DECEMBER. 339 



they also called it Midwinter-monath, Guil-erra, 

 which means the former or first guil. Guil, now 

 corrupted, yule, was the feast of Thor, celebrated 

 at the winter solstice, and so called from id or ol, 

 which signifies " all." 



RURAL OCCUPATIONS. 



Except in clear, frosty weather, when manure 

 can be carted out, all operations have concentrated 

 themselves round home : tending and feeding sheep 

 in their sheltered pastures, young cattle and colts in 

 their sheds, and all the collected family of the farm- 

 yard, horses, cows, pigs, poultry ; cutting hay, 

 chopping straw; pulling, bringing home, and slicing 

 turnips for them, and seeing that they are well 

 cleaned and bedded ; fattening for market, and 

 killing for store, find abundant employment. And 

 to all these are to be added the many operations 

 of getting in stacks, threshing, winnowing, sacking, 

 and carrying the corn to market. 



The business of the garden this month consists, 

 principally, in matting and defending trees and 

 plants against the cold, and preparing the earth for 

 spring. 



ANGLING. 



They who can angle at this season deserve the 

 name of sportsmen. The excellence of the gray- 

 ling at this time is, however, a temptation. 



