Old May Day.
Scottish Beltein.
To the Editor of the Every-Day Book.
Sir,—I confess I was not a little astonished a few days ago, on becoming acquainted with a custom evidently heathenish in its origin, which exists in the united kingdom, where, it must be admitted, great advances have been made in morals and religion, as well as in science and general knowledge.
The fact I allude to is in Dr. Jamieson’s “Dictionary of the Scottish Language.” He mentions a festival called Beltane, or Beltein, annually held in Scotland on old May-day. A town in Perthshire is called “Tillee Beltein;” i. e. the eminence (or high place) of the fire of Baal. Near this are two druidical temples of upright stones with a well, adjacent to one of them, still held in great veneration for its sanctity, and on that account visited by vast numbers of superstitious people. In the parish of Callander (same county) upon “Beltein day,” they cut a circular trench in the ground, sufficient to enclose the whole company assembled. “They kindle a fire and dress a repast of eggs and milk in the consistence of a custard; they knead a cake of oatmeal, which is toasted at the embers against a stone.” After the custard is eaten, they divide the cake into as many equal parts as there are persons present, and one part is made perfectly black with charcoal.
The bits of cake are put into a bonnet and are drawn blindfold, and he who draws the black bit is considered as “devoted to be sacrificed to Baal, and is obliged to leap three times through the flame.”
Mr. Pennant in his “Tour in Scotland, 1769,” gives a similar account with varying ceremonies.
“In Ireland,” says Mr. Macpherson, “Beltein is celebrated on the twenty-first of June at the time of the solstice. There they make fires on the tops of the hills, and every member of the family is made to pass through the fire, as they reckon this ceremony to ensure good fortune during the succeeding year. This resembles the rite used by the Romans in Palilia.”—“Beltein (adds Mr. M.) is also observed in Lancashire.”
This “custom” being entirely new to me, and appearing so much to illustrate many passages in the Bible which refer to the idolatry of the ancients, I forward it to you agreeably to your printed invitation.
I am, &c.
J. K. S.