Chapter 24

The Edda takes us at once into the genealogy of these two worthies. Sumar is the son of Svâsuðr (Sæm. 34b. Sn. 23. 127), a name derived from svâs (carus, proprius, domesticus), Goth. svês, OHG. suâs, for he is one that blesses and is blest, and after him is named all that is sweet and blithe (svâslegt, blîtt). But the father of Vetr is named Vindlôni or Vindsvalr (windbringer, windcool), whose father again was Vâsaðr (ibid.) the dank and moist: a grim coldhearted kindred. But both sets, as we should anticipate, come before us as giants, Svâsuðr and Sumar of a good friendly sort, Vâsaðr, Vindsvalr and Vetr of a malignant; so that here again the twofold nature of giants (p. 528-9) is set in a clear light. The Skâldskaparmâl puts them down among the ancient iötnar: 209b Somr (al. Sômir) ok Svâsuðr, 210ª Vindsvalr ok Viðarr (l. Vetr). Even now Summer and Winter are much used as proper names, and we may suppose them to have been such from the beginning, if only because [as names of seasons] they do not agree with any in the Non-Teutonic tongues. An urkunde in Neugart no. 373 (as early as A.D. 958) introduces us to two brothers named Wintar and Sumar. Graff 1, 631 has the proper name Wintarolf in the augmentative form (see p. 762 n.).

Now I will produce plain marks of their personality, which have long maintained themselves in popular phrases and poetic turns of speech. We say every day: Summer, Winter is at the door, comes in, sets in. H. Sachs iv. 3, 21ª: 'till Summer step this way.' (6) In MHG. the one is commonly called lieb (lief, dear), the other leid (loathly, sad): 'der liebe Sumer urloup genam,' took leave, Ben. 344. 'urloup nam der Winder,' 362. Both are provided with a retinue: 'Sumer, dîne holden (retainers) von den huoben sint gevarn,' 304. 'Sumer, dîn gesinde,' 406. 'mîn sanc süle des Winters wâpen tragen,' my song should W.'s livery wear, MS. 1, 178b. 'Winder ist mit sînen vriunden komen,' Ben. 414. Evidently they have marched up with their men, each with intent to war upon and chase away his foe: 'der leide Winder hât den Sumer hin verjaget,' 381. 'er (der Winter) ist dir gehaz, er en-weiz niht umbe waz, selten er des ie vergaz, swenne er dînen stuol besaz, er en-ructe in vür baz, sîn gewalt wol tûsend ellen vür den dînen gât,' he hateth thee, he wot not why; he seldom forgat, when thy chair he besat, but he pushed it further; his power passeth thine, etc. MsH. 3, 258. Ben. 303. 'Winter (7) hât ez hie gerûmet' cleared out, Ben. 437.---Again, as summer begins with May, we have that month acting as its representative, and just as full of life and personality. (All three receive the title of lord: 'mîn herre Winter!' MsH. 3, 267ª. 'her Meie!' 3, 443b. 'her Meige!' Walth. 46, 30). May makes his entry: 'sô der Meige în gât,' Meist. Alex. 144b. 'sô der vil süeze Meige în gât,' Trist. 537. 'Meige ist komen in diu lant,' Ms. 1, 13b. Ben. 364. 'der Meie sîn ingesinde hât,' has his retinue 1, 14b. 'des Meien tür ist ûf getân, MsH. 3, 296ª. 'der Mei ist in den landen hie' 3, 230ª. 'sô der Meie sînen krâme schouwen lât (his store displays), unde în gât mit vil manigem liehten mâle' 30, 30b. 'vil manager hande varwe (full many a hue)) hât in sînem krâme der Meige,' MS. 1, 59ª. 'der Meie hât brieve für gesant, daz sie künden in diu lant sîne kunft den vruoten,' Ben. 433; like a king who after a long absence returns victorious, he sends letters on before, to announce his coming. 'da ist der Meie und al sîn kraft, er und sîn geselleschaft diu (sic 1.) ringent manige swære (lighten many a burden); Meie hât im angesiget' overcome hime (winter, Ben. 449. 'ich lobe dich, Meie, dîner kraft, du tuost Sumer sigehaft,' thou makest S. victorious (both prop. n.), MS. 2, 57ª. 'ob der Meige ze velde lac,' Ls. 1, 199. 'sô der Meige alrêrst în gât.' Frauend. 14. 'der Mei hât sîn gezelt bestelt,' set up his tents, camp, MsH. 3, 303b. 'des Meien schilt,' 3, 307ª. 'Sumer der hât sîn gezelt nu gerihtet überal,' Ms. 2, 57ª. 'des Meien waldenœre kündet an die sumerzît,' May's forester announces summertide, MsH. 3, 230b. 'die (waldes ougenweide, forest's eye-feast) hât der Meie für gesant, daz si künden in diu lant sîn kunft' 3, 227b. 'der Meie vüeret den walt an sîner hende,' leads the wood by the hand, MS. 2, 81b; he is provided with hands (like Wish, p. 142). Men worship him with thanks and bowing, like a king or god making his progress (p. 213, Freyr); like them he has his strete (highway): 'des Meigen strâze,' Ben. 42. 'ûf des Meien strâzen,' MS. 23ª. 'Meie, ich wil dir nîgen,' bow to, Ben. 398. 'êrent den Meien,' Ben. 184. MsH. 1, 147ª,b. 'der Meie habe des danc!' thanks thereof, (8) Ben. 434. May and Summer put on their verdant attire: 'der Meie ist ûf sîn grüenez zwî gesezzen,' MS. 2, 75ª. May hears complaints, he commands his flowers, 1, 3b. 'des Meigen vriunt (attendant), der grüene wase (sward), der het ûz bluomen angeleit (laid on) sô wüneclîche sumerkleit,' Trist. 562. 'der Sumer sneit sîn kleit,' Ben. 159. 'der Meie sendet dem walde kleider' 436. 'der Sumer gab diu selben kleit, Abrelle maz, der Meie sneit,' April measured, May cut out, MS. 2, 94b. 'diu (kleider) het gegeben in (to them) der Meie z'einer niuwen wât (weeds, clothing),' MsH. 3, 286b. 'Mei hât enprozzen berg und tal' 3, 188b. 'Sumer hât gesendet ûz sîn wunne, der Meie spreit ûf diu lant sîn wât' (2, 291). (9) 'der blüenden heide voget (heath's controller) ist mit gewalt ûf uns gezoget (has rushed), hœrt wi er mit winde broget (blusters) ûf walt und im gevilde,' MsH. 1, 193ª (see Suppl.).

But more especially does the antithesis demand attention. In Winter's train come Rime and Snow, still personifications, and giants from of old (p. 532). They declare war against Summer: 'dir hât widerseit beidiu Rîf and Snê,' Ben. 398. 'der Meie lôste bluomen ûz Rîfen bande' 437. 'manegen tac stark in sînen banden lac diu heide (the heath lay fast in Winter's bonds); uns was verirt der wunne hirt von des argen Winter's nît,' long did we miss our shepherd of bliss by wicked W.'s envy, MsH. 1, 192ª. 'der W. und sîne knechte (his men), daz ist der Rîfe und der Wind,' Hartm. erst. büchl. 834. MsH. 3, 232ª. What Summer clothed, Winter strips bare: 'über diu ôren (10) er dem wald sîn kleider brach,' tore the wood's clothes over his ears (ibid.). 'dâ daz niuwe loup (leafage) ê was entsprungen, des hâstu nu gevüllet dînen sac' 2, 386b; like an enemy or robber, he fills his sack with booty (saccage). 'bluomen unde loup was des Rîfen êrster roup (first plunder), den er in die secke schoup (shoved into his sacks), er enspielt in noch enkloup,' Ben. 304. Yet, 'sunder Rîfen danc, allez grüenez in fröiden lît,' no thanks to Jack Frost, all green things are in glee, MS. 1, 34b. 'unbesungen ist der walt, daz ist allez von des Rîfen ungenâden (ill-will) komen,' Ben. 275. Wizlau in one song exclaims: 'Winder, dich vorhôte (take heed)! der Sumer komt ze môte,' to meet thee, Amgb. 29ª; and Walther 39,9: 'weizgot, er lât ouch dem Meien den strît,' Winter gives up the battle; conversely, 'der Sumer sînen strît dem Winder lât,' Warnung 2386. And, what is more than all, one poem (11) has preserved even the mythic name of the Rime-giant: it is Aucholf, formed just with the suffix -olf, which like -olt is characteristic of monstrous ghostly beings; (12) the root áuka, OHG. ouhhu, means augeo, so that Oucholf may contain the notion of enormous, gigantic (13) (see Suppl.).

Summer and Winter are at war with one another, exactly like Day and Night (p. 752); Day and Summer gladden, as Night and Winter vex the world. (14)

Now the arrival of Summer, of May, or as we now say, of Spring, was kept as a holiday from of old. In the Mid. Ages this was called die zît empfâhen, welcoming the season, MS. 1, 200ª. 2, 78b. Ben. 453; die zît mit sange begên (keep), Misc. 2, 198; den Sumer empfâhen, MsH. 3, 207ª. 211ª. 232ª. 'Sumer, wis (be) empfangen von mir hundert tûsent stunt (times)!' Ben. 328. 'vrouwen und man empfiengen den Meien,' MsH. 3, 185b. 'dâ wart der Mei empfangen wol' 3, 218b. 219ª. 'den Meigen enpfâhen und tanzen' 1, 47b. 'nû wolûf grüezen (greet) wir den süezen!' 1, 60b. 'ich wil den Sumer grüezen' 3, 446b. 'helfent grüezen mir den Meien,' MS. 1, 202b. 'si (diu vogellîn, small fowl) wellent alle grüezen nû den Meien' 2, 84b. 'willekome her Meige!' 1, 57b. 'sît willekome her Meie!' 1, 59ª. 'sô wol dir, lieber Sumer, daz dû komen bist!' MsH. 2, 316b. A song in Eschenburg's Denkm. 458 has the burden 'willkommen Maie!' (see Suppl.).

But the coming in of Summer did not happen on any fixed day of the year, it was determined by acidental signs, the opening of flowers, the arrival of birds. This was called finding Summer: 'ich hân den Sumer vunden,' MsH. 3, 202b.

"Whoever had spied 'den êrsten vîol' (15) made it known; the whole village ran to the spot, the peasants stuck the flowers on a pole, and danced around it. On this subject also Nîthart has some spirited songs, MsH. 3, 298-9; conf. 202ª (den êrsten vîol schouwen). H. Sachs iv. 3, 49 seq. describes the same festival; round the first summer flower they dance and sing. 'den ersten bluomen vlehten,' MS. 1, 41b (see Suppl.).

That the first cockchafer also was fetched in with ceremonies, we saw on p. 693-4; to this day the passion for hunting these chafers and playing with them is indestructibly rooted among boys.

In the like manner the first swallow, the first stork was hailed as messenger of spring (aggeloj earoj). The swallow's return was celebrated even by the Greeks and Romans: Athenaeus 8, 15 p. 360 gives a celidonisma , (16) chanted by children at Rhodes, who carried a swallow about and collected eatables. The custom still survives in Greece; the young people assemble on March 1, and traverse all the streets, singing a sweet spring-song; the singers carry a swallow carved out of wood, which stands on a cylinder, and keeps turning round. (17) 'Hirundine prima,' says Horace Epist. i. 7, 13. That in Germany also the first swallow was taken notice of in the Mid. Ages, is shown by the superstitious observance (Sup. G, and I, 217) of digging a coal out of the ground on her appearance. In Sweden the country folk welcome her with a thrice repeated shout of joy (Westerdahl p. 55). Both swallow and stork are accounted sacred inviolable creatures. He that first announced the return of the stork to the Greeks, received messenger's pay. As late as last century the warders of many German towns were required to blow-in the approaching herald of spring, (18) and a drink of honour was served out to them from the town-cellar. An epigram by Joach. Olearius begins:

Ver laetum rediit, rediitque ciconia grata,

aspera dum pulso frigore cessat hiems. (19)
The cuckoo may also be regarded as the announcer of spring, and an O. Engl. song appeals to him: 'sumer is icumen in, lhude sing cucu!' Hone's Daybook 1, 739 (see Suppl.).

The proclaiming of summer by songs of the younger folk still prevails, or did prevail in recent centuries, almost everywhere in German and Slav countries, and bespeaks a very ancient origin. What the minnesingers, with their elegant phrases about the old 'chair, entry, highway, grace and glory of Summer' as a king or god, may have led us to guess, is supplemented and illustrated by abiding customs of the people, which in rude artless fashion drive at the main point. The modes of celebration and the songs vary greatly. (20) Often there is only a wreath, a doll, an animal carried about in a basket, and gifts demanded from house to house. (21) Here it is a cock, there a crow or a fox, (22) that the children take round, as in Poland at the time of coleda (new-year) they go about with a stuffed wolf, collecting gifts (Linde sub v. koleda). These animals do not migrate, and I leave it undetermined, what right they can have to represent the stork or swallow, or whether they mean something altogether different. The approach of Summer is only mentioned in a few words and phrases, or not at all.

In many places however the collecting of gifts is only the sequel to a previous performance full of meaning, in which youths and maidens take part. Two disguised as Summer and Winter make their appearance, the one clothed with ivy or singrün, the other with straw or moss, and they fight one another till Summer wins. Winter is thrown on the ground, his wrappages stripped off and scattered, and a summer's wreath or branch is carried about. Here we have once more the ancient idea of a quarrel or war between the two powers of the year, in which Summer comes off victorious, and Winter is defeated; the people supply, as it were, the chorus of spectators, and break out into praises of the conqueror.

The custom just described belongs chiefly to districts on the middle Rhine, beyond it in the Palatinate, this side of it in the Odenwald betwixt Main and Neckar. Of the songs that are sung I give merely the passages in point:




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