Show GRUYERE I I II II N. N I j Gruyere Cheese Is Stored for Ripening Prepared by National Geographic Society Washington D D. D C C. C. C Service dons festive at attire at- at attire attire G tire on August first It is the Swiss Fourth of July Tuly and colorful ceremonies are arc the order of the day At dusk bells begin pealing joy joy- joyously joyously joyously as you climb the steep path to the town As you listen to the melodious tones you consider how much these bells mean in the lives of the peo peo- They toll for funerals and na na- national national na- na national tragedies clang out the time summon to church proudly ring out the glad tidings of victory political or military and sing hymns and old airs at the whim of the caril- caril Each call has a distinctive tone Bells have spoken thus for centuries But this excited paean means on on- only only only ly that some great event ent is about to take place It inspires in you as you hurry along with the stream of laughing singing country folk that same expectant ant thrill that you felt as a boy when you chased the whining calliope of the circus parade You crowd through the narrow arch of the ancient tower a frown frown- frowning fro frowning ing pile gray and forbidding which once barred the way to the in in- vader Now it serves the peaceful purpose of framing the old gate and supporting the arms of a silver crane on a gules shield I surmounted by a crown and held by two semi-naked semi savages clubs in hand What a scene bursts upon you as you pass out of the thc entranceway and walk into the towns town's cobbled court 1 Throngs of people dressed in gorgeous costumes are arc gathered in a medieval setting All seem exalted as arc you by bythe bythe bythe the constant dingdong of the scores of bells some loud and clear others fainter and farther away ay perhaps miles down the valley The scene is like an animated amphitheater in in which the central floor forms the arena and the high gabled houses with lace capped heads craning from each Gothic window make the tiers Flowers and Flags The backdrop is a veritable rain rain- rainbow rainbow rainbow bow of color Every sill flaunts a box of brilliant geraniums and nasturtiums nasturtiums making a kaleidoscope of o the red flags of Switzerland stretch be be- between between between tween the houses and flutter from poles Above most doors waves waves' the scarlet flag of with a awhile white while crane strutting across its center Nature not to be outdone by the efforts of man tints the billowing clouds with the rosy glow of an Alpine sunset I Gradually you work your way up the arena past the central foun foun- fountain fountain fountain tain with its washtubs and wooden boards worn smooth with much scrubbing to the courts court's upper end Like a stage before curtain raising it is the focal point of all eyes I The peal of the bells ceases the echoes die away in the mountains From afar the faint notes of an ap ap- approaching approaching ap- ap approaching band come through the hush The music is that stirring song Le re Ranz des Tradition says King Louis XIV for for- forbade forbade forbade bade his hill bands to play it for the lilting tune made his Swiss mercenaries mer mer- mercenaries ro flo homesick that they would weep and desert the colors when they heard it Even today when a Swiss wiss is far from home the refrain brings tears to his eyes It produces that same tingling along the spine that a United States Naval academy man feels when Anchors Aweigh is played Soon you see emerging from be be- beneath beneath beneath neath the arch a file of tots gay gny in costumes At once a chatter begins in the audience as mothers and fathers recognize their offspring A vivacious little bride and handsome young bridegroom lead the parade So small and neat do they seem that they might have been animated dolls paddling along alonga a a Swiss edition of tho the Chauve Souris Each doll looks searchingly at atthe atthe atthe the spectators Every now and then one breaks into a blushing smile and shyly turns away perhaps a parent had been glimpsed in the throng The happy children pass on the eldest and tallest bringing up the rear Arranged in steps they re re- resemble resemble re- re resemble a hued bright-hued escalator moving moving moving ing down the path I The men of the village and near by dairy farms young blades and gray- gray bearded sires follow the children solemn and in in step mindful per per- perhaps perhaps perhaps haps of their many months of mili mili- military military tary t service They wear traditional I dark-blue dark jackets with short puffed puffed- out sleeves white hite shirts clean as new snow and tiny skullcaps like those of college freshmen only made of straw Every Man Ian Has Ills IDs Big Pipe Some of these men come down from the high pastures to attend the fete Each has his inevitable pipe huge and cumbersome with a alid alid alid lid to keep the sparks from flying on a windy day Behind their lords gaily march the maids and matrons scale full-scale models of the infants Broad- Broad brimmed hats with black velvet streamers set off oil the good looks of these blond Swiss demoiselles and their brilliant dresses You turn to your Swiss friend who has brought you here to his favorite village and knows his na na- native native na- na native tive land like a book I HI always understood that costumes were nev nev- never never never er worn any more in Switzerland You see them only in picture post post- postcards cards models cards models dressed up in mu mu- museum museum museum seum clothes and posing for the photographers I Oh no he says say the people of Gruyere take pride in their cos cos- costumes costumes costumes and cling to them Once the garments were practically aban aban- abandoned abandoned abandoned but patriotic societies for preserving costumes delved into rec rec- records records records and drawing of early days and these are the treasure They are Gruyere Women don the bright dresses only on fete days but the men wear theirs daily even when herding cat cat- cattle cattle cattle tle in the high pastures or making the famous cheese The joyous parade meanwhile cir cir- circles circles circles cles the fountain and comes back backup up t the h e street children toddling their fathers and brothers still stern and solemn in military formation It is to the village shrine beneath an overhanging eave cave that the procession pro pro- procession procession cession winds Here they gather young and old in a circle and sing the chorals and rollicking folk bal bal- ballads ballads ballads lads as their forefathers had before them Suddenly as the last note of the thelast thelast thelast last song dies away a terrific bang bangis is heard far down the court All AU eyes turn to see a rocket bursting in the air the sparks falling into the gay crowd This is the signal the youngsters have been awaiting Forgetting their lace and silk cos cos- costumes costumes costumes they rush pell-mell pell toward the man with the fireworks Fireworks and Feasting Soon all are swinging sparklers Roman candles and red flares to tomake tomake tomake make a fantastic sight in that an an- ancient ancient ancient courtyard Arched windows gilded coats of arms hanging from house fronts and bright flags stand standout standout standout out brilliantly in the glaring light If some old man-at-arms man came cameto cameto cameto to life and poked his head out of ofa a window the ghostly scene and popping din may have made him think the counts count's army was defend- defend defending defending ing big the town from a night attack Is this Switzerland That staid land of snow-capped snow mountains and winter whiter sports where folk never wear costumes or perform the old dances A whirling cartwheel on a post above the fountain is the mad cli cli- climax climax climax max to the fireworks spectacle While a sea of shouting happy youngsters watch a daredevil climbs up gingerly and steals the still red-hot red frame as a souvenir You go into the hostelry for dinner Entering you pass the large kitchen with cooks and kitchen maids scurrying around with their array of shining copper pots and pans The delicious aromas that come com c o m e c efrom from that spotless kitchen are tan tan- tantalizing tantalizing tantalizing appetizers Your charming hostess matronly in her colorful costume with a dainty Swiss lace shawl thrown over her shoulders insists that you come out outon outon outon on her terrace for a moment You go rather reluctantly for it is nine o'clock and you are hungry You are arc astounded by the view as you step out onto the gravelly balcony perched on the brink of a precipice A ring of jeweled lights sparkling from the mountains en en- encircles encircles encircles circles you What are they You ask your hostess Huge bonfires built by the herds herds- herdsmen herdsmen herdsmen men to celebrate August the First You mean all nIl of those twinkling lights some down low in the valley and others high on the mountains are specially built fires What for tor Originally the Swiss used bon bon- bonfires bonfires bonfires fires as a sort of medieval wireless to pass news of a n victory quickly from one village to the next Now they celebrate great events in their history especially battles and al al- alliances al- al alliances by building the fires on an an- anniversary anniversary anniversary days |