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party then advance and try to extricate him, but they require more assistance; this continues till all are engaged, and Dun is at length drawn out, " I see Fm born still to draw Dun out o' th' mire for you." Much fun arises from the feigned awkwardness of the revellers, and contrivances to drop the log on each other's toes. Herrick says—
" Come, bring with a noise,
My merrie merrie boyes, The Christmas log to the firing;
While my good dame, she
Bids ye all be free, And drinke to your heart's desiring.
With the last yeere's brand Light the new block, and For good success in his spending, On your psalteries play, That sweet luck may Come while the log is a teending,"
Formerly, each of the family sat down on the log in turn, sang a Yule song, and drank to a merry Christmas and happy New Year: after which they had, as part of their feast, Yule dough, or Yule cakes, on which were impressed the figure of the infant Jesus, and sometimes they were made in the shape of a little image, studded with currants and baked, and the bakers gave them as presents to their customers. Bowls of frumenty, made from wheat cakes or creed wheat, boiled in milk, with sugar and nutmeg, &c, also made part of the feast. Nor was the wassail bowl, or the tankard of spiced ale, omitted, but formed a prominent part of the entertainment; Christmas ale being generally of superlative merit. |
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