Summer Superstitions

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 303, 23 December 1939, Page 6 (Supplement)

Summer Superstitions

•THE lore of midsummer, the quaint ,1 distorted survivals of heathen rites celebrating the summer solstice, the fantastic superstitions that are relics of the pagan festival, the proverbs and wise saws relating to the time, are so numerous that a great Volume might be taken up in recounting them. So deep-rooted and universal were the celebrations of this great heathen festival that np to Tecent times, from one end of Europe to the other, bonfires were kindled on Midsummer Eve as in pre-Christian ages. Still the custom of making fires, dancing around them and leaping over the embers, lingers in widely-separated localities, particularly more remote and tradi-tion-cherishing regions like Brittany and Macedonia. A widespread rite which survived in many parts, from Bohemia to Wales, Sweden to Spain, within living memory— and possibly still does in a few places— was the rolling of fiery wheels down inclines, presumably magic ritual to Induce the sun to retreat again to its autumnal Jiath and power. Wheels discarded from arm carts and other vehicles were always net aside for the purpose or others roughly mad* of waste timber. They were smeared with resin and hound round with wisps of straw soaked in oil or other inflammable substances. At midnight, as the bonfire biased at its height, the flames casting fantastic capering shadows around, the wheels were set on fire and sent careering helter-skelter down the hillside, the young men running besiue them with encouraging shouts. The farther the wheels travelled before coming to rest, the more propitious the indications for the season, ana for the flames to expire prematurely before the wheel's course was ended was an omen of evil bound to befall. It was at midsummer the fern-seed could bo nulled which endowed one with extraordinary powers—ability to walk invisible, or to flnd hidden treasure, or in more commonplace augury prosper in business nnd succeed In love. Aubrey, the 17th century antiquary, relates how a credulous ■villager went to gather the magical seed. 'The spirits whisked by his ears like bullets, and sometimes struck his hat and other parts of his body." He collccted a largo quantity, wrapped it in paper, and pluccd it in a box. When he reached home, tlio paper was empty. There aro many allusions to the sup%atition in Shakespeare and other ora nuthors. The seed had to be gathered on Midsummer Eve, induced to fall into a dish of its own accord, without the plant being touched, or it would be good for nothinjj tlio seeker struggling against, a strong inclination to sleep and resisting the palpable repulses of the fairies protecting the ferns. • It was a common belief that on Mideninmcr Xiglit the soul of a sleeper leaves the body and proceeds to the place, near or far, on land or soa, where it is ordained ■by fate death shall finally separate it from the tenement of clay. Hence the widespread custom of "watching" or Bitting up

ByAnthony Clyne

awake on this night, to prevent the soul going upon that dismal journey. Rustics believed that if one sat up all night fasting in the church porch, ho would see the spirits of those who were to pass away in the parish daring the ensuing twelve months come and knock at the church door. In the order in which they were to die. Midsummer Day is St. John the Bapand aa the days begin to dimmish now mystic significance used to be read into John's utterance: "He must increase and I must decrease." The sunflower, with its large yellow disc in the conventional shape of the luminary, was associated with Baldur, the sun-god of the ancient Scandinavians, and so become dedicated to the Baptist. The strawberry also, the only fruit which refreshed the Baptist in the wilderness, was connected with St. John's Day in a prettv legend, which relates how the Blessed Virgin always at this time musters the little children in Paradise and takes them to pick strawberries in the heavenly meads. No mother who has lost a little one can be tempted to taste the fruit on this day, for if sne did her child would get none, the Holy Mother saying: "Stand behind, your sweet-toothed mother has eaten yours already." Weather sayings relating to midsummer are found in many languages. An English proverb states that if it rain on this day there will be no filberts, while the "Shephesrds Calender" records the old rural belief that if it be ever so little showery the hazel and the walnut will be scarce, corn mitten in many places, but apples, pears and plums will not be hurt. Love-charms potent at midsummer abound. In Devon and Cornwall, for instance, maids hankering after a dream of their destined mates, before getting into bed on the Eve placed their shoes in the form of a T, saying solemnly: I place my shoes like the letter T la.hopes my true love X shall see, la bis apparel and his array. As he Is now and every day* In other southern counties it was supposed that if an unmarried woman, having fasted all day, laid a cloth for two persona with bread and cheese and ale or wine, and sat' down as if to eat, leaving the street door open and everyone else in the house abed, the semblance of the person she was to wed would glide into the room, drink to her silently by bowing, and setting down the glass with another bow, depart in the same manner. Then there is the midsummer mode of divination by means of a "dumb cake," which needs six completely credulous maidens. A sceptic will spoil the spell. On Midsummer Eve two must make it, two bake, and two break it, none of them littering a sound during all the operations. e B ' x ea t® half her portion and, still silent, goes to sleep with the other half beneath her pillow—to dream of her luture lover.