The Child’s Twelfth Night Dream.
Drawing by John Leech.
In England, as well as in France, a single king survives in the ceremony of the Twelfth Cake. France, which was probably the inventor of this eatable, known there as the King’s Cake, cherishes the custom with especial gusto. So let us begin with the Galette du Roi.
The size of the cake is determined by the number of the guests for whom it is to be served. It is usually made of pastry and is baked in a round sheet like a pie. A broad bean was formerly baked into the cake, but in our day a wee little china image is usually substituted for the bean. When ready the cake is cut into slices and the youngest child at the table directs how these slices shall be distributed to the others. There is great excitement as slice after slice is handed out and eaten.
At last some one’s teeth come in contact with the image and he spits it out. “He,” I say, on the supposition that it is a boy. If it is, indeed, a boy, he is called King of the Bean (le Roi Favette), and chooses a queen from among the girls. If it be a girl she becomes queen and chooses a boy as her consort.
King and queen are now closely watched by their companions. When either of them drinks the whole party has to cry out “The king drinks” or “the queen drinks,” as the case may be. Any one who fails to join in the cry has to pay a forfeit.
In England the custom varies in different localities as it has varied at different dates.
What it was in London during the middle of the nineteenth century is best described by Hone in his “Table Book:”
“First buy your cake,” says this author. “Next, look at your invitation list, and count the number of ladies you expect, and afterwards the number of gentlemen.
“Then you write down on slips of paper the names of as many famous characters in history, male and female, as will cover the list of guests. Add to each slip some pleasant bit of verse.
“Fold them up exactly of the same size, and number each on the back; taking care to make the king No. 1 and the queen No. 2. Cause tea and coffee to be handed to your visitors as they drop in. When all are assembled and tea is over, put as many ladies’ characters in a reticule as there are ladies present; next put the gentlemen’s characters in a hat. Then call on a gentleman to carry the reticule to the ladies as they sit; from which each lady is to draw one ticket and to preserve it unopened. Select a lady to bear the hat to the gentlemen, for the same purpose. There will be one ticket left in the reticule, and another in the hat,—which the lady and gentleman who carried each is to interchange, as having fallen to each. Next arrange your visitors, according to their numbers;—the king No. 1, the queen No. 2 and so on. The king is then to recite the verse on his ticket; then the queen a verse on hers; and so the characters are to proceed in numerical order.