l'achetai samedy
D'un bon homme de dehors;
Mais il est encore a payer.
Hoguinano."{35}

|330| Formerly at Matignon and Ploubalay in Brittany on Christmas Eve
the boys used to get together, carry big sticks and wallets, and knock at
farmhouse doors. When the inmates called out, "Who's there?" they would
answer, "The _hoguihanneu_," and after singing something they were given
a piece of lard. This was put on a pointed stick carried by one of the
boys, and was kept for a feast called the _bouriho_.{36} Elsewhere in
Brittany poor children went round crying "_au guyane_," and were given
pieces of lard or salt beef, which they stuck on a long spit.{37} In
Guernsey the children's quest at the New Year was called _oguinane_. They
chanted the following rhyme:--

"Oguinani! Oguinano!
Ouvre ta pouque, et pis la recclios."[115]{38}

Similar processions are common in eastern Europe at the New Year. In some
parts of Macedonia on New Year's Eve men or boys go about making a noise
with bells. In other districts, early on New Year's morning, lads run
about with sticks or clubs, knock people up, cry out good wishes, and
expect to be rewarded with something to eat. Elsewhere again they carry
green olive- or cornel-boughs, and touch with them everyone they
meet.{39} We have already considered various similar customs, the noise
and knocking being apparently intended to drive away evil spirits, and
the green boughs to bring folks into contact with the spirit of growth
therein immanent.

In Roumania on New Year's Eve there is a custom known as the "little
plough." Boys and men go about after dark from house to house, with long
greetings, ringing of bells, and cracking of whips. On New Year's morning
Roumanians throw handfuls of corn at one another with some appropriate
greeting, such as:--

"May you live,
May you flourish
Like apple-trees, |331|
Like pear-trees
In springtime,
Like wealthy autumn,
Of all things plentiful."

Generally this greeting is from the young to the old or from the poor to
the rich, and a present in return is expected.{40}

In Athens models of war-ships are carried round by waits, who make a
collection of money in them. "St. Basil's ships" they are called, and
they are supposed to represent the vessel on which St. Basil, whose feast
is kept on January 1, sailed from Caesarea.{41} It is probable that this
is but a Christian gloss on a pagan custom. Possi