Little Egypt Heritage Articles Stories of Southern Illinois (c) Bill Oliver 3 October 2004 Vol 3 Issue: #30 ISBN: pending Osiyo, Good Evening Ladies and Gentlemen of Little Egypt, Recently the weather turned just a tad cooler at night. Also, recently I just happened to pass a school I attended for a short while in the early 1940s. My thoughts turned to a cold, snowy winter day tredging home from that school. It was hard, and such a long way. With that thought in mind, my hands turned the wheels of my 'auto-mo-bile' to where 'home' was in those days. Much to my amazement it was three and a half residential blocks from school. When I complained in those days the 'old' folks would tell the harrowing details of Great Grandpa's daily 12-mile tredge to school. Or, was it 15 miles? Did they mention that his tredge was barefoot in the snow? And, no gloves for his fingers? These types of stories were usually brought on by our complaints of some unpleasant task we 'had' to do. The response usually began something akin to: "You don't have it hard, why when I was a tad ......". When your young children or grandchildren complain about a task, do you launch into an anecdote? I do! Sure 'en tis myself, my six year old granddaughter says to me, "Oh, Poppy, you're being silly again!" The season for county fairs has pretty much passed for another year. Many of the families I know have children in 4-H who raise and show their animals or produce. They camp in Rvs at their county fair every year. County fairs are a deep rooted tradition enjoyed by whole families everywhere today. It is sure thata fairs developed every where in this world. In the low lands of Scotland during the reign of King David I [reigning 1124 to 1153] some changes began to develop. The king knew that his kingdom needed trade, and that trade depended ujpon peace, so he developed the burgher system. He believed the burgh would be not only the center of town but the center for trade. From this Fair Day was developed. Everyone would attend, entire families. The purpose of Fair Day would be to sell surplus goods and to purchase necessities. Once this was accomplished it became fun time. The gathered group produced a gaiety which was the relief necessitated by isolation and the loneliness and monotony of farm life. Farmers sold their livestock, wood, and any surplus produce. The mercantiles included shoemakers, coopers, brassers, turners, jewelers, and haberdashers all displaying and selling their wares. In the Scottish lowlands there were ballad singers, harpests and pipe-players. The people there were, though not particularly prosperous, they were very rich in folklore and tales. Dances attracted everyone. Religious and Saints' days were celebrated with gaiety [at least until the refermation], plus any other holiday that could be used, such as May-games. Life didn't have the longevity that we enjoy today. Marriages in the lowlands occured at an early age. The Refermation didn't seem to change that custom. It was common for boys to marry at age fourteen, and girls at the age of twelve. Since weddings were times of festivity, even though quite routh. They were opportunites for much dancing. Everyone who attended contributed to the feast, as well bringing gifts essential to set up housekeeping. This is all to say that the country folk of the Ulster-Scot loved to gather for celebration and the harvest fairs were among the biggest and gayest. Just like our present day county fairs. e-la-di-e-das-di ha-wi nv-wa-do-hi-ya nv-wa-to-hi-ya-da. (May you walk in peace and harmony) Wado, Bill -=- PostScript: = = = = http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/SOIL http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/ILMASSAC http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ne/state/BillsArticles/LittleEgypt/intro.html