The third fair, held in August, continued eight days, but the fairs in
May and June were kept for two days according to the Charter. That there
were two days known as Beltane at the beginning of last century is
evident from a book of Scotch proverbs published in 1721 by James Kelly,
A.M., in which occurs the following,--
"You have skill of man and beast,
Ye was born between the Beltans."
In all probability the discrepancy as to the day originated through the
Church substituting a Christian festival for a heathen one; and although
the date was changed, yet through force of custom the name of the old
festival was retained, and in localities where the power of the Church
was comparatively weak, the older, the original day for the festival
would probably be kept as well as the newly appointed Church festival.
This view of the matter is rendered probable from the fact that the
Church did institute a great festival, to be held on the third of May,
to commemorate the finding of the cross of Christ. The legend is as
follows:--When the Empress Helena was at Jerusalem about the end of the
third century, she discovered the cross on which Christ was crucified,
and had it conveyed to the great church built by Constantine her son.
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