more from the Celtic Custom book.... CORNWALL. Maypoles were erected annually in several towns, Pelynt, Dulver, East and West Looe, and in Hugh Town, St Mary's, Scilly, girls wore garlands round their heads and even large wreaths of flowers down to their waists as they danced round the pole to fiddle and drum. Hayle children dressed in paper clothes adorned with flowers. They maypoles were garlanded and protected by a guard to stop neighbouring villagers from stealing them. If stolen they were returned next day. Bonfires were lit in many places and bundles of oily rags set alight and rolled along the streets. Children sat up until midnight, and then, with musical instruments playing, went a-maying. The blowing of horns or conchshells commonly ushered in May Day. For every year a May horn was used a penn'orth of tin was fixed round it. Whistles, called 'feepers' or 'pee-weeps', made of green wheat stalks were blown in St Ives, whereas in Penzance fiddles and drums were the favoured accompaniment. Crowds of children wen round collecting money or food. Houses were decorated with 'May', usually sycamore, whitethorn or other greenery. If boys succeeded in fixing a May bough (of hawthorn, sycamore or whitethorn) above a farmer's door without being detected they could demand breakfast. Millbrook, on the banks of the River Tamar, once had a procession featuring a gilded ship. This may hark back to the days, as in Padstow, when the town was a port before the silting up. -- Pat Connors, Sacramento CA http://www.connorsgenealogy.com Professional Genealogy Research All outgoing mail virus free, scanned by Norton 2002