| Show I 1 fire festival used to prove love FIRE festivals one of tho the most primitive means ot of making ma tang a love charm actually take place today in different forms in several countries reveals a writer in mystle mystic magazine these fire festivals of today come from an oli ola pagan sex rite in the days alays when fire nag as a symbol of fertility in such times weird sorts of 0 ire fire worshiping were practiced to insure the birth of many children and and abundant growth of crops they have been changed to their quaint and more wholesome use of 0 today through modern modem influence but the original rite may still be seen if one explores into the heart of central africa and a few other tropical regions an intimate view ot of ft a modern fire festival continues the writer can be obtained by transporting ourselves to the pretty french province of franche comte where they are still held if we are lucky we find a spot in a forest where the cerenio ceremony ny Is about to take place we hide and watch by the light of the moon presently a gay group of young men and women come trooping into a clearing among the trees some are pulling small carts loaded with fagots fagons others rather gather up dead branches of trees from the ground after much whispering and many gleeful smiles the fuel Is at last piled in preparation for a huge uge bonfire ready for the lighting A match Is applied to the wood and the flames commence to mount throwing a ruddy glow to the tops topa of the trees the comely girls stand ab about out fascinated faces glowing from their task of gathering wood eyes bright with faithful anticipation then the young people leap over and through the flames taking great care not to singe or besmirch themselves they believe that those who come through the ordeal unscathed will be happily married within a year and be blessed with children perhaps two lovers will go off by themselves to a clearing light a bonfire and perform the curious custom alone the young lad leaps boldly through the fire it if unscathed he be smiles happily back through the tall tala red rad tongues of heat to where his sweetheart stands preparing to jump her lover over braces his legs and with arms outstretched Is ready to receive her when she comes hurtling through the th flames it if her flight Is so swift that she Is both are overjoyed they kiss tenderly worshipfully and set get off for their ho homes mes hand in hand band firmly believing that they will be ma married within althin a year |
