prowling round the house, the golden rule is to observe strict silence and, above all, not to answer any question asked from without the door; for it is commonly believed that the Callicantzari, like the Nereids, can deprive of speech any who have once talked with them. At the same time it is wise to make up the fire, throwing on either something which will crackle like salt or heather[1], or something which will smell strong, such as a bit of leather, an old shoe, wild-cherry wood[2], or ground-thistle; for the stench of these is as unbearable to the Callicantzari as that of incense.
Such at any rate is the current explanation of the purpose of these malodorous combustibles; but in view of the notorious gullibility of the Callicantzari I am tempted to surmise that both the crackling and the smell were originally intended to pacify them for a while with the delusive hope that a share of the Christmas pork, their favourite food, was being prepared for them. For certainly even now propitiatory presents to the Callicantzari are not unknown. At Portariá and other villages of Mount Pelion it is the custom to hang a rib or other bone from the pork inside the chimney 'for the Callicantzari,' but whether as a means of appeasement or of aversion the people seem no longer to know: in Samos however the first sweetmeats made at the New Year are placed in the chimney avowedly as food for the Callicantzari[3], and in Cyprus waffles and sausages are put in the same place as a farewell feast to them on the Eve of Epiphany[4]. Moreover in earlier times the custom of appeasing them with food was undoubtedly more widespread; for in places where, so far as I know, the custom itself no longer exists, a few lines supposed to be sung by the Callicantzari on the eve of their departure are still remembered, in which they ask for 'a little bit of sausage, a morsel of waffle, that the Callicantzari may eat and depart to their own place[5].'
But propitiation of the Callicantzari, in spite of this evidence of offerings made to them, is certainly not now so much in vogue as precautions against them; and it is perhaps simpler to suppose that the choice of crackling or odorous fuel was originally prompted by the intention of conveying to the Callicantzari a plain warning, [Greek: Parad.] i. 347.]For other versions see B. Schmidt, Das Volksl. p. 150, and [Greek: Politês], [Greek: Paradoseis], i. 342.]
