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m go through； hence he could not visit his brother giants in neighbouring towns； as the other Belgian giants used to do on solemn occasions。
In England artificial giants seem to have been a standing feature of the midsummer festival。 A writer of the sixteenth century speaks of Midsommer pageants in London； where to make the people wonder； are set forth great and uglie gyants marching as if they were alive； and armed at all points； but within they are stuffed full of browne paper and tow； which the shrewd boyes； underpeering； do guilefully discover； and turne to a greate derision。 At Chester the annual pageant on Midsummer Eve included the effigies of four giants； with animals； hobby…horses； and other figures。 At Coventry it appears that the giant's wife figured beside the giant。 At Burford； in Oxfordshire； Midsummer Eve used to be celebrated with great jollity by the carrying of a giant and a dragon up and down the town。 The last survivor of these perambulating English giants lingered at Salisbury； where an antiquary found him mouldering to decay in the neglected hall of the Tailors' Company about the year 1844。 His bodily framework was a lath and hoop； like the one which used to be worn by Jack…in…the…Green on May Day。
In these cases the giants merely figured in the processions。 But sometimes they were burned in the summer bonfires。 Thus the people of the Rue aux Ours in Paris used annually to make a great wicker…work figure； dressed as a soldier； which they promenaded up and down the streets for several days； and solemnly burned on the third of July； the crowd of spectators singing Salve Regina。 A personage who bore the title of king presided over the ceremony with a lighted torch in his hand。 The burning fragments of the image were scattered among the people； who eagerly scrambled for them。 The custom was abolished in 1743。 In Brie； Isle de France； a wicker…work giant； eighteen feet high； was annually burned on Midsummer Eve。
Again； the Druidical custom of burning live animals； enclosed in wicker…work； has its counterpart at the spring and midsummer festivals。 At Luchon in the Pyrenees on Midsummer Eve a hollow column； composed of strong wicker…work； is raised to the height of about sixty feet in the centre of the principal suburb； and interlaced with green foliage up to the very top； while the most beautiful flowers and shrubs procurable are artistically arranged in groups below； so as to form a sort of background to the scene。 The column is then filled with combustible materials； ready for ignition。 At an appointed hourabout 8 P。M。a grand procession； composed of the clergy； followed by young men and maidens in holiday attire； pour forth from the town chanting hymns； and take up their position around the column。 Meanwhile； bonfires are lit； with beautiful effect； in the surrounding hills。 As many living serpents as could be collected are now thrown into the column； which is set on fire at the base by means of torches； armed with which about fifty boys and men dance around with frantic gestures。 The serpents； to avoid the flames； wriggle their way to the top； whence they are seen lashing out laterally until finally obliged to drop； their struggles for life giving rise to enthusiastic delight among the surrounding spectators。 This is a favourite annual ceremony for the inhabitants of Luchon and its neighbourhood； and local tradition assigns it to a heathen origin。 In the midsummer fires formerly kindled on the Place de Grève at Paris it was the custom to burn a basket； barrel； or sack full of live cats； which was hung from a tall mast in the midst of the bonfire； sometimes a fox was burned。 The people collected the embers and ashes of the fire and took them home； believing that they brought good luck。 The French kings often witnessed these spectacles and even lit the bonfire with their own hands。 In 1648 Louis the Fourteenth； crowned with a wreath of roses and carrying a bunch of roses in his hand； kindled the fire； danced at it and partook of the banquet afterwards in the town hall。 But this was the last occasion when a monarch presided at the midsummer bonfire in Paris。 At Metz midsummer fires were lighted with great pomp on the esplanade； and a dozen cats； enclosed in wicker cages； were burned alive in them； to the amusement of the people。 Similarly at Gap； in the department of the High Alps； cats used to be roasted over the midsummer bonfire。 In Russia a white cock was sometimes burned in the midsummer bonfire； in Meissen or Thuringia a horse's head used to be thrown into it。 Sometimes animals are burned in the spring bonfires。 In the Vosges cats were burned on Shrove Tuesday； in Alsace they were thrown into the Easter bonfire。 In the department of the Ardennes cats were flung into the bonfires kindled on the first Sunday in Lent； sometimes； by a refinement of cruelty； they were hung over the fire from the end of a pole and roasted alive。 The cat； which represented the devil； could never suffer enough。 While the creatures were perishing in the flames； the shepherds guarded their flocks and forced them to leap over the fire； esteeming this an infallible means of preserving them from disease and witchcraft。 We have seen that squirrels were sometimes burned in the Easter fire。
Thus it appears that the sacrificial rites of the Celts of ancient Gaul can be traced in the popular festivals of modern Europe。 Naturally it is in France； or rather in the wider area comprised within the limits of ancient Gaul； that these rites have left the clearest traces in the customs of burning giants of wicker…work and animals enclosed in wicker…work or baskets。 These customs； it will have been remarked； are generally observed at or about midsummer。 From this we may infer that the original rites of which these are the degenerate successors were solemnised at midsummer。 This inference harmonises with the conclusion suggested by a general survey of European folk…custom； that the midsummer festival must on the whole have been the most widely diffused and the most solemn of all the yearly festivals celebrated by the primitive Aryans in Europe。 At the same time we must bear in mind that among the British Celts the chief fire…festivals of the year appear certainly to have been those of Beltane （May Day） and Hallowe'en （the last day of October）； and this suggests a doubt whether the Celts of Gaul also may not have celebrated their principal rites of fire； including their burnt sacrifices of men and animals； at the beginning of May or the beginning of November rather than at Midsummer。
We have still to ask； What is the meaning of such sacrifices？ Why were men and animals burnt to death at these festivals？ If we are right in interpreting the modern European fire…festivals as attempts to break the power of witchcraft by burning or banning the witches and warlocks； it seems to follow that we must explain the human sacrifices of the Celts in the same manner； that is； we must suppose that the men whom the Druids burnt in wicker…work images were condemned to death on the ground that they were witches or wizards； and that the mode of execution by fire was chosen because burning alive is deemed the surest mode of getting rid of these noxious and da