Page:Journal of American Folklore vol. 12.djvu/118

 106 Journal of American Folk-Lore.

view. The day upon which it was found was called "Cross Day." Henceforth, the anniversary of that day has been observed. Reli- gious services arc held in the church, and ceremonies are performed. The crosses which are in the church are removed from their places and put in water, where they remain for three days. After this they are taken out and restored to their former positions.

Easter. — On Easter morning the sun dances, and there is no other morning in the year when such is the case. Since they cannot look directly at the sun, they have mirrors into which they look in order to see it dance. It is said, too, that very seldom is there an Easter morning which is not clear. Prior to Easter there is a seven weeks of self-denial, and, in a measure, fasting. Before the fast- time begins there is a week given up to feasting, dancing, and friv- olity. The period of fasting has become personified, until they imagine that a spirit oversees its observance. The name of the spirit is " Great East." The seven weeks' fast begins at midnight, and on the evening previous they talk of Great Fast being over behind the mountain. At twilight they say : " Now he is on top of the mountain." A little later, when it is dark, they will say : " Now he is in the valley." Still later: "He is leaving the valley." Thus they go on speaking of him as drawing nearer and nearer, until they will finally say : " He is now on the housetop waiting to come down." At midnight he comes down the chimney, and sits in the fireplace. He goes to everything in the room and smells of it, to the cooking vessels, etc. ; and even smells of the mouths of those who are asleep, to see if they have been eating butter, grease, or any other forbidden article of food. In preparation for this scruti- nizing investigation, on this night after supper it is customary to scour all the dishes with ashes. Everything must be clean. Some people will even wash their mouths with ashes. After his examina- tion, Great Fast goes back and takes his seat in the chimney, where he sits for forty days in order to watch the people, and to be sure that they do not do any of the things forbidden for that period. However, though he sees everything, he cannot be seen himself. He is invisible. 1

For three days before Easter the Armenians will gather at a churchyard for the purpose of breaking eggs. Two persons will

1 My informant tells me that when he was a child he awoke one morning while it was still twilight and was frightened to see something black in the fireplace. He asked his mother what it was. She replied that it was Great Fast, and told him to cover up his head while she drove the spirit away. He did so, and on being told a little later to uncover his head, he was unable to see anything out of the ordinary. Later years, however, revealed the fact that it was a kettle he had seen, and that on covering up his head, his mother had carried it out of the room.

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