Beltane, or Beltein

( Traditions.) The name of a kind of festival, formerly common to all the Celtic nations, and traces of which still exist in some parts of Ireland and Scotland, on the 1st of May. In Ireland, we find two B., one on the 1st of May, the other on the 21st of June. To the B., also, in all probability, the fires which were formerly and are perhaps yet lighted in many parts of England on Midsummer Eve, are to be referred. B. signifies the fire of Baal, the worship of whom is supposed to have existed in England, Scotland, and Ireland in the remotest period of Druidical superstition. B. was therefore the fire lighted in honor of the Sun, whose return and visible influence upon the productions of the earth was thus celebrated. La na Beal tina, and Neen na Beal tina, in the Irish language, are the day and eve of Beal's fire. ( Fairy Legends and Traditions of the South of Ireland.) - The following account of the B. is given in Focalóir Gaoidhilge - Sax - Bhéaria, or an Irish English Dictionary (by O'Brien), printed at Paris, 4to. 1768.-" Beálline, or béil - tine, ignis Beli Dei Asiatici: i. e. tine Beil, May-day,' so called from large fires which the Druids were used to light on the summits of the highest hills, into which they drove four-footed beasts, using at the same time certain ceremonies to expiate the sins of the people. This pagan ceremony of lighting these fires in honor of the Asiatic god Belus, gave its name to the entire month of May, which is to this day called mi na Beal - tine in the Irish language. Dr. Keating, speaking of this fire of Beal, says, that the cattle were driven through it and not sacrificed, and that the chief design of it was to keep off all contagious disorders from them of Ireland quenched their fires on that day, and kindled them again out of some part of that fire." - In Sir John Sinclair's Statistical Account of Scotland , the minister of Call an der in Perth shire, speaking of "peculiar customs," says: "Upon the first day of May, which is called Beltan or Beltein-day, all the boys in a township or hamlet meet in the moors. They cut a table in the green sod, of a round figure, by casting a trench in the ground of such circumference as to hold the whole company. They kindle a fire, and dre a repast of eggs and milk in the consistence of a custard. They knead a cake of oatmeal, which is toasted at the embers against a stone. After the custard is eaten up, they divide the cake into so many portions, as similar as po ible to one another in size and shape, as there are persons in the company. They daub one of these portions all over with charcoal, until it be perfectly black. They put all the bits of cake into a bonnet. Every one, blindfold, draws out a portion. He who holds the bonnet is entitled to the last bit. Whoever draws the black bit is the devoted person who is to be sacrificed to Baal, whose favor they mean to implore, in rendering the year productive of the sustenance of man and beast. There is little doubt," the writer adds, "of these inhuman sacrifices having been offered in this country as well as in the East, although they now pa from the act of sacrificing, and only compel the devoted person to leap three times through the flames, with which the ceremonies of this festival are closed." Belt'ed, a . Wearing a belt; having a belt or belts. "A prince can make a belted knight."- Burns . -Marked, or adorned with a band or circle; as, a belted stalk.-Worn in the belt. Belteshazzar, ( bel - te - shaz'ar .) [Heb., "who lays up treasures in secret."] A title of honor given to Daniel in Babylon.