In early ages, there came into Belgic Land, a new set of people, called the Romans. For awhile, there was war, but the Belgians were brave and loved their country so dearly, that the Romans admired their courage, and they afterwards helped the very men, with whom they once fought battles. Indeed, Cæsar, their great general, wrote in his book, “The Belgians are, of all peoples, the bravest.” Yet this was largely because they did not live, crowded together in the cities, but in the country they were hardy and strong, because they had plenty of sunshine, pure water, and fresh air.
The Romans brought into Belgic Land many good things to eat and new kinds of clothes. They built wonderful bridges and roads. They showed the people how to rear more comfortable houses and to have farms and gardens, with cows, and sheep, and chickens, ducks and geese.
But most wonderful of all, these Romans brought in, from Oriental countries, spices and things that smell and taste good, and gold-colored fruit, called oranges and lemons. With peaches from Persia, grapes and apples and figs from the southern lands, and a variety of delicious eatables from the Orient, there was now plenty of fruit, which had been unknown before. It really seemed to the children of the Belgians that they had a new country, such as their fathers and grandfathers never even dreamed of.
Even better than all these wonderful gifts, to see and taste and smell, and the strange pets, such as peacocks, and rabbits, and song birds, with occasionally a tiger, or lion’s cub, in a cage, and the circus shows and chariot races, which delighted young and old, there came a new kind of people in the land. These told the story of the Father in Heaven, and about the best Friend human beings ever had, and how he lived on earth, in the Holy Land, and loved children, and helped the poor and healed the sick. Moreover, these men and women were like him their Master, for they too took care of the weak, and old, and ill and feeble. They taught the Belgic people to be kind and good to each other, and not fight and quarrel.
If they told the people not to believe in the Druids and the mistletoe, it was because they wanted them to know more about the good God, who made the trees and flowers, and the sun and stars, and bade winter and summer and spring and autumn come and go, and who wanted to make us all more happy, by our being his dear and obedient children. So by and bye, the Belgians ceased to worship trees, and the mistletoe, but had plenty of fun in the woods and under the mistletoe boughs, when young men and maidens met.
When at first, the Roman soldiers made war with the Belgians, the fairies were very sorry, and hid away from the noise of battle. But now, they gladly welcomed these new people, who built churches and taught such good news from Heaven. So they called a congress, and, meeting together, talked one with the other, as to how they might help these strangers that loved the Belgians.
At first, the fairies could not decide what to do, for they were dumbfounded to find that human beings seemed actually smarter, and able to do greater things, than they. These outsiders had brought into the land many good things, such as no Belgian fairy folk had ever thought of. The Romans had, indeed, cut down many of the grand forests, in which the fairies had lived, and about this they were sorry and even angry. Yet these same people made such fine roads, and laid out such beautiful farms, and had brought in so many bright and wonderful things, that the fairies could find no fault with them. In fact, they praised them highly.
Although fairies do not eat anything, unless, it may be, to sip dew, or taste a drop or two of the honey, which bees make, yet they saw that human creatures loved dearly to eat and drink. In truth, some of them seemed to think more of tickling their palates and filling their stomachs than of anything else.
So the fairies decided that the best way, to please their human friends, was to get up some sort of delicacy. They called up one of the oldest and wisest of their number, who had been in the Belgian kitchens. These fairies had gone to play tricks upon the cooks, in the palaces of the rich, and upon the girls and mothers of the poor people, that lived in cabins. They were only mischievous, however, and did not destroy anything, but only amused themselves, in order to sharpen people’s wits.
There was another very wise fairy, that had learned the language and could understand what men and women meant, when they talked. As often as they opened their mouths and lips, and let sounds come out of their throats, the fairy would listen and could distinguish between what they said, and what the dogs meant, when they barked, or the horses, when they whinnied. This fairy, also, told what would please the humans; having heard much talk in the kitchen, the market, the barn and the house yards.
After these two wise fairies had reported, it was agreed that the best way to reach the hearts of both children and grown folks was down through their mouths and throats. One solemn old fairy proposed that the best time, to please the Belgians, would be when they celebrated the birthday of their greatest Friend, who was once a babe in a manger. Besides what the kitchen fairy had described, the other one, that often flew into churches, told what had been heard there.
All the fairies listened very attentively, while this one was giving the whole story, of how wise men from the East, where lay the lands of gold and spices, and perfumes, came to worship the young child. Much to the surprise of these three travelers, they found the royal baby in the hay, and its mother among the cows and sheep, and the hecks, or fodder racks of the animals.
Yet right there, without waiting for the wonderful child to be seen in a palace, they opened their treasures and made presents to the baby’s parents. Their gifts consisted of bright, yellow gold and sweet smelling, costly frankincense. Besides the two royal or rich wise men, there was one of the three who was poor, and could afford only myrrh. Yet this spice, which, when mixed with fragrant oil and resin, made the ordinary incense, was as gladly received as was the golden censer, or the more costly compound.
“Now,” said the two wise fairies, almost in the same breath, “why cannot we make a dainty dish, worthy of being set before a king? Let us combine, in one delicious pie, all the elements of the Bethlehem stable scene, and bake it in a dish shaped like a manger, or feed-trough. Thus, in what these good people shall eat, they shall have a picture of the Oriental gifts, gold and the spices, frankincense and myrrh. In this way, people can think of the beautiful lands afar off, without having to travel in ships over oceans, or on horses over mountains, or on camels with caravans over the deserts.
“Besides these treasures of the Orient, we shall blend meat from the oxen, with fruits, herbs and delicious foods, which are products of our own Belgic Land. So shall we unite, in one dish, what is East and West, and present, at every single mouthful, what has been grown under the hands of the Belgic, the Roman, and the Oriental peoples.”
To represent the gold the fairies got together, from the ships, golden oranges, lemons, yellow wine, honey, turmeric powder, and whatever was pleasant to the taste, that would also remind the eater of gold, the most precious of metals, brought from afar, from the wise men.
Then, for spices, the fairies collected mace, cinnamon, all-spice, raisins, nutmegs, currants, sugar, dates, and whatever came from Oriental lands that was delightful to taste or smell.
For myrrh, which was the poor man’s offering, they chopped up many home-made things, good to eat, that had also a good smell and which grew out of the ground, or are raised on Belgic soil; such as apples, pears, garden herbs, and what they knew would please the Belgians. These they chopped up, all together, making a mince, or mixture.
To represent the cattle, they took beef and suet, well cooked, cut fine, and mixed the meat with the other things, so as to make the whole worthy of being called mince meat; but, of course, if we were talking Flemish, we should say “Haksel Vinken.”
The next thing they did was to take flour, butter, salt and some lard, which they called “shortening” and make pastry. This they flattened out on a smooth board, with what they called a rolling pin.
The fairies had to work very hard, but very quietly, in these people’s kitchens, lest they should wake up the fathers and mothers. More than this, they might be caught at their work, by the youngsters, boys and girls, that were very apt to wake up early, on Christmas morning. For, along with the good people that had come into the land, and told about the royal baby in the hay, at Bethlehem, had begun the custom of making presents, and of showing love and kindness to each other, and to all people. With them, once a year, came a most delightful old gentleman, a kind saint, who went around making presents and filling the stockings of the well behaved and obedient children, with presents of toys and goodies of all sorts.
His name was Saint Nicholas, which, in Flemish, is Santa Claas. The fairies and the kind old saint were on good terms, very friendly, and very helpful to each other.
At that time Santa Claas did not drive reindeer, nor use a sleigh, for he had not yet paid any visits to the cold countries, in the far north, where he had to put on a fur-trimmed cap and red coat. Indeed, it was several hundred years later, before the people who lived nearer the north pole, knew about either Santa Claas or the Bethlehem baby in the hay. Saint Nicholas always arrived in Belgium on a ship. He had a mitre on his head, held a shepherd’s crook or crozier, in his hand, and was dressed in a long scarlet robe. He was so well known to the Belgian children, that almost every village, even the smallest one, had its special nursery song, or verses, chanted by the little folks.
In Belgium and Holland, Saint Nicholas’ Day fell on December 6, and was for children only, and not for grown folks. But on Christmas Day, every one, old, young, and in baby clothes, looked forward with happy expectation. The good priests, who told about the Bethlehem baby, and its mother, and the angels’ songs, had introduced the beautiful custom of singing carols, and also of everybody making presents one to the other. At Christmas, love and kindness ruled in every heart. Yet no one ever imagined what a wonder the fairies had provided for them.
There was a surprise when the good people came down to breakfast, on this joyful festival day of the year, a.d. 600.
Each family found on the tables a pie, big enough for all in the house. It was made in the shape of a manger, or feed-trough, for cattle; that is, a square, or oblong, with four corners. Its rich crust was slightly brown, from the baking, and it looked very tempting. When father cut it open, and gave each one a slice, and all the family had tasted it, it was declared that nothing more delicious had ever passed their lips!
So, ever after, on that day, the mince pie became the symbol of Bethlehem’s manger, and of the baby in the hay, and of all the rich things that come from faith in the dear Father above, who is the giver of all things. Fathers and mothers, over the pie, told again the story of how the baby, to whom the wise men presented their gifts, grew up to be the friend, and helper, and saviour of all. And the more men heard of this wonderful story, and learned about this king, who had no armies, and of this governor, who ruled by love only, whose kingdom is ever growing and never ends, the more they believed in him and tried to be like him.
So Belgium was soon covered with churches for the devout, and hospitals for the sick, and homes for the orphans and the poor and aged. It seemed as if every sweet thing in human character, such as love, joy, peace, long suffering, temperance, kindness, gentleness, and brotherly friendship, came from the babe, whose birth was celebrated at Christmas. Though born among dumb creatures, and laid in a manger, for a cradle, and in the hay for a bed, he was greater, and ruled more people, than any king or emperor that ever lived. Since his lowly home on earth was brightened, by the visit and gifts of the wise men from the East, it seemed as if every one must try to make his neighbor happier, through love and kindness. Of all this, the mince pie, pleasant to see, and delicious to taste, was the welcome symbol. So, like a traveler, or a good story, the mince pie has gone round the world and is eaten in every land.