CHRISTMAS LEGENDS

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXIII, Issue 51, 21 December 1905, Page 27

CHRISTMAS LEGENDS

A French legend, observes F. W. Hackwood, F.R.S.L., in ' Christ Lore ' (Elliot Stock), says that when the Infant Jesus lay in the manger, the rose-coloured sainfoin was found amongst the herbs which composed his bed. But suddenly it opened its pretty blossom that it might form a wreath around His head. In Italy there is a practice at Christmas time of decking mangers with moss, sow-thistle, cypress, and holly Another legend, of English origin, informs us that by the fountain in which the Virgin washed the swaddling clothes of the Sacred Infant beautiful bushes sprang up miraculously on either hand. It was an old English belief that on Christmas night all evil spirits were rendered harmless. If any spirits were abroad they were sure to be good ones, and these have even been known to ring the church bells, and, in imitation of the angelic choir, render the ' Gloria in Excclsis.' ' When Christ was born of Mavy free In Bethlehem, that fair citie, Angels sang there with mirth and glee In Excclsis Gloria.' From the song which the angels sang to the shepherds at the Nativity, commonly called the Angelic Hymn, is derived the custom of singpng Christmas carols. Tha unres : rained mirth and jollity of Christmas in the olden time were permitted by the sway of the Lord of Misrule — called in Scotland the Abbot of Unreason— prohibited in 1555. The fur? was promoted by the pranks of mock dignitaries, aided by maskers as dragons and hobby horses and bands of musicians (who all went to church first), with as much noise and confusion as possible.

Among the more popular customs of Chriatmastide are those of eating mince pies and plum puddings. In some parts of Christendom it is believed that cocks crow all night to scare away evil spirits. In other places bees are said to sing, and yet in others cattle are believed to receive for the time being the power of speech. ' Some say that ever 'gainst that season comes Wherein our Saviour's birth is celebrated, The bird of dawning singeth all night long ; And then they say no spirit dare stir abroad j The nights are wholesome ; then no planets strike. No fairy takes, nor witch hath power to charm ; So hallowed and so gracious is the time.' In many parts of England it was thought that at midnight on Christmas Eve the oxen went down upon their knees as if in the attitude of adoration. The period of Christ's birth happening to take place when (in the northern hemisphere, at least, where all these ancient legends originated) the vegetation was under the sway of winter, the rare and occasional occurrence of certain trees and shrubs throwing out their leaves at this unseasonable period was accepted by early Christians as a sign of holy joy in the commemoration of the great anniversary. An oak of the early budding species enjoyed the reputation for two centuries of shooting forth its leaves on Old Christmas Day, although no leaf was to be seen either before or after that day in winter. Similar is the legend of the Ulastonbury Thorn, which tells that Joseph of Arimathea, after having landed at no great distance from Glastonbury, walked to a hill about a mile from the town. Being weary, he sat down here with his com* panions, the hill henceforth being called Weary-all Hill, locally abbreviated into Warral. Whilst resting Joseph stuck his staff into the ground, and it promptly took root and grew into a beautiful flowering thorn, which blossomed every Christmas Day. Previous to the time of Charles I a branch of the famous thorn was carried in procession with much ceremony every Christmas Day. It developed two stems exactly identical. During the Civil War a Puritanical Hewemdown thought the thorn savoured of Popery ; so he sallied forth with his hatchet to cut it to bits. One stem was soon hewn to pieces, but at the first blow he aimed at the other the axe glanced from the bark and cut off one of the tree-feller's legs. In this miraculous manner was the Glastonbury Thorn preserved, and its offspring has continued to flower on or about Christmas ever since.