This is the festival opposite on the wheel with Samhain. And likewise, it is another in between time. Beltaine marks the end of the dark half of the year and the beginning of the light half. To the ancient Celts this was the great fertility festival. They believed that through their sexual union they could ensure the fertility of the Land and herds, so there was very little sexual restraint on this day. The plowing and sowing had been done, and it was customary to build great bonfires. The cattle would be driven between two great fires to purify them from the stresses of the long stabling. Each household would also extinguish their hearth fires and re-light it from embers carried from the ritual �need� fire.