With this Mannhardt[267] aptly compares the like concomitants of the midsummer fires in North Germany, Scotland, and England. In Scotland, for example, before the bonfires were kindled on midsummer eve, the houses were decorated with foliage brought from the woods[268]. The custom of decoration at special seasons, May-day, mid-summer, harvest, and Christmas, is even now, with the exception of midsummer, universal, and is probably descended from these primitive rites, by which our ancestors sought in some mysterious way to influence the working of the powers of vegetation.
2. At the earliest glimmer of daybreak the shepherd purified the sheep. This was done by sprinkling and sweeping the fold; then a fire was made of heaps of straw, olive-branches, and laurel, to give good omen by the crackling, and through this apparently the shepherds leapt, and the flocks were driven[269]. For this we have, of course, numerous parallels from all parts of the world. Burning sulphur was also used:
Caerulei fiant vivo de sulfure fumi Tactaque fumanti sulfure balet ovis[270].
3. After this the shepherd brought offerings to Pales, of whom there may perhaps have been in the farmyard a rude image made of wood[271]; among these were baskets of millet and cakes of the same, pails of milk, and other food of appropriate kinds. The meal which followed the shepherd himself appears to have shared with Pales[272]. Then he prays to the deity to avert all evil from himself and his flocks; whether he or they have unwittingly trespassed on sacred ground and caused the nymphs or fauni to fly from human eyes; or have disturbed the sacred fountains, and used branches of a sacred tree for secular ends. In these petitions the genuine spirit of Italian religion—the awe of the unknown, the fear of committing unwittingly some act that may bring down wrath upon you—is most vividly brought out in spite of the Greek touches and names which are introduced. He then goes on to his main object[273]:
Pelle procul morbos: valeant hominesque gregesque, Et valeant vigiles, provida turba, canes.
Absit iniqua fames. Herbae frondesque supersint, Quaeque lavent artus, quaeque bibantur, aquae. Ubera plena premam: referat mihi caseus aera, Dentque viam liquido vimina rara sero. Sitque salax aries, conceptaque semina coniunx Reddat, et in stabulo multa sit agna meo. Lanaque proveniat nullas laesura puellas, Mollis et ad teneras quamlibet apta manus. Quae precor eveniant: et nos faciamus ad annum Pastorum dominae grandia liba Pali.