Page:Things Seen In Holland (1912).djvu/132

 the old “little masters” —Ostade, Jan Steen, Gerard Dou, Terborch, and others—has depicted a kermis scene, which reveals these saturnalia in all their nauseating hideousness. Many towns and villages have their kermis which lasts from three days to a week, generally the latter. During the day the inhabitants wander about the streets dancing and shouting, riding on merry-go-rounds, enjoying the attractions of more or less elevating peep-shows, and greedily gorging themselves with fried botjes (flounders), gerookten