the golden bough-第156节

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ustoms。　In　Canton　Schaffhausen　the　man　who　threshes　the　last　corn　is　called　the　Cow；　in　Canton　Thurgau；　the　Corn…bull；　in　Canton　Zurich；　the　Thresher…cow。　In　the　last…mentioned　district　he　is　wrapt　in　straw　and　bound　to　one　of　the　trees　in　the　orchard。　At　Arad；　in　Hungary；　the　man　who　gives　the　last　stroke　at　threshing　is　enveloped　in　straw　and　a　cow's　hide　with　the　horns　attached　to　it。　At　Pessnitz；　in　the　district　of　Dresden；　the　man　who　gives　the　last　stroke　with　the　flail　is　called　Bull。　He　must　make　a　straw…man　and　set　it　up　before　a　neighbour's　window。　Here；　apparently；　as　in　so　many　cases；　the　corn…spirit　is　passed　on　to　a　neighbour　who　has　not　finished　threshing。　So　at　Herbrechtingen；　in　Thüringen；　the　effigy　of　a　ragged　old　woman　is　flung　into　the　barn　of　the　farmer　who　is　last　with　his　threshing。　The　man　who　throws　it　in　cries；　There　is　the　Cow　for　you。　If　the　threshers　catch　him　they　detain　him　over　night　and　punish　him　by　keeping　him　from　the　harvest…supper。　In　these　latter　customs　the　confusion　between　the　human　and　the　animal　shape　of　the　corn…spirit　meets　us　again。

Further；　the　corn…spirit　in　bull　form　is　sometimes　believed　to　be　killed　at　threshing。　At　Auxerre；　in　threshing　the　last　bundle　of　corn；　they　call　out　twelve　times；　We　are　killing　the　Bull。　In　the　neighbourhood　of　Bordeaux；　where　a　butcher　kills　an　ox　on　the　field　immediately　after　the　close　of　the　reaping；　it　is　said　of　the　man　who　gives　the　last　stroke　at　threshing　that　he　has　killed　the　Bull。　At　Chambéry　the　last　sheaf　is　called　the　sheaf　of　the　Young　Ox；　and　a　race　takes　place　to　it　in　which　all　the　reapers　join。　When　the　last　stroke　is　given　at　threshing　they　say　that　the　Ox　is　killed；　and　immediately　thereupon　a　real　ox　is　slaughtered　by　the　reaper　who　cut　the　last　corn。　The　flesh　of　the　ox　is　eaten　by　the　threshers　at　supper。

We　have　seen　that　sometimes　the　young　corn…spirit；　whose　task　it　is　to　quicken　the　corn　of　the　coming　year；　is　believed　to　be　born　as　a　Corn…baby　on　the　harvest…field。　Similarly　in　Berry　the　young　corn…spirit　is　sometimes　supposed　to　be　born　on　the　field　in　calf　form；　for　when　a　binder　has　not　rope　enough　to　bind　all　the　corn　in　sheaves；　he　puts　aside　the　wheat　that　remains　over　and　imitates　the　lowing　of　a　cow。　The　meaning　is　that　the　sheaf　has　given　birth　to　a　calf。　In　Puy…de…D？me　when　a　binder　cannot　keep　up　with　the　reaper　whom　he　or　she　follows；　they　say　He　（or　she）　is　giving　birth　to　the　Calf。　In　some　parts　of　Prussia；　in　similar　circumstances；　they　call　out　to　the　woman；　The　Bull　is　coming；　and　imitate　the　bellowing　of　a　bull。　In　these　cases　the　woman　is　conceived　as　the　Corn…cow　or　old　corn…spirit；　while　the　supposed　calf　is　the　Corn…calf　or　young　corn…spirit。　In　some　parts　of　Austria　a　mythical　calf　（Muhk？lbchen）　is　believed　to　be　seen　amongst　the　sprouting　corn　in　spring　and　to　push　the　children；　when　the　corn　waves　in　the　wind　they　say；　The　Calf　is　going　about。　Clearly；　as　Mannhardt　observes；　this　calf　of　the　spring…time　is　the　same　animal　which　is　afterwards　believed　to　be　killed　at　reaping。

8。　The　Corn…spirit　as　a　Horse　or　Mare。

SOMETIMES　the　corn…spirit　appears　in　the　shape　of　a　horse　or　mare。　Between　Kalw　and　Stuttgart；　when　the　corn　bends　before　the　wind；　they　say；　There　runs　the　Horse。　At　Bohlingen；　near　Radolfzell　in　Baden；　the　last　sheaf　of　oats　is　called　the　Oats…stallion。　In　Hertfordshire；　at　the　end　of　the　reaping；　there　is　or　used　to　be　observed　a　ceremony　called　crying　the　Mare。　The　last　blades　of　corn　left　standing　on　the　field　are　tied　together　and　called　the　Mare。　The　reapers　stand　at　a　distance　and　throw　their　sickles　at　it；　he　who　cuts　it　through　has　the　prize；　with　acclamations　and　good　cheer。　After　it　is　cut　the　reapers　cry　thrice　with　a　loud　voice；　I　have　her！　Others　answer　thrice；　What　have　you？　A　Mare！　a　Mare！　a　Mare！　Whose　is　she？　is　next　asked　thrice。　A。　B。's；　naming　the　owner　thrice。　Whither　will　you　send　her？　To　C。　D。；　naming　some　neighbour　who　has　not　reaped　all　his　corn。　In　this　custom　the　corn…spirit　in　the　form　of　a　mare　is　passed　on　from　a　farm　where　the　corn　is　all　cut　to　another　farm　where　it　is　still　standing；　and　where　therefore　the　corn…spirit　may　be　supposed　naturally　to　take　refuge。　In　Shropshire　the　custom　is　similar。　The　farmer　who　finishes　his　harvest　last；　and　who　therefore　cannot　send　the　Mare　to　any　one　else；　is　said　to　keep　her　all　winter。　The　mocking　offer　of　the　Mare　to　a　laggard　neighbour　was　sometimes　responded　to　by　a　mocking　acceptance　of　her　help。　Thus　an　old　man　told　an　inquirer；　While　we　wun　at　supper；　a　mon　cumm'd　wi'　a　autar　＇halter＇　to　fatch　her　away。　At　one　place　a　real　mare　used　to　be　sent；　but　the　man　who　rode　her　was　subjected　to　some　rough　treatment　at　the　farmhouse　to　which　he　paid　his　unwelcome　visit。

In　the　neighbourhood　of　Lille　the　idea　of　the　corn…spirit　in　horse　form　in　clearly　preserved。　When　a　harvester　grows　weary　at　his　work；　it　is　said；　He　has　the　fatigue　of　the　Horse。　The　first　sheaf；　called　the　Cross　of　the　Horse；　is　placed　on　a　cross　of　boxwood　in　the　barn；　and　the　youngest　horse　on　the　farm　must　tread　on　it。　The　reapers　dance　round　the　last　blades　of　corn；　crying；　See　the　remains　of　the　Horse。　The　sheaf　made　out　of　these　last　blades　is　given　to　the　youngest　horse　of　the　parish　（commune）　to　eat。　This　youngest　horse　of　the　parish　clearly　represents；　as　Mannhardt　says；　the　corn…spirit　of　the　following　year；　the　Corn…foal；　which　absorbs　the　spirit　of　the　old　Corn…horse　by　eating　the　last　corn　cut；　for；　as　usual；　the　old　corn…spirit　takes　his　final　refuge　in　the　last　sheaf。　The　thresher　of　the　last　sheaf　is　said　to　beat　the　Horse。

9。　The　Corn…spirit　as　a　Pig　（Boar　or　Sow）。

THE　LAST　animal　embodiment　of　the　corn…spirit　which　we　shall　notice　is　the　pig　（boar　or　sow）。　In　Thüringen；　when　the　wind　sets　the　young　corn　in　motion；　they　sometimes　say；　The　Boar　is　rushing　through　the　corn。　Amongst　the　Esthonians　of　the　island　of　Oesel　the　last　sheaf　is　called　the　Ryeboar；　and　the　man　who　gets　it　is　saluted　with　a　cry　of　You　have　the　Rye…boar　on　your　back！　In　reply　he　strikes　up　a　song；　in　which　he　prays　for　plenty。　At　Kohlerwinkel；　near　Augsburg；　at　the　close　of　the　harvest；　the　last　bunch　of　standing　corn　is　cut　down；　stalk　by　stalk；　by　all　the　reapers　in　turn。　He　who　cuts　the　last　stalk　gets　the　Sow；　and　is　laughed　at。　In　other　Swabian　villages　also　the　man　who　cuts　the　last　corn　has　the　Sow；　or　has　the　Rye…sow。　At　Bohlingen；　near　Radolfzell　in　Baden；　the　last　sheaf　is　called　the　Rye…sow　or　the　Wheat…sow；　according　to　the　crop；　and　at　R？hrenbach　in　Baden　the　person　who　brings　the　last　armful　for　the　last　sheaf　is　called　the　Corn…sow　or　the　Oats…sow。　At　Friedingen；　in　Swabia；　the　thresher　who　gives　the　last　stroke　is　called　SowBarley…sow；　Corn…sow；　or　the　like；　according　to　the　crop。　At　Onstmettingen　the　man　who　gives　the　last　stroke　at　threshing　has　the　Sow；　he　is　often　bound　up　in　a　sheaf　and　dragged　by　a　rope　along　the　ground。　And；　generally；　in　Swabia　the　man　who　gives　the　last　stroke　with　the　flail　is　called　Sow。　He　may；　however；　rid　himself　of　this　invidious　distinction　by　passing　on　to　a　neighbour　the　straw…rope；　which　is　the　badge　of　his　position　as　Sow。　So　he　goes　to　a　house　and　throws　the　straw…rope　into　it；　crying；　There；　I　bring　you　the　Sow。　All　the　inmates　give　chase；　and　if　they　catch　him　they　beat　him；　shut　him　up　for　several　hours　in　the　pig…sty；　and　oblige　him　to　take　the　Sow　away　again。　In　various　parts　of　Upper　Bavaria　the　man　who　gives　the　last　stroke　at　threshing　must　carry　the　Pigthat　is；　either　a　straw　effigy　of　a　pig　or　merely　a　bundle　of　straw…ropes。　This　he　carries　to　a　neighbouring　farm　where　the　threshing　is　not　finished；　and　throws　it　into　the　barn。　If　the　threshers　catch　him　they　handle　him　roughly；　beating　him；　blackening　or　dirtying　his　face；　throwing　him　into　filth；　binding　the　Sow　on　his　back；　and　so　on；　if　the　bearer　of　the　Sow　is　a　woman　they　cut　off　her　hair。　At　the　harvest　supper　or　dinner　the　man　who　carried　the　Pig　gets　one　or　more　dumplings　made　in　the　form　of　pigs。　When　the　dumplings　are　served　up　by　the　maidservant；　all　the　people　at　table　cry　Süz；　süz；　süz　！　that　being　the　cry　used　in　calling　pigs。　Sometimes　after　dinner　the　man　who　carried　the　Pig　has　his　face　blackened；　and　is　set　on　a　cart　and　drawn　round　the　village　by　his　fellows；　followed　by　a　crowd　crying　Süz；　süz；　süz　！　as　if　they　were　calling　swine。　Sometimes；　after　being　wheeled　round　the　village；　he　is　flung　on　the　dunghill。

Again；　the　corn…spirit　in　the　form　of　a　pig　plays　his　part　at　sowing…time　as　well　as　at　harvest。　At　Neuautz；　in　Courland；　when　barley　is　sown　for　the　first　time　in　the　year；　the　farmer's　wife　boils　the　chine　of　a　pig　along　with　the　tail；　and　brings　it　to　the　sower　on　the　field。　He　eats　of　it；　but　cuts　off　the　tail　and　sticks　it　in　the　field；　it　is　believed　that　the　ears　of　corn　will　then　grow　as　long　as　the　tail。　Here　the　pig　is　the　corn…spirit；　whose　fertilising　power　is　sometimes　supposed　to　lie　especially　in　his　tail。　As　a　pig　he　is　put　in　the　ground　at　sowing…time；　and　as　a　pig　he　reappears　amongst　the　ripe　corn　at　harvest。　For　amongst　the　neighbouring　Esthonians；　as　we　have　seen；　the　last　sheaf　is　called　the　Rye…boar。　Somewhat　similar　customs　are　observed　in　Germany。　In　the　Salza　district；　near　Mei