THE CUSTOMS OF MAY
The last night of April was known as "Michief Night" in many parts of England, and young people used to play tricks on their neighbors. Also on this night, boughs of Rowan (also called Witchwood) were carried around huge bonfires and placed over doors to break the spells of witches. In Herefordshire, people used to place trays of moss outside thier houses for the faeries to dance upon on May Eve.Maypoles were raised on May Day to celebrate the end of winter and welcome the beginning of summer. The first Maypoles were simply trees which were decorated with flowers. People used to hold hands in a large circle and dance around the tree.
At the beginning of May, in Helston in Cornwall, the Furry Dance takes place.
This is also to celebrate the beginning of summer. Houses are decorated with greenery and flowers, and the young people start dancing as early as 7:00am. The main dance begins at noon, and is led by the Mayor. At 5:00pm the last dance starts to the "Hal-an-Tow" Song:
Robin Hood and Little John
They both are gone to the Fair-O
And we to the merry greenwood
To see what they do there-O
And for to chase, O
To chase the buck and doe
with Hal-an-Tow
Jolly Rumble, O
And we were up as soon as day-O
And for to getch the summer home
The summer and the May-O
For summer is a come-O
And winter is a go-O
With Hal-an-Tow
Jolly Rumble, O.
In Abbotsbury, Dorset, Garland Day falls on May 13. Children would take garlands of flowers to the fishing boats, which would then put ot to sea. The garlands would be thrown overboard as a tribute to the sea God, to bring good luck to the fishermen.
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