{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/eng/prwe/prwe192.htm","path":"neu/eng/prwe/prwe192.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/eng/prwe/prwe192.htm","text":"Sacred Texts\u00a0\n Sagas and Legends\u00a0\n English Folklore\u00a0\n Index\u00a0\n Previous\u00a0\n Next\u00a0\n \n \n \n \n CHRISTMAS-EVE IN THE MINES.\n ON Christmas-eve, in former days, the\n small people, or the spriggans, would meet at the bottom of the deepest\n mines, and have a midnight mass. Then those who were in the mine would hear\n voices, melodious beyond all earthly voices, singing, \"Now well ! now well;\n \" [a] and the strains of some deep-toned organ would shake the rocks. Of the\n grandeur of those meetings, old stories could not find words sufficiently\n sonorous to speak; it was therefore left to the imagination But this was\n certain, the temple\n formed by the fairy\n bands in which to celebrate the eve of the birth of a Saviour, in whose\n mercy they all had hope, was of the most magnificent description.\n Midsummer-eve and\n new-year's day and eve are holidays with the miners. It has been said they\n refuse to work of those days from superstitious reasons. I never heard of\n any.\n \n [a] \"Now well I now well!\n the angel did say\n To certain poor shepherds in the fields who lay\n Late in the night, folding their sheep;\n A winter's night, both cold and, deep.\n Now well ! now well ! now well !\n Born is the King of Israel !\"\n \n \n Next: Warnings and \"Tokens\"","title":"Popular Romances of the West of England: Traditions of Tinners: Christmas-Eve in the Mines","type":"page"}