[439] Grey, Polynesian Mythology, 111-114.
[440] Cook, vi. 192.
[441] Doolittle, Social Life of the Chinese, ii. 328.
[442] There are several derivations for Beltane or Bealteine: 1. From Baal or Belus, the Phœnician god, the worship being supposed to be of Phœnician origin; 2. from Baldur, one of the gods of Valhalla who represented the Sun; 3. from lá = day, teine = fire, and Beal = the name of some god, but not Belus; 4. from Paleteine, Pales’ fire, the worship being identified with that of the Roman goddess Pales, who presided over cattle and pastures, and to whom, on April 21, prayers and offerings were made. At the Palilia shepherds purified their flocks by sulphur and fires of olive and pine wood, and presented the goddess with cakes of millet and milk, whilst the people leaped thrice through straw fires kindled in a row. Yet we should probably be right if we connected the Palilia and the Beltanes, not as directly borrowed one from the other, but as co-descendants from one and the same origin.
Mr. Forbes-Leslie speaks of Beltane fires as still to be seen in 1865. The Beltane feast proper was on May-day, but the word was also applied to fires kindled in honour of Bel on other days, as on Midsummer Eve, All Hallow-e’en, and Yeule, now Christmas. (Early Races of Scotland, i. 120-1.)
[443] Stewart, Popular Superstitions of the Highlanders, p. 149.
[444] Bancroft, iii. 701.
[445] Kolbe, Caput bonæ Spei, ii. 431-2, and Thunberg, in Pinkerton, xvi. 143. Kolbe gives a picture of the practice.
[446] Kerr, Voyages, i. 131.
[447] Catlin, ii. 189.