436 CHAMOIS HUNTING. 



taineer. Separated, except by occasional intercourse, for many 

 months in the year from the world below them, the herdsmen 

 must be content with pleasures simple in themselves and easy of 

 attainment. Hence that peculiar song, " Jodeln," with which 

 the lonely milk-maid of the chalet, the woodcutter, or the pea- 

 sant-boy " drives the lagging hours along," and breaks the awful 

 silence of mountain solitude. As soon however as a few men 

 and lassies are assembled, they have not to seek long for amuse- 

 ment. Then begins the merry dance, peculiar to these people, 

 mingled with song ; and should the number be too small to af- 

 ford them this their favourite recreation, then the cherished and 

 dearly-loved cithern is soon upon the table, and accompanying 

 with its simple, unassuming melody, some equally simple love- 

 ditty or song of hunting life. 



The affection the peasantry bear this instrument is very great: 

 its tones affect them more than any instrument of greater preten- 

 sions would have power to do. 



" Well, 'faith, it is the strangest tiling ! 



What's in a cithern's tone ? 

 It moves the heart, and makes it sad, 



As I've heard many own. 

 And then it is so sweet and gay, 



And sounds in merry style ; 

 'Tis just as though you bravely laugh'd, 



And yet did weep the while."* 



But the most peculiar kind of song, and a very favourite pas- 

 time of the people throughout Bavaria, particularly in the south- 

 ern parts, in Suabia, the Tyrol, Upper Austria, and Styria, are 

 the so-called " Schnadahupfln." These songs consist of short 

 verses, not unlike the " Couplets" of the French, and generally 

 contain some figurative comparison, taken from external nature, 

 or from the occupations and pleasures of the hunter or the hus- 

 bandman, and are always of a humorous, gay, or sportive cha- 

 racter. By far the greater number have Love for their theme, 

 and describe the lover or his " dearie," some love adventure or 

 a lover's grief. The Spanish " Seguidillas" were somewhat like 

 them : they too were sung to the guitar during the dance, and 

 were frequently improvised. Seven lines was their usual length, 



* Kobell's Gedichte. 



