elers. The Swedes, however, still cling to the belief that the
bones of Wodin, the Alexander of the North, rest beneath the sod at
Upsala. In these mounds have been found the bones of a woman and of a
dog, a bracelet of filigree work, and a curious pin shaped like a
bird, but no sign of Wodin's presence. Yet peasants believe that Wodin
passes by on dark nights, and his horse's shoe, with eight nail-holes,
is exhibited in the museum at Utwagustorp.

New Year's Day is of comparatively little importance; the Christmas
trees are usually relighted for the enjoyment of the poorer children
and gifts are made to the needy. The Yule festivities are prolonged
for two weeks in many places, during which the people visit from home
to home and enjoy many social pleasures. The devout attend church
services each day, abandon all work so far as possible, and on
January thirteenth generally finish up the joyous season with a ball.

The Swedes do not trim their churches with evergreen at Yule-tide as
that is an emblem of mourning with them, and is used instead of crape
on the door and often strewn before the hearse and also upon the floor
in the saddened homes, so of course at Christmas they would not think
of using it for decorations. But where they can afford it or can
procure them, they use flowers to decorate their homes.

In Denmark, Christmas is a time of unusual merriment and rejoicing. No
one who can possibly avoid it works at all from the day before
Christmas until after New Year, but spends the time in visiting,
eating, and drinking. "May God bless your Christmas; may it last till
Easter," is the usual salutation of the season.

With the people of Denmark the favorite dish for Christmas dinner is a
goose; every one, even the cattle, the dog, and the birds, receive the
best the larder affords on this occasion. There is a peculiar kind of
cake that is made for each member of every family, and, for some
reason not explained, the saltcellar remains on the table throughout
Yule-tide.

Those who own fruit-trees feel it incumbent upon them to go at
midnight on Christmas Eve and with a stick in hand strike each tree
three times saying as they do so, "Rejoice, O Tree,--rejoice and be
fruitful."

In Denmark it is believed by many that the cattle rise on their knees
at midnight on Christmas Eve, but no one ever seems to have proved
this saying to be true.

In this country also the children delight in listening to stories of
trolls