EASTER

Pace-egging
This is an ancient custom which is currently being brought back into fashion. The word 'Pace' derives from the Latin word 'Pacha' which means 'Easter'. This Easter custom is Lancastrian (UK) and traditionally performed by a group of men called the 'Pace-eggers' or 'Jolly-boys' and is very similar to traditions connected with Morris Dancing and Mumming which is found to still be very active in folk festivals in England (UK) and parts of Europe (See Morris and Mystical WWW Folk Calendar). Pace-egging is thought to relate to the ancient Mumming Plays (which were also performed at Christmas in different parts of the country). Each man would adorn himself with brightly coloured ribbons, animal skins, rags and strips of paper, the reason for which appears to relate back to The Crusades (See Morris). One of the men should blacken his face with coal or soot, and carry a woven basket on his arm. The group of men then begin to process through the village/area and whilst enjoying celebrating the Easter revelries with the community, the idea is that he and his merry fellows goad the people into tossing eggs into the basket (although money may be used as a substitute). The eggs were often wrapped in onion skin and boiled to give a mottled effect, being eaten for Easter breakfast on Easter Sunday. The blackened face male is traditionally known as the 'Old Tosspot'. Other characters included the 'Lady Gay', the 'Soldier Brave', and the 'Noble Youth'. The Old Tosspot carried a long straw tail that had been stuffed full of pins. He would swing it wildly about, acting as though he was drunk, and wait for some poor unsuspecting fool to try and catch hold of the tail or be tapped by it - all in good humour - but also to encourage people to toss things into his basket. When the Pace-eggers received either sufficient money or eggs in the basket, the group would temporarily stop and present a short play and dance. Usually an additional reward for the presentation would be given to the group by a member of the public, such as a glass of beer if performing outside a public house. Once the play was completed and everyone satisfied the group would process on through the area until the entire village had been travelled. Normally the Pace-eggers would attract quite a large group of followers by the end of their promenade as each presentation was sure to be different and perhaps build upon the last.

'Here's one or two jolly boys all of one mind
We've come a-pace-egging, I hope you'll prove kind
I hope you'll prove kind with your eggs and strong beer,
And we'll come no more nigh you until next year.'

Meeting a rival band of Pace-eggers could lead to a lot of competitive friendly exchanges or 'egging', with the passing of witty jibes between the groups with occasional attempts made to steal the eggs. Perhaps this is where the expression 'to egg someone on' originated from. Sometimes the groups would also have wooden swords that could also be used to poke friendly fun at the rival group. The sword is said in England to relate to St. George who is traditionally seen as protector of justice (See Mystical WWW Arts : Morris). It has been known for Pace-eggers to walk away with a couple of scratches when the exchanges have become a little too over-enthusiastic as you might expect! Today Pace-egging is still common place in some communities.

It was believed that the sun danced on Easter Day as detailed in the following:

The sun was said to dance at the joy of the Resurrection. The practice of early morning services on this day were common often at sunrise itself. The first recorded service in the USA at an Easter sunrise is identified as having taken place at Cadillac Mountain, Maine.

Traditionally German children are told that it is the Easter hare that lays all the Easter eggs. In order for the Easter hare to come to the house with the eggs, the children are encouraged to make a soup from green leaves specially for the hare. Without it, the Easter hare will not come into the garden and build the special egg nests needed. The Easter hare is believed to colour the eggs, making the dyes by lighting little bonfires and heating water with flowers and grasses. The luckiest child is the one that receives an Easter hare's egg that hatches to find that inside there is a baby bird with the head of a hare. As you might expect it is very rare that these type of eggs are found. If the child has been naughty it is likely that the child will find nothing but hare droppings in the nest! Thankfully some people will say, most children find the more modern form of Easter eggs made of sweet chocolate when they go search in the garden.

Hares lay eggs?
There is a legend that suggests that the hare was thought to lay eggs and most people would find this idea absurd, but it is believed that this idea stems from the fact that a bird known as a 'Plover' (See Mystical WWW : Birds) would often make a nest on the ground near to a hare's form. If, for some reason, the hare deserted the form, it is known that the plover will hijack the form and lay eggs in comfort. Perhaps this is how the legend came to be.

OAK
It is said that when the announcement of Christ's Crucifixion was made, all the trees met together and agreed that none of them wished to be part of the event. The time came for the wood to be selected. As the Jews began to chose the wood each piece began to split and break into many pieces making it impossible to use. Only the 'Evergreen Oak' or the 'Ilex' did not split and allowed itself to be used, seen by the other trees as a traitor or another Judas. As a result is it said that Grecians will not have any part of the Oak tree brought into the house, or allow their axes to come into contact with the Ilex. Just like Judas the tree is seen as eternally condemned.

'From Witches and Wizards, and long-tailed Buzzards,
And creeping things that run in hedge-bottoms,
Good Lord, deliver us!'

Want to read more about the Mystical Rowan?
OR
Want to read more about Mystical Trees?

Want to read more about Vervain?
OR
Want to read more about Mystical Plants?

Want to read more about the Chicken?
OR
View the Mystical-WWW Animals and Birds A to Z Index

GOLDEN PLOVER
This bird has a religious significance as it is said that the golden plover contains the souls of all Jews who took part in the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ. As a result the bird is seen to be a sad and wandering bird, being able to find no rest.

Want to read more about the Golden Plover?
OR
View the Mystical-WWW Animals and Birds A to Z Index

MAGPIE
Often seen as a harbinger of bad fortune. In Scotland (UK) the magpie was once believed to carry a drop of the Devil's blood under its tongue which perhaps stems from another belief that the magpie was the only bird not to wear full mourning at the Crucifixion.

Want to read more about the Magpie?
OR
View the Mystical-WWW Animals and Birds A to Z Index

PELICAN
The pelican has long been associated with the death of Christ on the Cross and can often be seen in the traditional stained glass composites for the same reasons suggested.

Want to read more about the Pelican?
OR
View the Mystical-WWW Animals and Birds A to Z Index

ROBIN REDBREAST
Legend has it that the robin received its red breast from trying to remove the bloody thorns from Christ's head at the Crucifixion, with a small drop of His blood falling on the bird and injuring itself in the process.

Want to read more about the Robin Redbreast?
OR
View the Mystical-WWW Animals and Birds A to Z Index

SPARROW
The sparrow has a mixed reputation depending on what area of the world you live. According to some, the sparrow hops around because it is his punishment for crying 'He is alive, He is alive' when Christ was on the cross, therefore signalling to the Romans to prolong His torture. The hop is thought to symbolise the fact that the legs are bound together as punishment for the lack of sympathy shown by their song.

Want to read more about the Sparrow?
OR
View the Mystical-WWW Animals and Birds A to Z Index

STORK
The stork is believed to have flown around the cross of Christ with compassion and is therefore thought to be unlucky to kill. Want to read more about the Stork?
OR
View the Mystical-WWW Animals and Birds A to Z Index

SWALLOW
Also known as the 'svale' bird according to Danish folklore, the swallow received its name by trying to relieve the sufferings of Christ while on the Cross by crying 'Svale, svale' which figuratively translates as 'Cheer up, cheer up!'.

Want to read more about the Swallow?
OR
View the Mystical-WWW Animals and Birds A to Z Index

DONKEY
It is a beloved animal in many faiths, not least the Christian, as it was a donkey that carried Christ triumphant into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. This is how it is said to have achieved a mark in the shape of a cross on its back.

TOUCH WOOD
It is thought by some that the action may be the result of the Christian belief in The Crucifixion. According to the bible Christ was crucified on a cross made of wood and hence touching wood may now be a sign of this belief, and a sign of deep compassion and reverence for Christ's resurrection.

The ancient Greeks made a similar type of bun called a 'bous' with horns dedicated to Apollo, Diana, the Moon and Hecate. It too was said to never go mouldy and to have mystical powers. The shape of the bun was said to represent the moon whilst the four quarters divided on the top of the bun represented the four quarters of the year.

Good Friday comes this month : the old woman runs.
With one a penny, two a penny 'hot cross buns',
Whose virtue is, if you believe what's said,
They'll not grow mouldy like the common bread.'

Poor Robin's Almanack, 1733.

Back 2 Good Friday?

SWEEPING
For those that dislike housework, then perhaps the following belief may be of interest. It was traditionally believed that sweeping in the house or yard on Good Friday (or New Year's Day) was unlucky. Incidentally it is also believed to be unlucky to sweep dust directly out of the house as you may sweep any good luck out with it. It was thought better to sweep the dust into the centre of the room and then dispose of it from there.

Another fact about sweeping is not to sweep the house with a broom made of Birch twigs (called a 'green broom') during the month of May as this old rhyme said:

SHROVE TUESDAY, PANCAKE DAY
The three days preceding Ash Wednesday and Lent were traditionally called 'Shrovetide' culminating in 'Shrove Tuesday' or what has become more commonly known as 'Pancake Day'. This was a time for people to go to church and seek absolution from sin with penance. Pancakes were and still are believed to be of good luck in many areas of the world as they contained many herbs and food stuffs associated with the promotion of prosperity and longevity. Made from batter and fried like a thin cake in fat the ingredients symbolise four crucial points of significance at this time of year :

All herbs and spices are believed to evoke good or lucky qualities. Pancake Day falls on Shrove Tuesday and was associated with misfortune although today the reverse is true as it is believed to eat pancakes on Shrove Tuesday means that you will not go without food during the coming year. In order to ensure that this will occur the pancakes must be eaten before eight in the evening (20.00hrs.) or bad luck will ensue. This day became one of celebration announced by the 'Pancake Bell'. The sounding of this bell meant that villagers could return home and prepare the pancakes, and join in games and general merriment (pancake races and tossing the pancakes are just two examples of common traditions). In some areas of England (UK) the sounding of the bell is documented as far back as 1450, with the most well known being in Olney, Buckinghamshire.

The custom itself can be traced back several centuries when Shrove Tuesday was the last day that any form of festivities could take place before the period of Lent (see also Lent). The actual word Shrove derived from the word 'shrive' which meant 'confession through penance'. This original meaning was symbolic of the time when festivities would take place to purify the individual and area with the eating of pancakes. Later this day was also known as 'Derby Day' and in some instances (UK) more extreme displays of such confessions and driving out of evil forces abounded such as identifying prostitutes and cock fighting. The authorities eventually declared these practices to be outlawed and so people took to tossing the pancakes instead of fighting cocks or the humiliating of prostitutes. This practice of cock fighting was also known as 'threshing the hen' and was purely a Shrovetide sport which involved throwing cockerels with tied wings and feet as far as possible. In Somerset, England (UK) it later became common practice for daffodils to be thrown instead, these being called 'Leny-cocks'.

In some parts of rural England (UK) this day is still known as 'Lent-crocking Day'. Tradition has it that this was a time of charity also exampled by the following tradition and verse:

'When the door is opened, the hero, who is perhaps a farmer's boy, with a pair of black eyes sparkling under the tattered brim of his brown milking hat covered with cow's hair and dirt like the inside of a blackbird's nest, hangs down his head, and, with one corner of his mouth turned up into an irrestistible smile, pronounces the following lines -

I be come a shrovin,
Vor a little pankiak,
A bit o' bread o' your baikin',
Or a little truckle cheese
O' your own makin'.
If you'll gi'me a little, I'll ax no more,
If you don't gi'me nothin, I'll rottle your door.'

If the door was not answered a load old broken earthenware pots would be hurled at the door! Want to read more about Mystical Eggs?
OR
Want to read more about the Mystic's Kitchen/housework?

LENT
This is now known as a forty day annual festival which culminates on Easter Sunday. In the fourth century the length of this period was said to be 36 days, moving to 40 in the seventh century to correspond to and acknowledge Christ's suffering of 40 days and 40 nights in the wilderness when His faith was tested and He was tempted by the Devil. During this period Christians fast just as Christ did in the wilderness. Christ held to His faith in the Resurrection so demonstrating the strength of faith.

The word Lent is derived from the word 'Lenct' which was the Saxon word for 'Spring' with March being a month associated with rebirth in nature after the bleakness of winter, hence fasting was also used by communities in Saxon times as a way of making the winter stores of food last within agricultural communities. 'Lencten monath' was the name given by the Saxons to this month as day-by-day the length of the day increased. The fast from Ash Wednesday to Easter runs through the majority of this month hence this period became referred to as 'Lencten-faesten' or 'Lent'.

In many parts of rural England (UK) the practice of clearing the house of food stuffs resulted in many customs being developed (See Mystical WWW Easter : Pancake Day). Any remaining meat was eaten in the form of a steak or 'collop' and so the day preceding Shrove Tuesday became known as 'Collop Monday'.

FOLK CALENDAR
Read this section by looking up an area of the UK and then look for festivals around the Easter period.

Read more about Traditional Folk Events

---

PHRASES

DOUBTING THOMAS
The term 'Doubting Thomas' is believed to derive from the first meeting of the disciples after the death of Christ. It is believed that Jesus appeared to them immediately after His death as they had gathered together in the same room as the Last Supper. The apostle known as Thomas (John, xx, 25) was not at this first meeting and when the disciples told him of Christ's appearance to them, he did not believe them. It is written that Thomas said that he would only believe when he had seen Christ himself and had put his fingers and hands in the holes of His wounds. At a second meeting Christ appeared and showed Thomas His wounds telling him that those who believe and yet have not seen are blessed with true faith. The term is therefore used to describe anyone that will not accept what they are told unless they see it for themselves or lack in any form of faith.
BACK 2 TOP

---