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elism holds between the anthropomorphic and the vegetable representation of the tree…spirit； for we have seen above that trees are sometimes married to each other。 At Halford in South Warwickshire the children go from house to house on May Day； walking two and two in procession and headed by a King and Queen。 Two boys carry a May…pole some six or seven feet high； which is covered with flowers and greenery。 Fastened to it near the top are two cross…bars at right angles to each other。 These are also decked with flowers； and from the ends of the bars hang hoops similarly adorned。 At the houses the children sing May songs and receive money； which is used to provide tea for them at the schoolhouse in the afternoon。 In a Bohemian village near K？niggr？tz on Whit…Monday the children play the king's game； at which a king and queen march about under a canopy； the queen wearing a garland； and the youngest girl carrying two wreaths on a plate behind them。 They are attended by boys and girls called groomsmen and bridesmaids； and they go from house to house collecting gifts。 A regular feature in the popular celebration of Whitsuntide in Silesia used to be； and to some extent still is； the contest for the kingship。 This contest took various forms； but the mark or goal was generally the May…tree or May…pole。 Sometimes the youth who succeeded in climbing the smooth pole and bringing down the prize was proclaimed the Whitsuntide King and his sweetheart the Whitsuntide Bride。 Afterwards the king； carrying the May…bush； repaired with the rest of the company to the alehouse； where a dance and a feast ended the merry…making。 Often the young farmers and labourers raced on horseback to the May…pole； which was adorned with flowers； ribbons； and a crown。 He who first reached the pole was the Whitsuntide King； and the rest had to obey his orders for that day。 The worst rider became the clown。 At the May…tree all dismounted and hoisted the king on their shoulders。 He nimbly swarmed up the pole and brought down the May…bush and the crown； which had been fastened to the top。 Meanwhile the clown hurried to the alehouse and proceeded to bolt thirty rolls of bread and to swig four quart bottles of brandy with the utmost possible despatch。 He was followed by the king； who bore the May…bush and crown at the head of the company。 If on their arrival the clown had already disposed of the rolls and the brandy； and greeted the king with a speech and a glass of beer； his score was paid by the king； otherwise he had to settle it himself。 After church time the stately procession wound through the village。 At the head of it rode the king； decked with flowers and carrying the May…bush。 Next came the clown with his clothes turned inside out； a great flaxen beard on his chain； and the Whitsuntide crown on his head。 Two riders disguised as guards followed。 The procession drew up before every farmyard； the two guards dismounted； shut the clown into the house； and claimed a contribution from the housewife to buy soap with which to wash the clown's beard。 Custom allowed them to carry off any victuals which were not under lock and key。 Last of all they came to the house in which the king's sweetheart lived。 She was greeted as Whitsuntide Queen and received suitable presentsto wit； a many…coloured sash； a cloth； and an apron。 The king got as a prize； a vest； a neck…cloth； and so forth； and had the right of setting up the May…bush or Whitsuntide…tree before his master's yard； where it remained as an honourable token till the same day next year。 Finally the procession took its way to the tavern； where the king and queen opened the dance。 Sometimes the Whitsuntide King and Queen succeeded to office in a different way。 A man of straw； as large as life and crowned with a red cap； was conveyed in a cart； between two men armed and disguised as guards； to a place where a mock court was waiting to try him。 A great crowd followed the cart。 After a formal trial the straw man was condemned to death and fastened to a stake on the execution ground。 The young men with bandaged eyes tried to stab him with a spear。 He who succeeded became king and his sweetheart queen。 The straw man was known as the Goliath。
In a parish of Denmark it used to be the custom at Whitsuntide to dress up a little girl as the Whitsun…bride and a little boy as her groom。 She was decked in all the finery of a grown…up bride； and wore a crown of the freshest flowers of spring on her head。 Her groom was as gay as flowers； ribbons； and knots could make him。 The other children adorned themselves as best they could with the yellow flowers of the trollius and caltha。 Then they went in great state from farmhouse to farmhouse； two little girls walking at the head of the procession as bridesmaids； and six or eight outriders galloping ahead on hobby…horses to announce their coming。 Contributions of eggs； butter； loaves； cream； coffee； sugar； and tallow…candles were received and conveyed away in baskets。 When they had made the round of the farms； some of the farmers' wives helped to arrange the wedding feast； and the children danced merrily in clogs on the stamped clay floor till the sun rose and the birds began to sing。 All this is now a thing of the past。 Only the old folks still remember the little Whitsun…bride and her mimic pomp。
We have seen that in Sweden the ceremonies associated elsewhere with May Day or Whitsuntide commonly take place at Midsummer。 Accordingly we find that in some parts of the Swedish province of Blekinge they still choose a Midsummer's Bride； to whom the church coronet is occasionally lent。 The girl selects for herself a Bridegroom； and a collection is made for the pair； who for the time being are looked on as man and wife。 The other youths also choose each his bride。 A similar ceremony seems to be still kept up in Norway。
In the neighbourhood of Brian？on （Dauphiné） on May Day the lads wrap up in green leaves a young fellow whose sweetheart has deserted him or married another。 He lies down on the ground and feigns to be asleep。 Then a girl who likes him； and would marry him； comes and wakes him； and raising him up offers him her arm and a flag。 So they go to the alehouse； where the pair lead off the dancing。 But they must marry within the year； or they are treated as old bachelor and old maid； and are debarred the company of the young folks。 The lad is called the Bridegroom of the month of May。 In the alehouse he puts off his garment of leaves； out of which； mixed with flowers； his partner in the dance makes a nosegay； and wears it at her breast next day； when he leads her again to the alehouse。 Like this is a Russian custom observed in the district of Nerechta on the Thursday before Whitsunday。 The girls go out into a birch…wood； wind a girdle or band round a stately birch； twist its lower branches into a wreath； and kiss each other in pairs through the wreath。 The girls who kiss through the wreath call each other gossips。 Then one of the girls steps forward； and mimicking a drunken man； flings herself on the ground； rolls on the grass； and feigns to fall fast asleep。 Another girl wakens the pretended sleeper and kisses him； then the whole bevy trips singing through the wood to twine garlands； whi