east-day was called "Fidlovatchka," which
has a cheery ring, and tradition gives the following origin: The
cobblers' guild had built a pair of boots, a most excellent pair of
boots, for Emperor Joseph, who himself had learnt their craft. Every
cobbler's apprentice in Prague had contributed of his labour to this
pair of boots. In token of gratitude the Emperor had given to the guild
a little tree, silver-plated, on which were displayed specimens, also in
silver, of all the implements used in the cobbler's handicraft. This
imperial present was displayed at the cobblers' guildhall and held in
high honour.

Now as it happened the cobblers' apprentices seem to have been afflicted
more than those of other guilds by the complaint called by the Germans
"Blue Monday," which being interpreted meaneth "the morning after the
night before." It was of necessity observed as a holiday. Masters
insisted on abolishing this holiday, apprentices insisted on its
retention. The latter removed the silver-plated tree from its sanctuary
and carried it, to the strains of music and with much vociferation, to a
mill, now no longer, at Nusle, at which place the adventure had been
planned.

Not a single apprentice was to be found in Prague: needless to say, they
had the enthusiastic support and inspiring company of all the cobblers'
errand-boys.

The apprentices kept up the feast for several days until their funds
were exhausted; they then stripped the imperial tree of its ornaments
and sold them. When they had arrived at the stage known as _au sec_ they
passed the time in fighting. Eventually a deputation of masters came
out, a conference was held, the "Blue Monday" feast was reinstituted,
and the apprentices returned to Prague, carrying, in place of the
imperial tree, a maypole--premature, no doubt, but it probably best
expressed their feelings.

The very learned will tell us that the maypole custom of the Prague
cobblers dates back to much remoter times than those of Emperor Joseph,
and may draw attention to the habit prevalent in Saxony and other
neighbouring countries with an originally strongly Slav population of
displaying a birch-tree at the beginning of May. The learned will then
dive down into Slavonic mythology, which process to the dilettante in
such matters, is like "going in off the deep end"--you never know when
or where you may come up again.

At any rate, it appears that the cobblers' apprentices chose to call
their maypole "