PRACTICES TO OBTAIN CHILDREN 107 



Mannhardt has noted that in many of the periodical 

 ceremonies he has recorded the blows are specially 

 aimed at women and girls. Thus, in addition to the 

 instances already mentioned, in Shaumburg the men- 

 servants at Shrovetide strike the maids and married 

 women on the calves so vigorously that the blood often 

 flows. The next night, however, the maids have their 

 turn, and doubtless repay with interest what they have 

 received. 1 In Ukrainia on Palm Sunday, scarcely 

 have the people left the church when the boys 

 brandish the willow-rods recently borne in the pro- 

 cession and lay them about the backs of all who are 

 near them, but preferably on the women and girls. 2 

 The " Easter-smack" which is given in many parts of 

 Germany and Austria is often bestowed only on the 

 women. 3 In some parts of Voigtland the girls are 

 whipped by the lads with nosegays. 4 In Voigtland 

 and the whole of the Saxon Erzgebirge the lads on 

 Boxing Day beat the women and girls, if possible while 

 they are still abed, with birchen twigs which have 

 already sprouted, bound together with red ribbons, or 

 with something else that is green, such as rosemary- 

 stalks or juniper-twigs. 5 From a police regulation in 

 the archives of Plassenburg dated in the year 1599 we 

 learn that it was then the custom at Christmas for 

 strong men-servants to penetrate into the houses, strip 



1 Mannhardt, BK. 254. 



2 Ibid. 256. So in some parts of Greece people beat one 

 another with palm-branches on coming out of Church on Palm 

 Sunday (Revue Archeologique, 1907, 55). Surely no devils can with- 

 stand the Palm Sunday service in the Greek church, and need to be 

 exorcised in this way ! 



3 Mannhardt, op. cit. 261. 



4 Ibid. 264. ^ MM, 265. 



