Page:Notes and Queries - Series 10 - Volume 3.djvu/19

 in. JAX. 7, wo*.] NOTES AND QUERIES.

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be found in Edward Clodd's ' Childhood of Religions,' pp. 126-7, and a bibliography of the subject in Note E, p. 262. Mr. Clodd quotes the poem at the end of the Passover subjects used by the Jews, which some of them " regard as a parable of the past and future of the Holy Land." H. A. STRONG. University, Liverpool.

The late J. O. Halliwell (' Nursery Rhymes and Tales of England,' pp. 112, 131) notes the coincidence pointed out by ME. WATSON, and says that the historic interpretation was first given by P. N. Leberecht in 1731, and is printed in The Christian Reformer, vol. xvii. p. 28. YGREC.

BRINGING IN THE YULE " CLOG " (10 th S. ii. 507). Probably MR. RATCLIFFE is aware that there is an old proverb " Dun 's in the mire" or "As dull as Dun in the mire.' 3 "Dun" is evidently the name of a horse, and the saying no doubt had its origin in the dreadful state of the roads in early times, although one knows many a country by-road, to this day, where "Dun " might easily be stuck in the mire. The old English custom consisted in dragging the Yule "clog," or "log," through the mud to its resting-place on the brand- irons, preparatory to its consumption on Christmas Day. It was done with the cere- monies alluded to, of dancing and other accompaniments of any kind of noise and ebullitions of joy. In Herrick's ' Hesperides ' one of the 'Ceremonies for Christmasse' is

Come bring, with a noise, My merry, merry boys,

The Christmas log to the firing ; While my good dame she Bids ye all be free,

And drink to your hearts' desiring.

I think it is worthy of note that "dun," or dark red or brown, was often interchange- able with the sanguine colour, a symbol of the sun ; and I would ask whether it is not possible that the Yule log, being, as it is thought by Brand, a winter counterpart of the Midsummer fires, made within doors because of the cold, is not a relic of sacrifice to the sun-god. What is certain is that objects even approaching the sanguine colour, like "dun," were sacred to the sun, whose rays were certainly typified by horses. In a note to Ben Jonson's masque of ' Christ- inas,' Gifford says of this joyful pastime that a log of wood, called Dun the cart-horse, is brought into the middle of the room, and some one cries out, "Dun is stuck in the rnire ! " Two of the players then come forward, and, with or without ropes, com- mence to try to drag it out. They pretend

to be unable to do so, and call for help. Some of the others join them, and make awkward attempts to draw Dun out of the mire, in the course of which the log is made to fall on the toes of some of the players. "As dull as Dun in the mire" occurs in Ray's ' Proverbs ' (Bohn), and Douce, in his 'Illus- trations of Shakespeare,' also alludes to it. J. HOLDEN MAG-MICHAEL.

[In the West Riding we heard in boyhood the phrase

Olive-coloured dun, Ugliest colour under t' sun.

This has no bearing on the question under dis- cussion, but seems worth recording as folk-phrase.]

"Clog" and "log" must have been synonymous terms.

N. Bailey, in his 'English Dictionary,' 1759, defines dog to mean a load or log.

John Brand, in his ' Popular Antiquities,' 1795, heads a chapter 'The Yule Clog or Block, burnt on Christmas Eve,' and fre- quently refers to it in the same sense.

The Gentleman s Magazine for August, 1790, says :

"At Rippon in Yorkshire, on Christinas Eve, the chandlers sent large mold candles and the coopers logs of wood, generally called Yule Clogs, which are always used on Christina* Eve. ; but should it be so large as not to be .all burnt that night, which is frequently the case, the remains are kept till old Christinas Eve."

A writer in the same magazine for February, 1784, says :

" That this rejoicing on Christmas Ece had its rise from the Juul, and was exchanged for it, is evident from a custom practised in the Northern Counties of putting a large dog of icood on the fire this evening, which is still called the Yide clog."

Southey, in ' The Doctor ' (1834), says : " Clogg was the English name, whether so called from the word log, because they were generally made of wood, and not so commonly of oak or fir as of box, or from the resemblance of the larger ones to clogs, wherewith we restrain the wild, extravagant, mischievous notions of some of our dogs, he knew not."

EVERARD HOME COLEMAN. 71, Brecknock Road.

On the "Yule-block," see Hone's 'Year- Book,' col. 1110, and on the "Yule-log," 'Book of Days,' ii. 734, with an illustration. In East Yorkshire " clog " was the word, not

log." W. C. B.

CHRISTMAS UNDER CHARLES I. (10 th S. ii.

505). On this see ' Hudibras,' part i. canto i.

1. 227 :

Quarrel with Mined Pies, and disparage Their best and dearest Friend Plum-Porridge.

E. E. STREET.