In Celtic mythology the horned God was a fertility symbol and whilst in Northern Britain He was normally depicted as a naked man with bull horns but in the South deers antlers were more common, Hal an Tow is almost certainly a relic of a fertility rite, hence the presence of the horned God. The fact that Hal an Tow takes place on St Michaels day also co-incides with the timing of Beltane and the traditional may revels, May of course refering to Hawthorn noy the month of the same name. also a potent fertility symbol and guard against witchcraft.

If anyone doubts the fertility part of these cerimonies, there is a reference some where that I can't lay my hands on at the moment to a complaint by a 16th century member of the "moral majority" that of the score of young females in his village who had gone to the fields "...scarce one had returned a maid!"