Cape Breton's Magazine

was just as busy as the downstairs. There'd be 10 or 12 in one room and 15 in an? other • and they'd be talking and drinking and having a great time. So the first thing was to get someone to donate his house • and you had a hard time because it's not everyone who wanted to give his house. There'd be many reasons. Somebody would probably have an elderly person who wasn't feeling too well. And one would have gi? ven his house but his house was too small. You generally went to the biggest houses. Then on the last of January and on the first of February • generally on the first of February • the younger men would get together. They'd use sleighs for hauling wood and they'd have an open box on it. And. in there they'd have a tub for meat and con? tainers for flour, sugar, salt, potatoes, carrots and everything. There'd be about three sleighs covering the district and they'd go to every house and everybody would go in and they had what they called la cane de la Chandeleur. That was your leader. Well this cane was all decorated with ribbons up on top. And the people were expect- Joe Delaney; Joe with brother Arthur; Mrs. Vfai. D. Deveau with blessed candles. ing you because they knew you were gathering the grub to be cooked the night before and the morning of the Chandeleur. And you had a dance that they called L'Escaouette • the leader up front with his cane and you were dancing in a circle going around in the kitchen (each with his hands on the shoulders of the one in front, beating time) • and when it came to the chorus of the song, then you'd start stepping away. L'Escaouette C'est monsieur I'marie et madam'' marie'(bis) C'est monsieur, madam' maries (bis) Qu'ont pas encor soupe. (bis) Un p'tit moulin sur la riviere, Un p'tit moulin pour passer I'eau. Le feu sur la raontain, boy run, boy run, Le feu sur la montain, boy run away. J'ai vu le loup, le r'nard, le lievre, J'ai vu la grand' cite sauter, J'ai foule ma convert',couvert',vert',vert'. J'ai foule ma convert'yCouverte aux pieds. Aouenne, aouenne, guenille. AhI rescou' ta guenille, Aouenne, aouenne, aouenne, nippailloni Ahl rescou' tes brillons. Tibounich, nabet, nabettel Tibounich, naba! It's Mr the groom and Mrs the bride (twice) It's Mr and Mrs the newly wed (twice) Who haven't had supper yet. (twice) A little mill on the river, A little mill to pass over the water. Fire on the mountain, boy run, boy run. Fire on the mountain, boy run away. I've seen the wolf, the fox, the hare, I've seen the grand city leap, I've tramped over my quilt,my quilt,quilt,quilt I've tramped over my quilt,my quilt. Aouenne, aouenne, raggedy dress. He! mend your raggedy dress, Aouenne, aouenne, aouenne, little oneI Het mend your brillons Tibotuiich, nabet, nabettel Tibounich, nabaS Then once the song was over the people'd give us the food • whatever they wanted to donate • you accepted everything. And once you had everything gathered you finished off by thanking the people with a song: "En vous r'merciont mes gens d'honneur d'a- voir fournis pour La Chandeleur. Un jour viendra Dieu vous'l rendra. Alleluia." "We thank you very much folks for having contributed to the Chandeleur. One day will come, God will bless you. Halleluia." In every house it was the same ceremony. And every time your sleigh was loaded you'd take it up to the house. And the next move was to get the ladies of the district • about 10 or 12 of them--to assist the woman ..... ' Cape Breton's Magazine/3