of the bird would be a sort of communion feast.
Perhaps the custom, in a Cornish village, of eating blackbird pie on
Twelfth Day should be explained in the same way.{50}

I can here hardly do more than allude to the many games{51} that were
traditional in England at Christmas--hoodman-blind, shoe the wild mare,
hot cockles, steal the white loaf, snap-dragon, and the rest. To attempt
to describe and explain them would lead me too far, but it is highly
probable that some at least might be traced to an origin in sacrificial
ritual. The degeneration of religious rites into mere play is, indeed, as
we have seen, a process illustrated by the whole history of Christmas.

Only two British Christmas games can be discussed in this book:
blindman's buff and football. An account of a remarkable Christmas
football match will be found in the chapter on Epiphany customs, where it
is brought into connection with that closely related game, the "Haxey
hood."

As for blindman's buff, it is distinctly a Christmas sport, and it is
known nearly all over Europe by names derived from animals, _e.g._,
"blind cow" and "blind mouse." Mr. N. W. Thomas has suggested that "the
explanation of these names is that the players originally wore masks; the
game is known in some cases as the 'blinde Mumm,' or blind mask.... The
player who is 'it' seems to be the sacrificer; he bears the same name as
the victim, just as in agricultural customs the reaper of the last corn
bears the same name as the last sheaf."{52}

The Scandinavian countries are very rich in Christmas games and
dances,{53} of which it would be interesting to attempt explanations if
space allowed. One Swedish song and dance game--it |294| may be related
to the sword-dance (see Chapter XIII.)--is obviously sacrificial. Several
youths, with blackened faces and persons disguised, are the performers.
One of them is put to death with a knife by a woman in hideous attire.
Afterwards, with gross gestures, she dances with the victim.{54}
According to another account, from Gothland, the victim sits clad in a
skin, holding in his mouth a wisp of straw cut sharp at the ends and
standing out. It has been conjectured that this is meant to resemble a
swine's bristles, and that the man represents a hog sacrificed to
Frey.{55}

Lastly a Russian game may be mentioned, though it has no sacrificial
suggestion. During the Christmas season girls play at what is called "the
Burial of the Gold." They form a c