At
one time children at the village schools in Lancashire were required
to bring each a mould candle before the _parting_ or separation for
the Christmas holidays."[101]{27}
In the Scandinavian countries the Yule candle is, or was, very prominent
indeed. In West Jutland (Denmark) two great tallow candles stood on the
festive board. No one dared to touch or extinguish them, and if by any
mischance one went out it was a portent of death. They stood for the
husband and wife, and that one of the wedded pair whose candle burnt the
longer would outlive the other.{28}
In Norway also two lights were placed on the table.{29} All over the
Scandinavian lands the Yule candle had to burn throughout the night; it
was not to be extinguished till the sun rose or--as was said
elsewhere--till the beginning of service on Christmas Day. Sometimes the
putting-out had to be done by the oldest member of the family or the
father of the household. In Norway the candle was lighted every evening
until New Year's Day. While it foreshadowed death if it went out, so long
as it duly burned it shed a blessing with its light, and, in order to
secure abundance of good things, money, clothes, food, and drink were
spread out that its rays might fall upon them.
Pages:
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342