When we examine accounts of May Day rites we'll see the strong connection they have with accounts of earlier Vanir rites and how they are virtually identical to the descriptions of Easter/Ostara rites we have examined so far. The beginning of May was kept as a great festival from of old and it now regarded as the trysting-time of witches who were once known as wise-women and who were very much revered. (477)

One account relates that when Whitsuntide (roughly, Summer Finding) approached the 'maigreve' (probably equivalent to May-king) was elected and the May-wagon was built from timber hewed from seven villages. All the 'loppings' were then loaded on the wagon which was drawn by only four horses. A procession from the town came to take the wagon and the burgonmaster and council received May-wreaths from the commoners. They in turn handed it over to the maigreve. The wagon would hold from 60 to 70 bundles of may (birch), which was delivered to the maigreve, who then distributed it. The floors of the church were strewn with clippings of boxwood and field-flowers. At this feast dishes of crabs were served up to all present. (478) If we compare this rite to the rites of Nerthus described in Tacitus and of later descriptions of the wagon processions of Freyr we cannot help but see the similarities. That these later May Day rites were almost certainly continuations of Vanir wagon-rites is almost certain. Both have processions of wagons that are led from place to place and are accompanied with great celebration and joy.

In Swabia, at sunrise on May Day, the children go into the woods, the boys carrying silk handkerchiefs on staves and the girls carrying boughs with ribbons tied in them. The leader, who is called the May-king, has the right to choose his queen. In Gelders on Mayday-eve they decorate the trees with hanging tapers much like those the Christmas tree is decorated with and sing while dancing around the tree with great joy. Grimm says that up to his time, May-bushes were still brought in houses at Whitsuntide. (479) The choosing of a queen by the May-king sounds very much like it could be the vestige of an old Vanir rite. The boy who is May-king playing the part that would have been played by a Freysgothi (priest of Freyr) or Freyr himself and the queen playing the part of his consort. These rites would have, of course, been to bless the fertility of land and animal for the coming season.

Like descriptions we have of Easter customs, there are descriptions of May-games or "Mayings" that were performed as late as the 16-17th century. On May Day morning the boys and girls set out soon after midnight, playing horns and other music to a neighboring wood and break boughs of trees to make wreaths. Wearing these wreaths and posies they then head back home at Sunrise and set these May-bushes at the doors and windows of their houses. They also bring with them a tall birch tree which they had cut down and named the May-pole. It was drawn by 20-40 oxen, each with a nosegay between his horns. The tree was set up in the village and the people danced around it. The whole festival was presided over by the Lord of the May who was elected by the people and he had his Lady of the May. (480) The strong focus on fertility of these rites in unavoidable as is the obvious connection between the May-lord and Freyr and the May-queen/lady and Freyr's consort. Another very similar rite is described as happening in Denmark. The 'jaunint' began on Walburgis Day (May 1st), and was called (roughly) 'the Summer ride.' The young men would ride out front. The May-grave wore two garlands, one on each shoulder. The rest of the young men wore only one garland around their neck. They go a-singing into the town and the young women form a circle around the May-grave and he picks one of them to be his 'maiînde,' by dropping one of his two wreaths on her head. In some places in Denmark the May-fire was called the 'gate-fire', the May-king was called the 'gate-bear' and the May-queen was called the 'gate-lamb.' (481)

We can also see that certain herbs and woods were used in this celebration. The account just related specified that birch was distributed and boxwood and field-flowers for the floors of the church. Could this have been based on a Northern custom where the floors of a hof were spread with the same? Grimm also mentions that in later times the May-feast devolved into a rite for cattle in which each cow was bedecked with a garland of beech-leaves. There is the custom of the May-drink which continued into modern times in the Lower Rhine and Westphalia. The drink used for this was a wine and certain herbs. It was said that on no account was woodroof (asperula) to be omitted from its preparation. (482)

In later Christian times it is quite possible that the May Day rites were depicted, by the Christians, as the 'Jaunt of the Witches.' This annual event is said to be on the eve of May Day. As we saw when examining Mountains as Sacred Places the many 'witch mountains' are thought to originally have been holy places of sacrifice to the Northmen and Northwomen. We shouldn't be surprised of this common tactic of the Christians, who at every turn attempted to demonize any Northern practice they could.

Rites of Spring Summary

I think that, from the accounts we have, it can easily be seen how the May Day rites and the Ostara rites were most likely the same rites. People in one location might celebrate May Day. Another location might celebrate Ostara earlier in April or late March. Despite this they were both essentially the same rite, that is, a Vanir fertility rite. In the same way we could see that Summer Finding and Sigrblót were most likely the same rite in the same way that May Day and Ostara were. The Sigrblót/Summer Finding rite was conducted to bring success in battle and ventures. It was definitely Aesir in nature. Communities would have celebrated one or the other depending on class or the devotion of the community leader to one god or the other. They could have also celebrated both rites. Grimm quotes four different ways of welcoming Summer. In Sweden and Gothland, he describes a mock battle between Winter and Summer, with the latter winning and making a triumphal entry. The Second, in Schonen, Denmark, L. Saxony and England is the May Day rites which include processions and the May-wagon or riding. The third, on the Rhine, a mock battle between Winter and Summer but without the triumphal entry and the fourth, in Franconia, Thuringia, Meissen, Silesia and Bohemia, only the carrying-out of wintry Death with no battle and no introduction of Summer. The first two fall in May and the last two in March. In the first two the whole population takes part and the second two only the lower classes take part. However the second and fourth have no anti-thesis battling as the first and third do. (9. c.24) In any case though I will leave it to the reader to decide from the evidence presented as to whether or not my theory holds any water.

The second of the two great tides was Midsummer or Sun's Wending. Like Jól it marked off one of the two seasons of the year. (483) It was the counterpart of Jól and like it, we have quite a few customs that have survived concerning it. As the name suggests this feast was held in the middle of summer, most likely around the summer solstice. This was later called St. John's Day by the Christians and was celebrated on June 24th. It was of old associated with Baldr and in was called Phol-days (Baldr-days). The jumping over of bonfires and rolling burning sun-cross wheels down hills were features from this rite from days of old. (484)

One of the most well attested customs connected with Midsummer was the bonfire over which the youth would jump. Unlike the Ostara/May Day fires which were on hills and mountains, the Midsummer fires were more often in fields and in or near the towns and cities. They wore garlands of flowers and threw herbs into the fire. In one account the garland was to be made of nine sorts of flowers. The same account gives that all manner of herbs were thrown into the fire and the problems and troubles of the person who threw the herbs would go off in the fire and smoke. Some of the herbs thrown in were mugwort, monks-hood, larkspur, mullein and walnut leaves. In another account it is said that wreaths of mugwort and 'monks-hood.' Everyone was said to carry a blue plant called larkspur and while looking into the fire they said, "So depart all mine ill-fortune and be brunt up with this herb!" and then they threw the plant into the fire. Some accounts tell of pranks being played on passers by with hidden fireworks as well. Some sources describe the wreaths worn by the those celebrating as being made of motherwort and vervain with violets being carried in the hand. (485) Other customs included the baking and distributing of large loaves or cakes and circular dances like those performed on May Day. The dances, in some places evolved into plays and dramatic presentations. (486)

At Nürnberg the young men went about begging for wood and carted it to the Bleacher's pond by the Spital-gate and made a fire which they jumped over. This was thought to give them good health for the whole year. They also charged passers by for the privilege of jumping over the fire. This tradition was continued when Mid-Summer was Christianized into St. John's Day. On St. John's Day eve the bonfire was started and it was jumped over just as in the Mid-Summer rite. Mead was also drank over it. Nicolaus Gryse (1593) mentions a regular practice on St John's Day. In his account the fire was the need-fire and they jumped over the fires and drove the cattle by it as well. They were described as passing the night 'in great sins, shame and harms.' These fires were kept burning up till midnight and sometimes up until dawn. (487)

Another very good account comes from a German village on the Moselle, near Sierk and Thionville. Every house delivers straw to the top of the Stromberg and the men and boys assembled there when it gets close to evening. Women and girls were stationed by the Burbach spring. They took a huge wheel and wrapped it all over with straw, so much so, that none of the wood from the wheel could be seen any longer. They then would put a strong pole through the center that stuck out about a yard on each side and it is there that it was grasped on each side by those that guide the wheel. Any straw that was left over from the covering of the wheel is used to make torches. At a signal given by the 'Maire of Sierk (who, according to ancient custom, earned a basket of cherries for the service), the wheel was lighted and it would begin its roll down the hill. A shout of joy was raised at this and everyone waved their torches. Part of the men stayed on the hill while the other part followed the wheel down the hill. If the wheel was still on fire when it reached the river it was considered an omen of an abundant vintage from the nearby vineyards. While the wheel was rushing past the women and girls they would erupt in cheers and they would be answered by the men on the hill and the inhabitants of the neighboring villages who were in attendance. In similar fashion the butchers of Treves are said to send down a wheel on fire every year, and in France fires and burning wheels are attested to as early as the 12th century. (488)