the golden bough-第53章

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f　which　was　adorned　with　a　royal　crown　of　branches　and　flowers。　He　rode　on　horseback　with　the　leafy　pyramid　over　him；　so　that　its　lower　end　touched　the　ground；　and　an　opening　was　left　in　it　only　for　his　face。　Surrounded　by　a　cavalcade　of　young　fellows；　he　rode　in　procession　to　the　town　hall；　the　parsonage；　and　so　on；　where　they　all　got　a　drink　of　beer。　Then　under　the　seven　lindens　of　the　neighbouring　Sommerberg；　the　Grass　King　was　stripped　of　his　green　casing；　the　crown　was　handed　to　the　Mayor；　and　the　branches　were　stuck　in　the　flax　fields　in　order　to　make　the　flax　grow　tall。　In　this　last　trait　the　fertilising　influence　ascribed　to　the　representative　of　the　tree…spirit　comes　out　clearly。　In　the　neighbourhood　of　Pilsen　（Bohemia）　a　conical　hut　of　green　branches；　without　any　door；　is　erected　at　Whitsuntide　in　the　midst　of　the　village。　To　this　hut　rides　a　troop　of　village　lads　with　a　king　at　their　head。　He　wears　a　sword　at　his　side　and　a　sugar…loaf　hat　of　rushes　on　his　head。　In　his　train　are　a　judge；　a　crier；　and　a　personage　called　the　Frog…flayer　or　Hangman。　This　last　is　a　sort　of　ragged　merryandrew；　wearing　a　rusty　old　sword　and　bestriding　a　sorry　hack。　On　reaching　the　hut　the　crier　dismounts　and　goes　round　it　looking　for　a　door。　Finding　none；　he　says；　Ah；　this　is　perhaps　an　enchanted　castle；　the　witches　creep　through　the　leaves　and　need　no　door。　At　last　he　draws　his　sword　and　hews　his　way　into　the　hut；　where　there　is　a　chair；　on　which　he　seats　himself　and　proceeds　to　criticise　in　rhyme　the　girls；　farmers；　and　farm…servants　of　the　neighbourhood。　When　this　is　over；　the　Frog…flayer　steps　forward　and；　after　exhibiting　a　cage　with　frogs　in　it；　sets　up　a　gallows　on　which　he　hangs　the　frogs　in　a　row。　In　the　neighbourhood　of　Plas　the　ceremony　differs　in　some　points。　The　king　and　his　soldiers　are　completely　clad　in　bark；　adorned　with　flowers　and　ribbons；　they　all　carry　swords　and　ride　horses；　which　are　gay　with　green　branches　and　flowers。　While　the　village　dames　and　girls　are　being　criticised　at　the　arbour；　a　frog　is　secretly　pinched　and　poked　by　the　crier　till　it　quacks。　Sentence　of　death　is　passed　on　the　frog　by　the　king；　the　hangman　beheads　it　and　flings　the　bleeding　body　among　the　spectators。　Lastly；　the　king　is　driven　from　the　hut　and　pursued　by　the　soldiers。　The　pinching　and　beheading　of　the　frog　are　doubtless；　as　Mannhardt　observes；　a　rain…charm。　We　have　seen　that　some　Indians　of　the　Orinoco　beat　frogs　for　the　express　purpose　of　producing　rain；　and　that　killing　a　frog　is　a　European　rain…charm。

Often　the　spirit　of　vegetation　in　spring　is　represented　by　a　queen　instead　of　a　king。　In　the　neighbourhood　of　Libchowic　（Bohemia）；　on　the　fourth　Sunday　in　Lent；　girls　dressed　in　white　and　wearing　the　first　spring　flowers；　as　violets　and　daisies；　in　their　hair；　lead　about　the　village　a　girl　who　is　called　the　Queen　and　is　crowned　with　flowers。　During　the　procession；　which　is　conducted　with　great　solemnity；　none　of　the　girls　may　stand　still；　but　must　keep　whirling　round　continually　and　singing。　In　every　house　the　Queen　announces　the　arrival　of　spring　and　wishes　the　inmates　good　luck　and　blessings；　for　which　she　receives　presents。　In　German　Hungary　the　girls　choose　the　prettiest　girl　to　be　their　Whitsuntide　Queen；　fasten　a　towering　wreath　on　her　brow；　and　carry　her　singing　through　the　streets。　At　every　house　they　stop；　sing　old　ballads；　and　receive　presents。　In　the　south…east　of　Ireland　on　May　Day　the　prettiest　girl　used　to　be　chosen　Queen　of　the　district　for　twelve　months。　She　was　crowned　with　wild　flowers；　feasting；　dancing；　and　rustic　sports　followed；　and　were　closed　by　a　grand　procession　in　the　evening。　During　her　year　of　office　she　presided　over　rural　gatherings　of　young　people　at　dances　and　merry…makings。　If　she　married　before　next　May　Day；　her　authority　was　at　an　end；　but　her　successor　was　not　elected　till　that　day　came　round。　The　May　Queen　is　common　In　France　and　familiar　in　England。

Again　the　spirit　of　vegetation　is　sometimes　represented　by　a　king　and　queen；　a　lord　and　lady；　or　a　bridegroom　and　bride。　Here　again　the　parallelism　holds　between　the　anthropomorphic　and　the　vegetable　representation　of　the　tree…spirit；　for　we　have　seen　above　that　trees　are　sometimes　married　to　each　other。　At　Halford　in　South　Warwickshire　the　children　go　from　house　to　house　on　May　Day；　walking　two　and　two　in　procession　and　headed　by　a　King　and　Queen。　Two　boys　carry　a　May…pole　some　six　or　seven　feet　high；　which　is　covered　with　flowers　and　greenery。　Fastened　to　it　near　the　top　are　two　cross…bars　at　right　angles　to　each　other。　These　are　also　decked　with　flowers；　and　from　the　ends　of　the　bars　hang　hoops　similarly　adorned。　At　the　houses　the　children　sing　May　songs　and　receive　money；　which　is　used　to　provide　tea　for　them　at　the　schoolhouse　in　the　afternoon。　In　a　Bohemian　village　near　K？niggr？tz　on　Whit…Monday　the　children　play　the　king's　game；　at　which　a　king　and　queen　march　about　under　a　canopy；　the　queen　wearing　a　garland；　and　the　youngest　girl　carrying　two　wreaths　on　a　plate　behind　them。　They　are　attended　by　boys　and　girls　called　groomsmen　and　bridesmaids；　and　they　go　from　house　to　house　collecting　gifts。　A　regular　feature　in　the　popular　celebration　of　Whitsuntide　in　Silesia　used　to　be；　and　to　some　extent　still　is；　the　contest　for　the　kingship。　This　contest　took　various　forms；　but　the　mark　or　goal　was　generally　the　May…tree　or　May…pole。　Sometimes　the　youth　who　succeeded　in　climbing　the　smooth　pole　and　bringing　down　the　prize　was　proclaimed　the　Whitsuntide　King　and　his　sweetheart　the　Whitsuntide　Bride。　Afterwards　the　king；　carrying　the　May…bush；　repaired　with　the　rest　of　the　company　to　the　alehouse；　where　a　dance　and　a　feast　ended　the　merry…making。　Often　the　young　farmers　and　labourers　raced　on　horseback　to　the　May…pole；　which　was　adorned　with　flowers；　ribbons；　and　a　crown。　He　who　first　reached　the　pole　was　the　Whitsuntide　King；　and　the　rest　had　to　obey　his　orders　for　that　day。　The　worst　rider　became　the　clown。　At　the　May…tree　all　dismounted　and　hoisted　the　king　on　their　shoulders。　He　nimbly　swarmed　up　the　pole　and　brought　down　the　May…bush　and　the　crown；　which　had　been　fastened　to　the　top。　Meanwhile　the　clown　hurried　to　the　alehouse　and　proceeded　to　bolt　thirty　rolls　of　bread　and　to　swig　four　quart　bottles　of　brandy　with　the　utmost　possible　despatch。　He　was　followed　by　the　king；　who　bore　the　May…bush　and　crown　at　the　head　of　the　company。　If　on　their　arrival　the　clown　had　already　disposed　of　the　rolls　and　the　brandy；　and　greeted　the　king　with　a　speech　and　a　glass　of　beer；　his　score　was　paid　by　the　king；　otherwise　he　had　to　settle　it　himself。　After　church　time　the　stately　procession　wound　through　the　village。　At　the　head　of　it　rode　the　king；　decked　with　flowers　and　carrying　the　May…bush。　Next　came　the　clown　with　his　clothes　turned　inside　out；　a　great　flaxen　beard　on　his　chain；　and　the　Whitsuntide　crown　on　his　head。　Two　riders　disguised　as　guards　followed。　The　procession　drew　up　before　every　farmyard；　the　two　guards　dismounted；　shut　the　clown　into　the　house；　and　claimed　a　contribution　from　the　housewife　to　buy　soap　with　which　to　wash　the　clown's　beard。　Custom　allowed　them　to　carry　off　any　victuals　which　were　not　under　lock　and　key。　Last　of　all　they　came　to　the　house　in　which　the　king's　sweetheart　lived。　She　was　greeted　as　Whitsuntide　Queen　and　received　suitable　presentsto　wit；　a　many…coloured　sash；　a　cloth；　and　an　apron。　The　king　got　as　a　prize；　a　vest；　a　neck…cloth；　and　so　forth；　and　had　the　right　of　setting　up　the　May…bush　or　Whitsuntide…tree　before　his　master's　yard；　where　it　remained　as　an　honourable　token　till　the　same　day　next　year。　Finally　the　procession　took　its　way　to　the　tavern；　where　the　king　and　queen　opened　the　dance。　Sometimes　the　Whitsuntide　King　and　Queen　succeeded　to　office　in　a　different　way。　A　man　of　straw；　as　large　as　life　and　crowned　with　a　red　cap；　was　conveyed　in　a　cart；　between　two　men　armed　and　disguised　as　guards；　to　a　place　where　a　mock　court　was　waiting　to　try　him。　A　great　crowd　followed　the　cart。　After　a　formal　trial　the　straw　man　was　condemned　to　death　and　fastened　to　a　stake　on　the　execution　ground。　The　young　men　with　bandaged　eyes　tried　to　stab　him　with　a　spear。　He　who　succeeded　became　king　and　his　sweetheart　queen。　The　straw　man　was