Page:The Mythology of All Races Vol 3 (Celtic and Slavic).djvu/475

Rh badnjak in his hands, into every corner of the room, saluting the members of the household, who throw corn upon him. Then he lays the badnjak and a ploughshare by the fireside, together with some honey, butter, and wine, as well as a portion of every dish prepared for supper; and finally he addresses the log with the words, "Welcome! Come and eat your supper!" Sometimes the badnjak is dressed in a new shirt, or is adorned with red silk, golden threads, flowers, etc. After all this, the householder lays the badnjak on the hearth, where a fire has been kindled, and adds some more logs of wood which likewise are often called badnjaki or badnjarice. When the badnjak is burning well, the farmer takes in one hand a special sort of bread, decked with various animals made of dough and covered with salt and wheat; while in the other he holds a cup of wine. He now walks toward the corn-loft, the children following him and imitating the sounds of domestic animals; and after a portion of the bread and wine has been left on the window of the loft, the rest is put on the table in the room. He then fills a glove with kernels of wheat, and adding a silver coin, he strews the grain upon the floor, as if sowing. The children throw themselves upon the wheat, picking it up like poultry; and the one who succeeds in finding the coin will have good luck. Around the hearth straw is spread and covered with sweets for the whole family; and the farmer, hiding behind it, thrice asks the household if they can see him.

During or before supper the farmer's wife places a portion of the food in a separate pan; and these viands remain in her charge until the evening before Twelfth Night, when every member of the household gets a bit of it.

All these ceremonies show that the pagan festival of which the Koleda still retains traces was a purely domestic celebration, and that it was closely connected with the worship of the penates, who were believed to exercise a profound influence upon the household. The badnjak may certainly be regarded