Yule-Tide in Many Lands | Page 4

And the harp-strings a clangor
made, As if they were struck with the blade Of a sword.

And the Berserks round about Broke forth in a shout That made the
rafters ring; They smote with their fists on the board, And shouted,
"Long live the sword, And the King."
But the King said, "O my son, I miss the bright word in one Of thy
measures and thy rhymes." And Halfred the Scald replied, "In another 't
was multiplied Three times."
Then King Olaf raised the hilt Of iron, cross-shaped and gilt, And said,
"Do not refuse; Count well the gain and the loss, Thor's hammer or
Christ's cross: Choose!"
And Halfred the Scald said, "This In the name of the Lord I kiss, Who
on it was crucified!" And a shout went round the board, "In the name of
Christ the Lord, Who died!"
Then over the waste of snows The noonday sun uprose, Through the
driving mists revealed, Like the lifting of the Host, By incense-clouds
almost Concealed.
On the shining wall a vast And shadowy cross was cast From the hilt of
the lifted sword, And in the foaming cups of ale The Berserks drank
"Was-hael! To the Lord!"
--Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
CHAPTER II.
[Illustration]
YULE-TIDE IN ENGLAND
"Christians in old time did rejoice And feast at this blest tide."
--Old Carol.
No country has entered more heartily into Yule-tide observance than
England. From the earliest known date her people have celebrated this

festival with great ceremony. In the time of the Celts it was principally
a religious observance, but this big, broad-shouldered race added mirth
to it, too. They came to the festivities in robes made from the skins of
brindled cows, and wearing their long hair flowing and entwined with
holly.
The Druids in the temples kept the consecrated fires burning briskly.
All household fires were extinguished, and any one wishing to rekindle
the flame at any time during the twelve days preceding Yule-tide must
buy the consecrated fire. The Druids also had a rather unique custom of
sending their young men around with Yule-tide greetings and branches
of mistletoe (quiviscum). Each family receiving this gift was expected
in return to contribute generously to the temples.
With the coming of the Saxons, higher revelry reigned, and a Saxon
observance of Yule-tide must have been a jolly sight to see. In the
center of the hall, upon the open hearth, blazed a huge fire with its
column of smoke pouring out through an opening in the thatched roof,
or, if beaten by the wind, wandering among the beams above. The
usually large family belonging to the house gathered in this big
living-room. The table stretched along one side of the room, and up and
down its great length the guests were seated in couples. Between them
was a half-biscuit of bread to serve as a plate. Later on this would be
thrown into the alms-basket for distribution among the poor.
Soon the servers entered carrying long iron spits on which they brought
pieces of the meats, fish, and fowls that had been roasted in isen
pannas (iron pans) suspended from tripods out in the yard. Fingers
were used instead of forks to handle the food, and the half-biscuit plates
received the grease and juices and protected the handsome bord-cloth.
There was an abundance of food, for the Saxons were great eaters.
Besides flesh, fish, and fowls their gardens furnished plenty of beans
and other vegetables, and their ort-geards produced raspberries,
strawberries, plums, sweet and sour apples, and cod-apples, or quinces.
The cider and stronger drinks were quaffed from quaint
round-bottomed tumblers which, as they could not stand up, had to be
emptied at a draught.

The Saxons dined at about eleven o'clock and, as business was not
pressing in those days, could well afford to spend hours at the feast,
eating, drinking, and making merry.
After every one had eaten, games were played, and these games are the
same as our children play to-day--handed down to us from the old
Saxon times.
When night came and the ear-thyrls (eyeholes, or windows) no longer
admitted the light of the sun, long candlesticks dipped in wax were
lighted and fastened into sockets along the sides of the hall. Then the
makers, or bards as they came to be called in later days, sang of the
gods and goddesses or of marvelous deeds done by the men of old.
Out-of-doors huge bonfires burned in honor of Mother-Night, and to
her, also, peace offerings of Yule cakes were made.
It was the Saxon who gave to the heal-all of the Celts the pretty name
of mistletoe, or mistletan,--meaning a shoot or tine of a tree. There was
jollity beneath the mistletoe then as now, only then everybody believed
in its magic powers. It