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Show LORE OF THE YULE LOG Should Be Lighted From Portion of Last Year's Which Should Be Preserved for Good Luck. Tlie Yule-log, a probable variant of the bonfire so characteristic of sun festivals has some interesting folklore folk-lore of its own. In medieval England, its duration coincided with the Christmas revels. As long as it burned, the tenant had a right to feed at the lord's expense. The log was often cut from an ash-tree the sacred tree of our Saxon forefathers. forefath-ers. There is a gypsy legend that our Lord was born in a field and brought up by an ash-fire. The log should, properly, be' lighted with a portion of last year's log, a piece of which is always supposed to be preserved for luck. At the same time that the Christmas fire was lit, the Christmas candle had to be lighted. (A portion of last year's taper has also al-so to be kept.) It was unlucky to snuff the Christmas candle, which burned for 12 days the period of festivity. At St. John's college, Oxford, can still be seen the ancient stone socket with the Agnus Dei stamp, in which the Christmas candle was placed on the high table. On the Isle of Man, the folk formerly former-ly carried long tapers to church on Christmas eve. |