"The ploughman, though he labour hard, Yet on the holiday Heigh trolollie, lollie loe. No emperor so merrily Doth pass his time away; Then care away, And wend along with me."--_Complete Angler_. "The curious preciseness, And all pretended gravity of those That seek to banish hence these harmless sports, Have thrust away much ancient honesty."--IRVING'S _Sketch Book_. All-hallow Eve--"Soul Cakes"--Diving for Apples--The Fifth of November--Martinmas--_Demands Joyous_--Indoor Games. The first of November is All Saints' Day, and the eve of that day, called All-hallow Even, was the occasion of some very ancient and curious customs. It seems to have been observed more by the descendants of the Celts than by the Saxons; and Wales, Scotland, and Ireland were the homes of many of the popular superstitions connected with this festival. In Scotland the bonfires were set up in every village, and each member of a family would throw in a white stone marked with his name; and if that stone could not be found next morning, it was supposed that that person would die before the following All Saints' Day. This foolish superstition may be classed with the other well-known superstition with regard to the sitting of thirteen people at one table, in which some are still foolish enough to believe. All-hallow Even was supposed to be a great night for witches: possibly it was with the intention of guarding against their spells that the farmers used to carry blazing straw around their cornfields and stacks. It was the custom for the farmer to regale his men with seed cake on this night; and there were cakes called "Soul Mass Cakes," or "Soul Cakes," which were given to the poor. These were of triangular shape, and poor people in Staffordshire used to go _a-souling_, i.e. collecting these soul cakes, or anything else they could get. On this night the fishermen of Scotland signed their boats, that is put a cross of tar upon them, in order that their fishing might prosper. The church bells were rung all night long for all Christian souls, and we find from some old account books that the good folk were very careful to have all their bell-ropes and bells in good order for All-hallow Even. This ringing was supposed to benefit the souls of the dead in Purgatory, and was suppressed after the Reformation.