When church bells ring out on a beautiful spring evening in the small German town of Lügde, the village people grab their torches. The sun has been set for about an hour when they approach six large wooden wheels, each 6.5 feet tall, weighing about 620 pounds, and stuffed with straw. The torchbearers light the wheels on fire and push them down a hill. One by one, each giant fireball careens down the slopes, picking up speed as they fly downhill in a blur of embers. These spinning flames are…
