keyhole the first thing on entering, to see that their retreat is open, they spend all the time till cock-crow in counting, and can do no harm. They appear suddenly to millers, and make fun of them; and if a woman comes to the mill to grind, they do the grinding for her, and can hardly be prevented from making a meal of herself. While the miller sleeps, they take some flour and work it into honey-combs,[1] which they eat; then they defile the rest of the flour, the other food, and the ashes.[2] The Kalikazari flee away when you see them, and call out, (
Greek characters)—"Wood, logs, brands all burnt."
The people believe that the Jews worship some creature with the head of an ass,[3] and accordingly speak of them as (Greek characters), "ass-olaters." They suppose the Jews to wander about from Christmas to Epiphany, looking for Moses, whom they desire to throttle, it is hard to see why, and thus the Jews are confused with Kalikazari. For this cause they call the Kalikazari (Greek characters), "Sabbatarians."
When at the Epiphany these monsters depart, they go under the earth, and there remain for the rest of the year, sawing at the trunk of a gigantic tree which upholds the earth. Their aim is to destroy the whole world; but they never quite get the job done. Christmas comes round once more, and away they fly; and during the twelve days that follow, the tree grows whole again.
In Cyprus, the Kalikazari are very fond of cakes called (Greek characters). The people leave them honey to eat in order to make them kind; they also leave a plate full of these cakes by the hearth. The Kalikazari entering, cry out:
(Greek characters)
"Bread, cheese, sausage!"
