Part 26 (2/2)

The Blocksberg, where German as well as Norwegian witches gather for their great Sabbaths on the Eve of May Day (Walpurgis Night) and Midsummer Eve, is commonly identified with the Brocken, the highest peak of the Harz mountains. But in Mecklenburg, Pomerania, and probably elsewhere, villages have their own local Blocksberg, which is generally a hill or open place in the neighbourhood; a number of places in Pomerania go by the name of the Blocksberg. See J. Grimm, _Deutsche Mythologie_*[4] ii. 878 _sq._; Ulrich Jahn, _Hexenwesen und Zauberei in Pommern_ (Breslau, 1886), pp. 4 _sq._; _id._, _Volkssagen aus Pommern und Rugen_ (Stettin, 1886), p. 329.

[420] L. Lloyd, _Peasant Life in Sweden_ (London, 1870), pp. 259, 265.

[421] L. Lloyd, _op. cit._ pp. 261 _sq._ These springs are called ”sacrificial fonts” (_Offer kallor_) and are ”so named because in heathen times the limbs of the slaughtered victim, whether man or beast, were here washed prior to immolation” (L. Lloyd, _op. cit._ p. 261).

[422] E. Hoffmann-Krayer, _Feste und Brauche des Schweizervolkes_ (Zurich, 1913), p. 164.

[423] Ignaz V. Zingerle, _Sitten, Brauche und Meinungen des Tiroler Volkes_*[2] (Innsbruck, 1871), ii. p. 159, -- 1354.

[424] I.V. Zingerle, _op. cit._ p. 159, ---- 1353, 1355, 1356; W.

Mannhardt, _Der Baumkultus_, p. 513.

[425] W. Mannhardt, _l.c._

[426] F. Panzer, _Beitrag zur deutschen Mythologie_ (Munich, 1848-1855), i. p. 210, -- 231.

[427] Theodor Vernaleken, _Mythen und Brauche des Volkes in Oesterreich_ (Vienna, 1859), pp. 307 _sq._

[428] J. Grimm, _Deutsche Mythologie_*[4] i. 519; Theodor Vernaleken, _Mythen und Brauche des Volkes in Oesterreich_ (Vienna, 1859), p. 308; Joseph Virgil Grohmann, _Aberglauben und Gebrauche aus Bohmen und Mahren_ (Prague and Leipsic, 1864), p. 80, -- 636; Reinsberg-Duringsfeld, _Fest-Kalender aus Bohmen_ (Prague, N.D.), pp. 306-311; Br. Jelfnek, ”Materialien zur Vorgeschichte und Volkskunde Bohmens,” _Mittheilungen der anthropologischen Gesellschaft in Wien>_ xxi. (1891) p. 13; Alois John, _Sitte, Brauch und Volksglaube im deutschen Westbohmen_ (Prague, 1905) pp. 84-86.

[429] Willibald Muller, _Beitrage zur Volkskunde der Deutschen in Mahren_ (Vienna and Olmutz, 1893), pp. 263-265.

[430] Anton Peter, _Volksthumliches aus osterreichisch-Schlesien_ (Troppau, 1865-1867), ii. 287.

[431] Th. Vernaleken, _Mythen und Brauche des Volkes in Oesterreich_ (Vienna, 1859), pp. 308 _sq._

[432] _The Dying G.o.d_, p. 262. Compare M. Kowalewsky, in _Folk-lore_, i.

(1890) p. 467.

[433] W.R.S. Ralston, _Songs of the Russian People_, Second Edition (London, 1872), p. 240.

[434] J. Grimm, _Deutsche Mythologie_,*[4] i. 519; W.R.S. Ralston, _Songs of the Russian People_ (London, 1872), pp. 240, 391.

[435] W.R.S. Ralston, _op. cit._ p. 240.

[436] W.R.S. Ralston, _l.c._

[437] W.J.A. von Tettau und J.D.H. Temme, _Die Volkssagen Ostpreussens, Litthauens und Westpreussens_ (Berlin, 1837), p. 277.

[438] M. Toppen, _Aberglauben aus Masuren_*[2] (Danzig, 1867), p. 71.

[439] F.S. Krauss, ”Altslavische Feuergewinnung,” _Globus_, lix. (1891) p. 318.

[440] J.G. Kohl, _Die deutsch-russischen Ostseeprovinzen_ (Dresden and Leipsic, 1841), i. 178-180, ii. 24 _sq._ Ligho was an old heathen deity, whose joyous festival used to fall in spring.

[441] Ovid, _Fasti_, vi. 775 _sqq._

[442] Friederich S. Krauss, _Sitte und Brauch der Sudslaven_ (Vienna, 1885), pp. 176 _sq._

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