in　their　gardens　and　the　roofs　of　their　houses；　as　a　talisman　against　lightning　and　foul　weather；　or　they　fancy　that　the　ashes　placed　in　the　roof　will　prevent　any　fire　from　breaking　out　in　the　house。　In　some　districts　they　crown　or　gird　themselves　with　mugwort　while　the　midsummer　fire　is　burning；　for　this　is　supposed　to　be　a　protection　against　ghosts；　witches；　and　sickness；　in　particular；　a　wreath　of　mugwort　is　a　sure　preventive　of　sore　eyes。　Sometimes　the　girls　look　at　the　bonfires　through　garlands　of　wild　flowers；　praying　the　fire　to　strengthen　their　eyes　and　eyelids。　She　who　does　this　thrice　will　have　no　sore　eyes　all　that　year。　In　some　parts　of　Bohemia　they　used　to　drive　the　cows　through　the　midsummer　fire　to　guard　them　against　witchcraft。

In　Slavonic　countries；　also；　the　midsummer　festival　is　celebrated　with　similar　rites。　We　have　already　seen　that　in　Russia　on　the　Eve　of　St。　John　young　men　and　maidens　jump　over　a　bonfire　in　couples　carrying　a　straw　effigy　of　Kupalo　in　their　arms。　In　some　parts　of　Russia　an　image　of　Kupalo　is　burnt　or　thrown　into　a　stream　on　St。　John's　Night。　Again；　in　some　districts　of　Russia　the　young　folk　wear　garlands　of　flowers　and　girdles　of　holy　herbs　when　they　spring　through　the　smoke　or　flames；　and　sometimes　they　drive　the　cattle　also　through　the　fire　in　order　to　protect　the　animals　against　wizards　and　witches；　who　are　then　ravenous　after　milk。　In　Little　Russia　a　stake　is　driven　into　the　ground　on　St。　John's　Night；　wrapt　in　straw；　and　set　on　fire。　As　the　flames　rise　the　peasant　women　throw　birchen　boughs　into　them；　saying；　May　my　flax　be　as　tall　as　this　bough！　In　Ruthenia　the　bonfires　are　lighted　by　a　flame　procured　by　the　friction　of　wood。　While　the　elders　of　the　party　are　engaged　in　thus　churning　the　fire；　the　rest　maintain　a　respectful　silence；　but　when　the　flame　bursts　from　the　wood；　they　break　forth　into　joyous　songs。　As　soon　as　the　bonfires　are　kindled；　the　young　people　take　hands　and　leap　in　pairs　through　the　smoke；　if　not　through　the　flames；　and　after　that　the　cattle　in　their　turn　are　driven　through　the　fire。

In　many　parts　of　Prussia　and　Lithuania　great　fires　are　kindled　on　Midsummer　Eve。　All　the　heights　are　ablaze　with　them；　as　far　as　the　eye　can　see。　The　fires　are　supposed　to　be　a　protection　against　witchcraft；　thunder；　hail；　and　cattle　disease；　especially　if　next　morning　the　cattle　are　driven　over　the　places　where　the　fires　burned。　Above　all；　the　bonfires　ensure　the　farmer　against　the　arts　of　witches；　who　try　to　steal　the　milk　from　his　cows　by　charms　and　spells。　That　is　why　next　morning　you　may　see　the　young　fellows　who　lit　the　bonfire　going　from　house　to　house　and　receiving　jugfuls　of　milk。　And　for　the　same　reason　they　stick　burs　and　mugwort　on　the　gate　or　the　hedge　through　which　the　cows　go　to　pasture；　bec