for their harvest. The victim in that day had only to leap through the
fire; but there is little doubt that the whole thing was a survival
from the days when human beings were really sacrificed.

In the island of Lewis, in the west of Scotland, there prevails a
custom of sending a man very early on May-day to cross a certain river,
believing that if a woman crossed it first the salmon would not come
into the stream for a year.

May-day festivals were not confined to the British islands. They were
found, with variations suited to the different races, all over Europe.
In France, the day was consecrated to the Virgin, and young girls
celebrated it by dressing the prettiest one in white, crowning, and
decorating her with flowers, and throning her under a canopy of flowers
and greens, built beside the road. There she sat in state, while her
attendants begged of passers-by, for the "Lady of the May," money,
which was used in a feast later in the day.

In Toulouse, there was an ancient custom of giving a prize of a golden
violet for the best poem. This custom held its place for more than four
centuries. May-poles also flourished in France, and had gilt pendants.

The Dutch May-pole was still different, being surrounded by trees stuck
into flower-pots, and ornamented with gay-colored flags, and hoops with
garlands and gilt balls hanging. Another sort had wooden dolls made to
represent the figures of peasants, nailed against the pole by their
hands and knees, as though climbing it. There were also figures of
birds and people. In some parts of Germany it was the firm belief of
the common people that certain ill-disposed beings met on a high
mountain on May-day to dance and feast, with no good intentions to
their human neighbors. Accordingly on the day before, every family was
careful to have a thorn of a certain kind, which was stuck into the
door as a protection.

[Illustration: AN OLD-TIME MAY-DAY IN "MERRIE ENGLAND."]

The Scandinavians, whose first of May is not very balmy, had of old a
curious fight between Summer and Winter. Winter--or the man
representing him--was dressed in skins, armed with fire-forks, and
threw snow-balls and pieces of ice. Summer was dressed in green leaves
and summer dress. They had a mock fight which was called "Driving away
Winter and welcoming Summer," and in the Isle of Man, where Norwegians
had rule for many years, this custom lingered until very lately.

But, as the years went on, these