Northern mythology

NORTH GERMAN CUSTOMS AND SUPERSTITIONS. 135
Woldegk in
houses of those who were married during the foregoing year,
the former demanding the ' Kliese/ a wooden ball, and the
latter the ' Brautball/ or Bride-ball, which is of considerable
size and made of leather. On the second day of Easter
they appear again before the door to receive the balls, and
repeat some doggrel verses. The ball-play is played with
the ^ Kliese,^ at which each one endeavours to drive the
ball from his hole. The bride-ball is struck backwards
and forwards until it is beaten to pieces.
At Warthe in the Ukermark the boys go about flogging
the girls on the first day of Easter, in return for which
they must give them fish and potatoes on the second feastday
; the boys providing the music for a dance.
In many places coloured Easter-eggs are given away,
particularly by their sponsors to the children. In some
places they are rolled down a declivity, when there is a
race after them.
Easter-fires are lighted in many places, particularly in
the North Harz (and sometimes in the South Harz), in
the Altmark, Brunswick, Hanover and Westphalia. They
are usually kindled on certain eminences and hills, which
thence bear the name of ' Osterberge.^ The manner of
proceeding varies according to circumstances : where there
are declivities, burning tar-barrels are rolled down. In
the mining towns of the Harz the fire is usually kindled
on Easter-eve, when a tree is commonly set up, surrounded
with brushwood and burnt. In Grund they run about
with torches.
If Easter-water is to be fetched, it must be only from a
running stream, and against the current, and between midnight
and sunrise. In Swinemvinde they take it with the
stream, repeating certain lines. In the neighbourhood of
Meklenburg the maid- servants fetch Easterwater
on Easter-morning, or on the preceding evening
spread out linen cloths in the garden, and in the morn-