Folk-Lore of West and Mid-WalesDavies, Jonathan Ceredig
History
Folk-Lore of West and Mid-Wales
Davies, Jonathan Ceredig
Folklore -- Wales; Wales -- Social life and customs
There was an old custom once in Wales of taking an egg-shell, filled
with water, little meat, flour, etc., to a house of a neighbour,
and leave it on the outside of the window while all the family were
having their supper, and then run away, for if they were caught in
doing it, they were obliged to clean old shoes as a punishment. The
egg-shell used on the occasion was called "Crochan Grawys" (Lent
Cauldron). Some old people remember this in Carmarthenshire.
PALM SUNDAY.
I have already, in my Chapter on Funeral Customs, referred to the
beautiful old Welsh Custom of decorating the graves on Palm Sunday.
GOOD FRIDAY.
Good Friday in Welsh is called "Dydd Gwener Groglith (The Lesson of
the Cross Friday).
Not much notice is taken at present day of the day, and the services
conducted in the Parish Churches in country places are as a rule
poorly attended. In former times there were many interesting customs
and strange superstitions in connection with the day, especially in
the South of Pembrokeshire, where there was once a custom called
"Making Christ's Bed," which was done by gathering a quantity of
long reeds from the river and woven into the shape of a man. Then
this was stretched on a wooden cross, and laid in a field.
It is said that it was customary in that particular part of West
Wales, especially at Tenby, to walk barefooted to Church, and that
such Pre-Reformation custom continued till the close of the eighteenth
century, which was done so as not to disturb the earth! In returning
from Church the people regaled themselves with hot cross buns, and
after reaching the house they were eaten. But a certain number of them
were tied up in a bag, and hung in the kitchen, where they remained
till the next Good Friday, for medical purposes, for it was believed
that the eating of one of them cured diseases. They were also used
as a panacea for the diseases of animals, as well as serviceable to
frighten away evil spirits and goblins. These hot cross buns which
figured in such a peculiar manner in South Pembrokeshire, nothing is
known of them in the adjoining counties of Carmarthen and Cardigan,
among the country people; it is possible, however, that they were
known there prior to the Reformation or even after. But perhaps the bun
custom was unknown in those two counties, and it had been introduced
into South Pembrokeshire (where the people are not of Welsh origin),
from England or some other country. Some writers trace the origin
of hot cross buns to the cakes which the pagan Saxons used to eat
in honour of their goddess Eostre, and that the custom dates back to
pre-historic times, and that their connection with the Cross of our
Saviour is only by adoption. How far this is true it is impossible
to know with certainty; but it is evident that the early Christians
adopted many pagan rites and customs. According to Hone's Year Book,
the hot cross buns are the ecclesiastic Eulogiae or Consecrated Loaves
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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