Christmas mumming, it may be added, is found in eastern as well as
western Europe. In Greece, where ecclesiastical condemnations of such
things can be traced with remarkable clearness from early times to the
twelfth century, it takes sundry forms. "At Pharsala," writes Mr. J. C.
Lawson, "there is a sort of play at the Epiphany, in which the mummers
represent bride, bridegroom, and 'Arab'; the Arab tries to carry off the
bride, and the bridegroom defends her.... Formerly also at 'Kozane and in
many other parts of Greece,' according to a Greek writer in the early
part of the nineteenth century, throughout the Twelve Days boys carrying
bells used to go round the houses, singing songs and having 'one or more
of their company dressed up with masks and bells and foxes' brushes and
other such things to give them a weird and monstrous look.'"{16}
|302| In Russia, too, mummers used to go about at Christmastide,
visiting houses, dancing, and performing all kinds of antics. "Prominent
parts were always played by human representatives of a goat and a bear.
Some of the party would be disguised as 'Lazaruses,' that is, as blind
beggars." A certain number of the mummers were generally supposed to play
the part of thieves anxious to break in.
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