go, will go,
And a-spinning we will go."{10}

We may perhaps see in this Saint or Queen Catherine a female counterpart
of the Boy Bishop, who began his career on St. Nicholas's Day. Catherine,
it must be remembered, is the patron saint of girls as Nicholas is of
boys. In Belgium her day is still a festival for the "young person" both
in schools and in families.{11} Even in modern Paris the
dressmaker-girls celebrate it, and in a very charming way, too.

"At midday the girls of every workroom present little mob-caps trimmed
with yellow ribbons to those of their number who are over twenty-five and
still unmarried. Then they themselves put on becoming little caps with
yellow flowers and yellow ribbons and a sprig of orange blossom on them,
and out they go arm-in-arm to parade the streets and collect a tribute of
flowers from every man they meet.... Instead of working all the
afternoon, the midinettes entertain all their friends (no men admitted,
though, for it is the day of St. Catherine) to concerts and even to
dramatic performances in the workrooms, where the work-tables are turned
into stages, and the employers provide supper."{12}

ST. ANDREW'S DAY.

The last day of November is the feast of St. Andrew. Of English customs
on this day the most interesting perhaps are those connected with the
"Tander" or "Tandrew" merrymakings |214| of the Northamptonshire
lacemakers. A day of general licence used to end in masquerading. Women
went about in male attire and men and boys in female dress.{13} In Kent
and Sussex squirrel-hunting was practised on this day{14}--a survival
apparently of some old sacrificial custom comparable with the hunting of
the wren at Christmas (see Chapter XII.).

In Germany St. Andrew's Eve is a great occasion for prognostications of
the future. Indeed, like Hallowe'en in Great Britain, _Andreasabend_ in
Germany seems to have preserved the customs of augury connected with the
old November New Year festival.{15} To a large extent the practices are
performed by girls anxious to know what sort of husband they will get.
Many and various are the methods.

Sometimes it suffices to repeat some such rhyme as the following before
going to sleep, and the future husband will appear in a dream:--

"St. Andrew's Eve is to-day,
Sleep all people,
Sleep all children of men,
Who are between heaven and earth,
Except this only man,
Who may be mine in marriage."{16}

Again, at nig