Chapter 3

Minne-drinking, even as a religious rite, apparently exists to this day in some parts of Germany. At Othergen a village of Hildesheim, on Dec. 27 every year a chalice of wine is hallowed by the priest, and handed to the congregation in the church to drink as Johannis segen [[John's blessing]] (blessing); it is not done in any of the neighbouring places. In Sweden and Norway we find at Candlemas a dricka eldborgs skål [[drinking the fire-castle's (?) toast]], drinking a toast (see Superst. k, Swed. 122).

Now that Suevic cupa filled with beer (p. 75) was a hallowed sacrificial cauldron, like that which the Cimbri sent to the emperor Augustus. (65) Of the Scythian cauldron we have already spoken, p. 75; and we know what part the cauldron plays in the Hýmisqviða and at the god's judgment on the seizure of the cauldron (by Thor afrom giant Hymir). Nor ought we to overlook the ON. proper names Asketill [[Aesir-kettle]], Thôrketill [[Thor-kettle]] (abbrev. Thorkel) AS. Oscytel [[god-kettle]] (Kemble 2, 302); they point to kettles consecrated to the âs and to Thor.

Our knowledge of heathen antiquities will gain both by the study of these drinking usages which have lasted into later times, and also of the shapes given to baked meats, which either retained the actual forms of ancient idols, or were accompanied by sacrificial observances. A history of German cakes and bread-rolls might contain some unexpected disclosures. Thus the Indicul. superstit. 26 names simulacra de consparsa farina. Baked figures of animals seem to have represented animals that were reverenced, or the attributes of a god. (66) From a striking passage in the Fridthiofssaga (fornald. sög. 2, 86) it appears that the heathen at a disa blôt baked images of gods and smeared them with oil: 'sâtu konur við eldinn ok bökuðu goðin, en sumar smurðu ok þerðu með dûkum,' women sat by the fire and baked the gods, while some anointed them with cloths. By Friðþiof's fault a baked Baldr falls into the fire, the fat blazes up, and the house is burnt down. According to Voetius de superstit. 3, 122 on the day of Paul's conversion they placed a figure of straw before the hearth on which they were baking, and if it brought a fine bright day, they anointed it with butter; otherwise they kicked it from the hearth, smeared it with dirt, and threw it in the water.

Much therefore that is not easy to explain in popular offerings and rites, as the colour of animals (p. 54), leading the boar round (p. 51), flowers (p. 58), minne-drinking (p. 59), even the shape of cakes, is a reminiscence of the sacrifices of heathenism (see Suppl.).

Beside prayers and sacrifices, one essential feature of the heathen cultus remains to be brought out: the solemn carrying about of divine images. The divinity was not to remain rooted to one spot, but at various times to bestow its presence on the entire compass of the land (see ch. XIV). So Nerthus rode in state (invehebatur populis), and Berecynthia (ch. XIII), so Frô travelled out in spring, so the sacred ship, the sacred plough was carried round (ch. XIII Isis). The figure of the unknown Gothic god rode in its waggon (ch. VI). Fetching-in the Summer or May, carrying-out Winter and Death, are founded on a similar view. Holda, Berhta and the like beings all make their circuit at stated seasons, to the heathen's joy and the christian's terror; even the march of Wuotan's host may be so interpreted (conf. ch. XXXI. Frau Gauden). When Frô had ceased to appear, Dietrich with the ber (boar) and Dietrich Bern still showed themselves (ch. X. XXXI), or the sônargöltr (atonement-boar) was conveyed to the heroes' banquet (ch. X), and the boar led round the benches (p. 51). Among public legal observances, the progress of a newly elected king along the highways, the solemn lustration of roads, the beating of bounds, at which in olden times gods' images and priests can hardly have been wanting, are all the same kind of thing. After the conversion, the church permanently sanctioned such processions, except that the Madonna and saints' images were carried, particularly when drought, bad crops, pestilence or war had set in, so as to bring back rain (ch. XX), fertility of soil, healing and victory; sacred images were even carried to help in putting out a fire. The Indicul. paganiar. XXVIII tells 'de simulacro quod per campos portant,' on which Eccard 1, 437 gives an important passage from the manuscript Vita Marcsvidis (not Maresvidis): statuimus ut annuatim secunda feria pentecostes patronum ecclesiae in parochiis vestris longo ambitu circumferentes et domos vestras lustrantes, et pro gentilitio ambarvali in lacrymis et varia devotione vos ipsos mactetis et ad refectionem pauperum eleemosynam comportetis, et in hac curti pernoctantes super reliquias vigiliis et cantibus solennisetis, ut praedicto mane determinatum a vobis amitum pia lustratione complentes ad monasterium cum honore debito reportetis. Confido autem de partoni hujus misericordia, quod sic ab ea gyrade terrae semina uberius proveniant, et variae aëris inclementiae cessent. The Roman ambarvalia were purifications of fields, and sacrifices were offered at the terminus publicus; the May procession and the riding of bounds and roads during the period of German heathenism must have been very similar to them. On the Gabel-heath in Mecklenburg the Wends as late as the 15th century walked round the budding corn with loud cries; Giesebrecht 1, 87.



ENDNOTES:

66. Baking in the shape of a boar must have been much more widely spread than in the North alone, see below, Frô's boar; even in France they baked cochelins for New Year's day, Mem. de l'ac. celt. 4, 429.  (back)