OCR Text |
Show Symbolism in Swedish Hailing of Eastertide A land of the North, where winters are severe and summers, with twilight twi-light nights and cool breezes, supremely supreme-ly - refreshing, Sweden, each year most eagerly welcomes the spring. Compared with more southerly climes the change comes late, with the transformation, trans-formation, therefore, all the nn re rapid and the awe it inspires correspondingly corre-spondingly deep. Naturally, long ago. spring was a time of special sacrifices to the gods of Valhalla, with fervent supplication for propitious weather and a good harvtst. With the intro duction of Christianity these ritual? became identified with Easter, anr! the old worship of the returning life power of nature was transformed Into the adoration of the risen Savior and the quickening of faith in a life to come. In the soft spring air, at twiligbt on Easter eve, columns of smoke rise on the horizon in every direction All winter long the children have saved odd scraps of wood, twigs, branches and other combustibles in order to have as big a bonfire as possible, and. as the flames begin to crackle nnd sparks fly skyward, they compete in athletic contests. Naboth Uedin. in World Traveler. |