sun. On
Christmas Eve commences the singing of the songs called _Kolyadki_, a
word, generally supposed to be akin to _Kalendae_, though reference is
made in some of them to a mysterious being, apparently a solar
goddess, named Kolyada. "Kolyada, Kolyada! Kolyada has come. We
wandered about, we sought holy Kolyada in all the courtyards,"
commences one of these old songs, for many a year, no doubt, solemnly
sung by the young people who used in olden times to escort from
homestead to homestead a sledge in which sat a girl dressed in white,
who represented the benignant goddess. Nowadays these songs have in
many places fallen into disuse, or are kept up only by the children
who go from house to house, to congratulate the inhabitants on the
arrival of Christmas, and to wish them a prosperous New Year. In every
home, says one of these archaic poems, are three inner chambers. In
one is the bright moon, in another the red sun, in a third many stars.
The bright moon--that is the master of the house; the red sun--that is
the housewife; the many stars--they are the little children.

The Russian Church sternly sets its face against the old customs with
which the Christmas season was associated, denouncing the "fiendish
songs," and "devilish games," the "graceless talk," the "nocturnal
gambols," and the various kinds of divination in which the faithful
persisted in indulging. But, although repressed, they were not to be
destroyed, and at various seasons of the year, but especially those of
the summer and winter solstice, the "orthodox," in spite of their
pastors, made merry with old heathenish sports, and, after listening
to Christian psalms in church, went home and sang songs framed by
their ancestors in honour of heathen divinities. Thus century after
century went by, and the fortunes of Russia underwent great changes.
But still in the villages were the old customs kept up, and when
Christmas Day came round it was greeted by survivals of the ceremonies
with which the ancient Slavs hailed the returning sun god, who caused
the days to lengthen, and filled the minds of men with hopes of a new
year rich in fruits and grain. One of the customs to which the Church
most strongly objected was that of mumming. As in other lands, so in
Russia it was customary for mummers to go about at Christmastide,
visiting various homes in which the festivities of the season were
being kept up, and there dancing, and performing all kinds of antics.
Prom