f rough
humour and tender feeling is thoroughly in keeping with the subject.

One is made to feel very vividly the amazement of the shepherds at the
wondrous and sudden apparition of the angels:--

"_Riepl._ Woas is das fuer a Getuemmel,
I versteh mi nit in d'Welt.
_Joergl._ Is den heunt eingfalln der Himmel,
Fleugn d'Engeln auf unserm Feld?
_R._ Thuen Sprueng macha
_J._ Von oben acha! |145|
_R._ I turft das Ding nit noacha thoan,
that mir brechn Hals und Boan."[74]{30}

The cold is keenly brought home to us when they come to the manger:--

"_J._ Mei Kind, kanst kei Herberg finden?
Muest so viel Frost leiden schoan.
_R._ Ligst du under kalden Windeln!
Laegts ihm doch a Gwandl oan!
_J._ Machts ihm d'Fueess ein,
Huellts in zue fein!"[75]{31}

Very homely are their presents to the Child:--

"Ein drei Eier und ein Butter
Bringen wir auch, nemt es an!
Einen Han zu einer Suppen,
Wanns die Mutter kochen kann.
Giessts ein Schmalz drein, wirds wol guet sein.
Weil wir sonsten gar nix han,
Sind wir selber arme Hirten,
Nemts den guten Willen an."[76]{32}

One of the dialogues ends with a curious piece of ordinary human
kindliness, as if the Divine nature of the Infant were quite forgotten
for the moment:--

"_J._ Bleib halt fein gsund, mein kloans Liebl,
Wannst woas brauchst, so komm ze mir.

* * * * *

_J._ Pfueet di Got halt! |146|
_R._ Waer fein gross bald!
_J._ Kannst in mein Dienst stehen ein,
Wann darzu wirst gross gnue sein."[77]{33}

Far more interesting in their realism and naturalness are these little
plays of the common folk than the elaborate Christmas dramas of more
learned German writers, Catholic and Lutheran, who in the sixteenth and
seventeenth centuries became increasingly stilted and bombastic.

* * * * *

The Italian religious drama{34} evolved somewhat differently from that
of the northern countries. The later thirteenth century saw the outbreak
of the fanaticism of the Flagellants or _Battuti_, vast crowds of people
of all classes who went in procession from church to church, from city to
city, scourging their naked bodies in terror and repentance till the
blood flowed. When the wild enthusiasm of this movemen