The Maypole of Merry Mount by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Short summary

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The residents of Merry Mountain dance around the May tree on Edith and Edgar’s wedding day. John Endicott and the other Puritans come and cut down the tree, and they beat all the residents.

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At the beginning of the story, it is said that «Jolly» and «Gloom» are fighting for supremacy. The Jolly Mountain colonists represent cheerfulness and joy, while the Puritans represent gloom and gloom. Hawthorne mocks both sides, and the narrative point of view seems to oscillate between the two

The inhabitants of Merry Mountain, whom Hawthorne refers to in his piece as «Team Comus,» are gathered for a solemn occasion; they are celebrating the wedding of a young man and a young woman (Edgar and Edith). They traditionally dance around the May tree. From the description, they could be mistaken for fairy-tale woodland creatures.

Their celebration is unexpectedly interrupted by the arrival of John Endicott and his Puritan followers. Endicott cuts down the May tree and orders him to beat the dancing inhabitants of Merry Mountain. He spares the newlyweds, but tells them to dress more conservatively. He also orders Edgar to cut off his hair to reflect the strictness of the Puritans.