Eventually, smoke began to rise from the hole, as friction caused the wood to heat up and finally burn. Tad quickly added small bits of dried cattail fluff to the edges of the smoking hole, while his grandfather continued to spin the stick and as they watched, a small flame appeared. More fluff was added, along with dried leaves and finally some short twigs, as the fire slowly grew. The elder gently blew on the flames, while Tad gathered more tinder to feed the hungry flames. When the elder was convinced that the fire was burning steadily, he told Tad to return to the village.

"Tell them it is time," he said, solemnly.

Tad raced back to the village and going to each and every dwelling, informed people that the time was upon them. Throughout the village, cooking fires and those in hearth and home were all damped and then extinguished. When every fire in the village was dark, the entire population, decked out in their costumes and wreaths of flowers, headed toward the plain. Every person that was able carried an offering of firewood with them, to be added to the blaze at the base of the hill. There was just enough light left of the day for them to gather their supplies together and be guided toward the brightening glow of the festival fire.

As the villagers arrived, they deposited their offerings of wood in a growing pile, not far from the fire. It would be Tad's responsibility to feed the flames, spreading the fire out so that it would eventually cover the entire grid. After they dropped of their wood, everyone formed into a circle around the fire. A drum was produced, as well as several sets of wooden pipes and music--of a sort--was soon heard.

The elder stood by as people began to dance, as the spirit took them--stamping their feet, leaping into the air, twirling in dizzying circles around the fire. As the flames grew, men and then women began to leap over the flames, while others shouted their encouragement. Couples, hoping for a child, leapt the flames together, hand in hand. Cows and goats were brought forth and led around the flames three times, to ensure abundant milk production and to aid them in becoming with calf or kid. Babies were tossed over the fire, to be caught by laughing, proud fathers, in the hope that they would grow healthy and strong. Those too old to leap the flames stood downwind of the fire and let the sacred smoke waft over them, then traveled slowly around the flames three times, so they too could benefit from its magic.

Eventually, when the flames rose too high for any further leaping, the entire village began stamping and dancing around the fire, constantly moving, clapping and singing along to the drum and pipes. They asked the gods for the blessings of good weather, abundant crops and healthy lives for themselves and their livestock. Jugs of mead appeared and were passed from hand to hand around the moving circle and the singing and dancing continued until people became too tired or too intoxicated to dance any longer.

One by one, couples began to disappear from the circle, to find some privacy in the surrounding darkness, as a child conceived near the fire of Beltane was considered especially blessed. They always returned to the glow of the fire when they had finished their tryst and found somewhere, the energy to resume dancing.