Part 1 (1/2)
Yule-Tide in Many Lands.
by Mary P. Pringle and Clara A. Urann.
CHAPTER I.
[Ill.u.s.tration]
YULE-TIDE OF THE ANCIENTS
”There in the Temple, carved in wood, The image of great Odin stood, And other G.o.ds, with Thor supreme among them.”
As early as two thousand years before Christ Yule-tide was celebrated by the Aryans. They were sun-wors.h.i.+pers and believed the sun was born each morning, rode across the upper world, and sank into his grave at night.
Day after day, as the sun's power diminished, these primitive people feared that he would eventually be overcome by darkness and forced to remain in the under world.
When, therefore, after many months, he apparently wheeled about and grew stronger and stronger, they felt that he had been born again. So it came about that at _Hweolor-tid_, ”the turning-time,”[1] there was great rejoicing at the annual re-birth of the sun.
In the myths and legends of these, our Indo-European ancestors, we find the origin of many of the Yule-tide customs now in vogue.
[Footnote 1: Yule-tide]
According to the Younger Edda, Wodin or Odin, the pioneer of the North, a descendant of Saturn, fled out of Asia. Going through Russia to Saxland (Germany), he conquered that country and left one of his sons as ruler. Then he visited Frankland, Jutland, Sweden, and Norway and established each one of his many sons on a throne.
This pioneer traveler figures under nearly two hundred different names, and so it is difficult to follow him in his wanderings. As Wodin, he established throughout the northern nations many of the observances and customs common to the people of the Northland to-day.
The Edda gives an ancient account of Balder, the sun-G.o.d, who was slain because of the jealousy of Loki (fire). Loki knew that everything in nature except the mistletoe had promised not to injure the great G.o.d Balder. So he searched for the mistletoe until he found it growing on an oak-tree ”on the eastern slope of Valhalla.” He cut it off and returned to the place where the G.o.ds were amusing themselves by using Balder as a target, hurling stones and darts, and trying to strike him with their battle-axes. But all these weapons were harmless. Then Loki, giving the twig of mistletoe to the blind G.o.d, Hoder, directed his hand and induced him to throw it. When the mistletoe struck Balder it pierced him through and through and he fell lifeless.
”So on the floor lay Balder dead; and round[2]
Lay thickly strewn swords, axes, darts, and spears, Which all the G.o.ds in sport had idly thrown At Balder, whom no weapon pierced or clove; But in his breast stood fixt the fatal bough Of mistletoe, which Lok the Accuser gave To Hoder, and unwitting Hoder threw-- 'Gainst that alone had Balder's life no charm.”
[Footnote 2: From Matthew Arnold's ”Balder Dead.”]
Great excitement prevailed among the a.s.sembled G.o.ds and G.o.ddesses when Balder was struck dead and sank into Hel,[3] and they would have slain the G.o.d of darkness had it not occurred during their _peace-stead_, which was never to be desecrated by deeds of violence. The season was supposed to be one of peace on earth and good-will to man. This is generally attributed to the injunction of the angels who sang at the birth of Christ, but according to a much older story the idea of peace and good-will at Yule-tide was taught centuries before Christ.
[Footnote 3: _Hel_ or _”his grave”_; the terms were once synonymous.]
According to the Edda, gifts from the G.o.ds and G.o.ddesses were laid on Balder's bier and he, in turn, sent gifts back from the realm of darkness into which he had fallen. However, it probably is from the Roman Saturnalia that the free exchange of presents and the spirit of revelry have been derived.
The Druids held the mistletoe in great reverence because of its mysterious birth. When the first new growth was discovered it was gathered by the white-robed priests, who cut it from the main bough with a golden sickle never used for any other purpose.
The food peculiar to this season of rejoicing has retained many features of the feasting recorded among the earlier people. The boar made his appearance in mythological circles when one was offered as a gift to Frey, G.o.d of rain, suns.h.i.+ne, and the fruits of the earth. This boar was a remarkable animal; he could run faster than a horse, through the air and over water. Darkness could not overtake him, for he was symbolical of the sun, his golden bristles typifying the sun's rays.
At one time the boar was believed to be emblematical of golden grain, as he was the first to teach mankind the art of plowing. Because of this service he was most revered by our mythological ancestors.
In an account of a feast given in Valhalla to the dead heroes of many battles, Saehrimnir, a sacred boar, was served. Huge pieces were apportioned to the deceased heroes and the meat had such a revivifying effect that, restored to life, they called for arms and began to fight their battles over again.
An abundance of heavenly mead made from goats' milk and honey was provided for the feasts and on occasions ale, too, was served.
Toasts were usually drunk in honor of Bragi, G.o.d of poetry, eloquence, and song. The G.o.ds pledged themselves to perform remarkable deeds of courage and valor as they tossed off horn after horn of mead and ale.