enerally called Thirteenth; in Belgium and Holland
it is Thirteenth; in Sweden it varies, but is usually Thirteenth.
Sometimes then the Twelve Days are spoken of, sometimes the
Thirteen. "The Twelve Nights," in accordance with the old Teutonic
mode of reckoning by nights, is a natural and correct term.{39}

[98] Those who wish to pursue further the study of the _Kallikantzaroi_
should read the elaborate and fascinating, if not altogether
convincing, theories of Mr. J. C. Lawson in his "Modern Greek
Folklore and Ancient Greek Religion." He distinguishes two classes
of _Kallikantzaroi_, one of which he identifies with ordinary
werewolves, while the other is the type of hairy, clawed demons
above described. He sets forth a most ingenious hypothesis
connecting them with the Centaurs.

[99] It is to be borne in mind that the oak was a sacred tree among the
heathen Slavs; it was connected with the thunder-god Perun, the
counterpart of Jupiter, and a fire of oak burned night and day in
his honour. The neighbours of the Slavs, the Lithuanians, had the
same god, whom they called Perkunas; they too kept up a perpetual
oak-fire in his honour, and in time of drought they used to pour
beer on the flames, praying to Perkunas to send showers.{10} The
libations of wine on the Yule log may conceivably have had a
similar purpose.

[100] Kindling.

[101] The custom referred to in the last sentence may be compared with
the Danish St. Thomas's Day practice (see Chapter VIII.).

[102] At Wormesley in Herefordshire there is a Holy Thorn which is still
believed to blossom exactly at twelve o'clock on Twelfth Night.
"The blossoms are thought to open at midnight, and drop off about
an hour afterwards. A piece of thorn gathered at this hour brings
luck, if kept for the rest of the year." As recently as 1908 about
forty people went to see the thorn blossom at this time (see E. M.
Leather, "The Folk-Lore of Herefordshire" [London, 1912], 17).

[103] Compare the struggle for the "Haxey hood," described in Chapter
XVI., p. 347.

[104] This may be compared with the ancient Greek _Eiresione_, "a
portable May-pole, a branch hung about with wool, acorns, figs,
cakes, fruits of all sorts and sometimes wine-jars."{35}

[105] It by no means necessarily follows, of course, that