Those
screaming and twanging instruments sounded much like an invitation
to the dance, and all the faces about me were radiant with
cheerfulness. Just such a throng, of course, attended upon the
festival of god or goddess ere the old religion was transformed.
Most of the Christian anniversaries have their origin in heathendom;
the names have changed, but amid the unlettered worshippers there is
little change of spirit; a tradition older than they can conceive
rules their piety, and gives it whatever significance it may have in
their simple lives.
Many came from a great distance; at the entrance to the town were
tethered innumerable mules and asses, awaiting the hour of return.
Modern Catanzaro, which long ago lost its proper costume, was
enlivened with brilliant colours; the country women, of course,
adorned themselves, and their garb was that which had so much
interested me when I first saw it in the public garden at Cosenza.
Brilliant blue and scarlet were the prevailing tones; a good deal of
fine embroidery caught the eye. In a few instances I noticed men
wearing the true Calabrian hat--peaked, brigandesque--which is
rapidly falling out of use.
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