have established; how deeply rooted they are in the affections of the
people. It is really remarkable that at the present day, in spite of
ages of education and social enlightenment, in spite of centuries of
Christian teaching and practice, we have now amongst us many customs
which owe their origin to pagan beliefs and the superstitions of our
heathen forefathers, and have no other _raison d'être_ for their
existence than the wild legends of Scandinavian mythology.

[61] _Old English Customs Extant at the Present Time_ (Methuen and
Co.).

We have still our Berkshire mummers at Christmas, who come to us
disguised in strange garb and begin their quaint performance with the
doggerel rhymes--

I am King George, that noble champion bold,
And with my trusty sword I won ten thousand pounds in gold;
'Twas I that fought the fiery dragon, and brought him to the slaughter,
And by these means I won the King of Egypt's daughter.[62]

[62] The book of words is printed in _Old English Customs_, by
P.H. Ditchfield.

Other counties have their own versions. In Staffordshire they are
known as the "Guisers," in Cornwall as the "Geese-dancers," in Sussex
as the "Tipteerers." Carolsingers are still with us, but often instead
of the old carols they sing very badly and irreverently modern hymns,
though in Cambridgeshire you may still hear "God bless you, merry
gentlemen," and the vessel-boxes (a corruption of wassail) are still
carried round in Yorkshire. At Christmas Cornish folk eat giblet-pie,