ak towering above, and the gay streamers depending below.
Against this erection (not unlike the "mistletoe boughs" of the North of
England) was fastened a gaily-dressed doll. The bearers were two little
girls, who acted as maids of honour to the May Queen. Mr. Cuthbert Bede
describes her Majesty as he saw her twenty years ago. She wore a white
frock, and a bonnet with a white veil. A wreath of real flowers lay on
the bonnet. She carried a pocket-handkerchief bag and a parasol (the
latter being regarded as a special mark of dignity). An "Odd Fellows'"
ribbon and badge completed her costume. The maids of honour bore the
garland after her, whose peak was crowned with "tulips, anemones,
cowslips, kingcups, meadow-orchis, wall-flower, primrose,
crown-imperial, lilac, laburnum," and "other bright flowers." Votive
offerings were dropped into the pocket-handkerchief bag, and with these
a feast was provided for the children. If the gifts had been liberal,
"goodies" were proportionately plentiful. Finally, the May-garland was
suspended from a rope hung across the village street, and the children
pelted the May-doll with balls provided for the occasion. Their chief
aim was to hit her nose.

Another correspondent of _Notes and Queries_ speaks of ropes with dolls
suspended from them as being stretched across every village street in
Huntingdonshire on May-day, and adds, that not only ribbons and flowers
were attached to these swinging May Ladies, but articles of every
description, including "candlesticks, snuffers, spoons, and forks."

There are no May carols rivalling those of Christmas, and the verses
which children sing with their garlands are very bald as a rule.

A Maypole song of the Gloucestershire children would do very well to
dance to--

"Round the Maypole, trit-trit-trot!
See what a Maypole we have got;
Fine and gay,
Trip away,
Happy is our New May-day."

I have read of a pretty old Italian custom for the friends of prisoners
to assemble outside the prison walls on May-day and join with them in
songs. They are also said to have permission to have a May-day feast
with them.

Under all its various shapes, and however adapted to the service of
particular heathen deities, or to very rude social festivity, the root
of the May-day festival lies in the expression of feelings both natural
and right. Thankfulness for the return of Spring, anxiety for the coming
harvests of the fruits of