Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 10, 1899.djvu/391

 CORRESPONDENCE.

Christmas Mummers.

(Volx., p. 1 86.)

With reference to these I think it will be interesting to give what I can remember of some mummers at MuUion, in Cornwall. The account must be very inadequate, as at the date I was unre- generate — ignorant even of folklore as a scientific study. Since being comparatively enlightened, I made every effort to induce the MuUion people to give me details, but failed altogether ; they said that mumming was given up, and no one now did it. As I saw it in 1890-91, I think if any one in the neighbourhood could pay some attention to it there would be still a good deal to be collected about it. The place is six miles from the nearest railway, Helston, and I noticed many curious relics of a bygone time in the district.

The mumming at MuUion is at Christmas, and I think the day or evening before Christmas day. There are several characters in it. They visit the houses in and around the little town. Every one naturally knows who the actors are, since there are not more than a few hundred persons within several miles ; but no one is supposed to know who they are or where they come from, nor must any one speak to them, nor they to those in the houses they visit. As far as I can remember the performance is silent and dramatic ; I have no recollection of reciting. They are offered refreshment, after which they depart, not having been openly re- cognised by any one. This particularly struck me, as a brother of either my host or hostess was one of the actors, and the latter told me he would not be spoken to, as it was not etiquette.

A self-imposed silence is usual in the carnival mumming in France, Italy, and Spain, or at least in Basque Spain, the only part I know. Several amusing incidents occurred to me in these countries at carnival time. Once when carrying all my sketching