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straw…man burned on Shrove Tuesday was made of an unthreshed sheaf of corn。 On the first Monday after the spring equinox the urchins of Zurich drag a straw…man on a little cart through the streets； while at the same time the girls carry about a May…tree。 When vespers ring； the straw…man is burned。 In the district of Aachen on Ash Wednesday； a man used to be encased in peas…straw and taken to an appointed place。 Here he slipped quietly out of his straw casing； which was then burned； the children thinking that it was the man who was being burned。 In the Val di Ledro （Tyrol） on the last day of the Carnival a figure is made up of straw and brushwood and then burned。 The figure is called the Old Woman； and the ceremony burning the Old Woman。
3。 The Easter Fires
ANOTHER occasion on which these fire…festivals are held is Easter Eve； the Saturday before Easter Sunday。 On that day it has been customary in Catholic countries to extinguish all the lights in the churches； and then to make a new fire； sometimes with flint and steel； sometimes with a burning…glass。 At this fire is lit the great Paschal or Easter candle； which is then used to rekindle all the extinguished lights in the church。 In many parts of Germany a bonfire is also kindled； by means of the new fire； on some open space near the church。 It is consecrated； and the people bring sticks of oak； walnut； and beech； which they char in the fire； and then take home with them。 Some of these charred sticks are thereupon burned at home in a newly…kindled fire； with a prayer that God will preserve the homestead from fire； lightning； and hail。 Thus every house receives new fire。 Some of the sticks are kept throughout the year and laid on the hearth…fire during heavy thunder…storms to prevent the house from being struck by lightning； or they are inserted in the roof with the like intention。 Others are placed in the fields； gardens； and meadows； with a prayer that God will keep them from blight and hail。 Such fields and gardens are thought to thrive more than others； the corn and the plants that grow in them are not beaten down by hail； nor devoured by mice； vermin； and beetles； no witch harms them； and the ears of corn stand close and full。 The charred sticks are also applied to the plough。 The ashes of the Easter bonfire； together with the ashes of the consecrated palm…branches； are mixed with the seed at sowing。 A wooden figure called Judas is sometimes burned in the consecrated bonfire； and even where this custom has been abolished the bonfire itself in some places goes by the name of the burning of Judas。
The essentially pagan character of the Easter fire festival appears plainly both from the mode in which it is celebrated by the peasants and from the superstitious beliefs which they associate with it。 All over Northern and Central Germany； from Altmark and Anhalt on the east； through Brunswick； Hanover； Oldenburg； the Harz district； and Hesse to Westphalia the Easter bonfires still blaze simultaneously on the hill…tops。 As many as forty may sometimes be counted within sight at once。 Long before Easter the young people have been busy collecting firewood； every farmer contributes； and tar…barrels； petroleum cases； and so forth go to swell the pile。 Neighbouring villages vie with each other as to which shall send up the greatest blaze。 The fires are always kindled； year after year； on the same hill； which accordingly often takes the name of Easter Mountain。 It is a fine spectacle to watch from some eminence the bonfires flaring up one after another on the neighbouring heights。 As far as their light reaches； so far； in the belief of the peasants； the fields will be fruitful； and the houses on which they shine will be safe from conflagration or sickness。 At Volkmarsen and other places in Hesse the people used to observe which way the wind blew the flames； and then they sowed flax seed in that direction； confident that it would grow well。 Brands taken from the bonfires preserve houses from being struck by lightning； and the ashes increase the fertility of the fields； protect them from mice； and mixed with the drinking…water of cattle make the animals thrive and ensure them against plague。 As the flames die down； young and old leap over them； and cattle are sometimes driven through the smouldering embers。 In some places tar…barrels or wheels wrapt in straw used to be set on fire； and then sent rolling down the hillside。 In others the boys light torches and wisps of straw at the bonfires and rush about brandishing them in their hands。
In Münsterland these Easter fires are always kindled upon certain definite hills； which are hence known as Easter or Paschal Mountains。 The whole community assembles about the fire。 The young men and maidens； singing Easter hymns； march round and round the fire； till the blaze dies down。 Then the girls jump over the fire in a line； one after the other； each supported by two young men who hold her hands and run beside her。 In the twilight boys with blazing bundles of straw run over the fields to make them fruitful。 At Delmenhorst； in Oldenburg； it used to be the custom to cut down two trees； plant them in the ground side by side； and pile twelve tar…barrels against each。 Brush…wood was then heaped about the trees； and on the evening of Easter Saturday the boys； after rushing about with blazing bean…poles in their hands； set fire to the whole。 At the end of the ceremony the urchins tried to blacken each other and the clothes of grown…up people。 In the Altmark it is believed that as far as the blaze of the Easter bonfire is visible； the corn will grow well throughout the year； and no conflagration will break out。 At Braunr？de； in the Harz Mountains； it was the custom to burn squirrels in the Easter bonfire。 In the Altmark； bones were burned in it。
Near Forchheim； in Upper Franken； a straw…man called the Judas used to be burned in the churchyards on Easter Saturday。 The whole village contributed wood to the pyre on which he perished； and the charred sticks were afterwards kept and planted in the fields on Walpurgis Day （the first of May） to preserve the wheat from blight and mildew。 About a hundred years ago or more the custom
at Althenneberg； in Upper Bavaria； used to be as follows。 On the afternoon of Easter Saturday the lads collected wood； which they piled in a cornfield； while in the middle of the pile they set up a tall wooden cross all swathed in straw。 After the evening service they lighted their lanterns at the consecrated candle in the church； and ran with them at full speed to the pyre； each striving to get there first。 The first to arrive set fire to the heap。 No woman or girl might come near the bonfire； but they were allowed to watch it from a distance。 As the flames rose the men and lads rejoiced and made merry； shouting； We are burning the Judas！ The man who had been the first to reach the pyre and to kindle it was rewarded on Easter Sunday by the women； who gave him coloured eggs at the church door。 The object of the whole ceremony was to keep off the hail。 At other villages of Upper Bavaria the ceremony； which took place between nine and ten at night on Easter Saturday； was called burning the Easter Man。 On a height about a mile f