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Author Jen Anne
Once Upon a Time
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Photographs are copyrighted by Jennifer, shared here with her kind permission.
New Web Page 6/4/10
~ Story written by Jen Anne of Penwith (UK) in June 2009 ~
Graphic design, editing and website coding by Nancy Lee Moran of USA
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On Mazey Eve
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Chapter 8
The girls were so excited. Most surprisingly Gardy was going to let them go to the Mazey Eve firework display, late as it was. and proposed to accompany them herself. Her idea was to find a vantage point somewhere along the quay, on the harbour wall, well away from the quayside drinking dens and the fair in St Anthony's Gardens. There was no escaping that they must skirt these places on the way there, but she shepherded them safely to the chosen spot. Some people had already commandeered the first set of steps up to the wall, so they found themselves quite a long way round, right by the Scillonian's berth. The boat had come back from the Scillies earlier that evening and was still lit up.
As they climbed up the stone steps to the next level, however, they found themselves in darkness, though with a fine view back towards the town over the large Art Deco seawater swimming pool. The fireworks were to be set off from the poolside.
Chloe kept saying she had seen a shooting star and peering up at the sky.
"Have you made a wish?" asked Esme.
The fair ground lights were extinguished just before the fireworks began. It was thrilling to see the first rocket.
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"Wow!!!"
"Whoopeee!!!"
"Ooooh!"
The best so far, it was agreed.
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The fantastic climax! "Aaaaaaah!"
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They could have been closer, but the reflections in the water were an added bonus.
When it was over they set off back down the quay. Gardy had somewhat miscalculated the risk of mingling with the revellers, as they had now all gathered in expectation of the next event outside the Barbican. She hustled them past towards the promenade, but they had to pass the splendid carousel and Demelza wanted to stop and admire the horses. Chloe hung back too.
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"What is going on over there?"
"Hurry up you two," called Gardy.
Demelza obeyed, but Chloe's attention was summoned by the sweet music. The most enchanting jaunty tune rang out; accordions, fiddles, flutes and drums just could not be ignored and abandoned now. She edged closer and found herself suddenly part of a bustling eager crowd. Before she knew it Chloe had been swept forward as if by a wave up the beach. She was in front of the Barbican and the great door was just opening to a roar from the crowd. Now the noise was quite frightening, but she was part of this like it or not. And suddenly she caught a glimpse of the cause of the cause of the crowd's excitement.
Now she wanted to go home, and she found the others were nowhere near. Moreover the crowd was packed tight around her, but as she pushed to escape she was being propelled ever closer to IT, the creature, Penglaz, the horse, the Nightmare.
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Oh, who are the women dancing round this beast? They are the Teazers, dancing round the beast waving their sticks. The creature pauses, adopts a defiant posture, then charges away, pushing through the crowd that parts for it to pursue its headlong course, jeering at it, frightened yet thrilled by its snapping jaw and swivelling glass eyeballs. It is a mighty tall thing, taller than any one man and it is clad in a long black robe cut with slashes of red and green. On its head is an incongruous crown of flowers.
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Out of the lamplight round the Barbican into the darkness of back alleyways, the crowd with Chloe were drawn by the creature the Teazers, and the band, always playing their jaunty infectious music. But at last they were back by the Barbican again, and the great door swung open. With a final defiant snapping of the huge jaws the Beast withdrew and the door closed. The band remained, building the music to a climactic conclusion and the people began to step away. At last Chloe was free to search for the others. She began to head in what she knew was the direction of home.
She found herself trotting past the Ghost Train, now empty and idle but still lit up.
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Oh, it was all too much. But wait, there were Gardy and the others waiting for her just beyond.
"What were you thinking of?" Gardy scolded.
"I couldn't help it, it was the people pushing," hiccupped Chloe.
"You lucky thing," hissed Demelza, "Did you see Penglaz? What was it like?"
"Horrible!" shuddered Chloe.
"Come on, home to bed, or you won't wake up in time for Mazey Day," warned Gardy.
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Note from Jen Anne about Penglaz and Mazey Eve:
Penglaz is the name of Penzance's Midsummer 'Obby 'Oss.
The Cornish Obby Oss comes to us out of the mists of time. The name is probably a Cornish dialect form of "Hobby Horse" which we know as a children's toy. But this creature is no plaything. He represents the rampant fertility of the earth in spring and early summer, or the magic of Solstice. Some towns entertain the Oss in May as part of a celebration of spring. The Osses of Padstow are particularly well-known and they appear in that town on May 1st without fail, supported by two rival groups of followers, the red group who are famous carousers, and the blue who are teetotallers, or were; now both groups enjoy their tipple I believe.
Penzance expects Penglaz, the town's own Obby Oss to be summoned by the music of the Golowan Band on Mazey Eve, the night before Mazey Day which is the climax of the festival of Golowan, St John in Cornish. St John's Day is in fact Midsummer Day, but Mazey Day is always a Saturday, the closest one to Midsummer.
Penzance has two Osses in point of fact. The other one comes to us at the winter solstice, or Montol as it is known here. (He has been know to make impromptu appearances on Mazey Eve however.) Of course Chloe encountered the Midsummer Oss.
It takes a very strong man to support this huge horse's skull and its trappings, not to mention the power of its elemental character which he must channel. It is indeed an awesome sight, enough to chill the blood. He is as attractive as he is fearsome, and maidens are drawn to him at their peril!
The traditions of Golowan Mazey Eve and Mazey Day were suppressed for a time by the strong Methodist faction in this part of the world. Nowadays however it is considered desirable to recover the old festivities and customs as being an important part of Cornwall's heritage and special identity.
For further information I refer you the following link:
www.penglaz.co.uk
Lovers of fantasy novels may like to know that American author Diana Paxson has a fine account of Padstow's Obby Oss in her novel about Tristan and Iseult, The White Raven.
~ Jen Anne of Penwith, June 2010 |
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Note from Nancy Lee about Jen's doll stories:
Jen's dolls go into each setting of the story, in real life! No Photoshop tricks or faux backgrounds! Jen likes the challenge of taking the dolls out into Cornwall, where the scenes and emotions of the stories become real to her as an author.
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