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[Illustration: HALLOWE'EN FESTIVITIES.
_From an Old English Print_]
The
Book of Hallowe'en
By
RUTH EDNA KELLEY, A. M.
_Lynn Public Library_
_ILLUSTRATED_
BOSTON
LOTHROP, LEE & SHEPARD CO.
* * * * *
Published, August, 1919
COPYRIGHT, 1919,
BY LOTHROP, LEE & SHEPARD CO.
_All Rights Reserved_
The Book of Hallowe'en
Norwood Press
BERWICK & SMITH CO.
NORWOOD, MASS.
U. S. A.
* * * * *
_To my Mother and the memory of my Father
who inspired and encouraged me
in the writing of this
book_
* * * * *
PREFACE
This book is intended to give the reader an account of the origin
and history of Hallowe'en, how it absorbed some customs belonging
to other days in the year,--such as May Day, Midsummer, and
Christmas. The context is illustrated by selections from ancient
and modern poetry and prose, related to Hallowe'en ideas.
Those who wish suggestions for readings, recitations, plays, and
parties, will find the lists in the appendix useful, in addition to
the books on entertainments and games to be found in any public
library.
Special acknowledgment is made to Messrs. E. P. Dutton & Company
for permission to use the poem entitled "Hallowe'en" from "The
Spires of Oxford and Other Poems," by W. M. Letts; to Messrs.
Longmans, Green & Company for the poem "Pomona," by William Morris;
and to the Editors of _The Independent_ for the use of five poems.
RUTH EDNA KELLEY.
LYNN, _1919_.
CONTENTS
CHAP. PAGE
I. SUN-WORSHIP. THE SOURCES OF HALLOWE'EN 1
II. THE CELTS: THEIR RELIGION AND FESTIVALS 5
III. SAMHAIN 16
IV. POMONA 23
V. THE COMING OF CHRISTIANITY. ALL SAINTS'. ALL SOULS' 27
VI. ORIGIN AND CHARACTER OF HALLOWE'EN OMENS 33
VII. HALLOWE'EN BELIEFS AND CUSTOMS IN IRELAND 35
VIII. HALLOWE'EN BELIEFS AND CUSTOMS IN SCOTLAND
AND THE HEBRIDES 59
IX. HALLOWE'EN BELIEFS AND CUSTOMS IN ENGLAND AND MAN 82
X. HALLOWE'EN BELIEFS AND CUSTOMS IN WALES 101
XI. HALLOWE'EN BELIEFS AND CUSTOMS IN BRITTANY AND FRANCE 107
XII. THE TEUTONIC RELIGION. WITCHES 119
XIII. WALPURGIS NIGHT 136
XIV. MORE HALLOWTIDE BELIEFS AND CUSTOMS 142
XV. HALLOWE'EN IN AMERICA 149
"FOUR POEMS" 172
MAGAZINE REFERENCES TO HALLOWE'EN ENTERTAINMENTS 179
SUPPLEMENTARY LIST OF READINGS, RECITATIONS, AND PLAYS 182
INDEX TO QUOTATIONS 184
INDEX 188
ILLUSTRATIONS
Hallowe'en Festivities _Frontispiece_
FACING PAGE
In Hallowe'en Time 34
The Witch of the Walnut-Tree 100
The Witches' Dance (_Valpurgisnacht_) 138
Fortune-Telling 148
Hallowe'en Tables, I 156
Hallowe'en Tables, II 158
No Hallowe'en without a Jack-o'-lantern 178
The Book of Hallowe'en
CHAPTER I
SUN-WORSHIP. THE SOURCES OF HALLOWE'EN
If we could ask one of the old-world pagans whom he revered as his
greatest gods, he would be sure to name among them the sun-god;
calling him Apollo if he were a Greek; if an Egyptian, Horus or
Osiris; if of Norway, Sol; if of Peru, Bochica. As the sun is the
center of the physical universe, so all primitive peoples made it
the hub about which their religion revolved, nearly always
believing it a living person to whom they could say prayers and
offer sacrifices, who directed their lives and destinies, and could
even snatch men from earthly existence to dwell for a time with
him, as it draws the water from lakes and seas.
In believing this they followed an instinct of all early peoples, a
desire to make persons of the great powers of nature, such as the
world of growing things, mountains and water, the sun, moon, and
stars; and a wish for these gods they had made to take an interest
in and be part of their daily life. The next step was making
stories about them to account for what was seen; so arose myths and
legends.
The sun has always marked out work-time and rest, divided the year
into winter idleness, seed-time, growth, and harvest; it has always
been responsible for all the beauty and goodness of the earth; it
is itself splendid to look upon. It goes away and stays longer and
longer, leaving the land in cold and gloom; it returns bringing the
long fair days and resurrection of spring. A Japanese legend tells
how the hidden sun was lured out by an image made of a copper plate
with saplings radiating from it like sunbeams, and a fire kindled,
dancing, and prayers; and round the earth in North America the
Cherokees believed they brought the sun back upon its northward
path by the same means of rousing its curiosity, so that it would
come out to see its counterpart and find out what was going on.
All the more important church festivals are survivals of old rites
to the sun. "How many times the Church has decanted the new wine of
Christianity into the old bottles of heathendom." Yule-tide, the
pagan Christmas, celebrated the sun's turning north, and the old
midsummer holiday is still kept in Ireland and on the Continent as
St. John's Day by the lighting of bonfires and a dance about them
from east to west as the sun appears to move. The pagan Hallowe'en
at the end of summer was a time of grief for the decline of the
sun's glory, as well as a harvest festival of thanksgiving to him
for having ripened the grain and fruit, as we formerly had
husking-bees when the ears had been garnered, and now keep our own
Thanksgiving by eating of our winter store in praise of God who
gives us our increase.
Pomona, the Roman goddess of fruit, lends us the harvest element of
Hallowe'en; the Celtic day of "summer's end" was a time when
spirits, mostly evil, were abroad; the gods whom Christ dethroned
joined the ill-omened throng; the Church festivals of All Saints'
and All Souls' coming at the same time of year--the first of
November--contributed the idea of the return of the dead; and the
Teutonic May Eve assemblage of witches brought its hags and their
attendant beasts to help celebrate the night of October 31st.