the golden bough-第138部分

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ng；　behind　it。　Then　it　is　killed　on　the　field。　In　this　part　of　France　the　last　sheaf　is　called　the　coujoulage；　which；　in　the　patois；　means　a　wether。　Hence　the　killing　of　the　wether　represents　the　death　of　the　corn…spirit；　considered　as　present　in　the　last　sheaf；　but　two　different　conceptions　of　the　corn…spiritas　a　wolf　and　as　a　wetherare　mixed　up　together。

Sometimes　it　appears　to　be　thought　that　the　Wolf；　caught　in　the　last　corn；　lives　during　the　winter　in　the　farmhouse；　ready　to　renew　his　activity　as　corn…spirit　in　the　spring。　Hence　at　midwinter；　when　the　lengthening　days　begin　to　herald　the　approach　of　spring；　the　Wolf　makes　his　appearance　once　more。　In　Poland　a　man；　with　a　wolf's　skin　thrown　over　his　head；　is　led　about　at　Christmas；　or　a　stuffed　wolf　is　carried　about　by　persons　who　collect　money。　There　are　facts　which　point　to　an　old　custom　of　leading　about　a　man　enveloped　in　leaves　and　called　the　Wolf；　while　his　conductors　collected　money。

3。　The　Corn…spirit　as　a　Cock。

ANOTHER　form　which　the　corn…spirit　often　assumes　is　that　of　a　cock。　In　Austria　children　are　warned　against　straying　in　the　corn…fields；　because　the　Corn…cock　sits　there；　and　will　peck　their　eyes　out。　In　North　Germany　they　say　that　the　Cock　sits　in　the　last　sheaf；　and　at　cutting　the　last　corn　the　reapers　cry；　Now　we　will　chase　out　the　Cock。　When　it　is　cut　they　say；　We　have　caught　the　Cock。　At　Braller；　in　Transylvania；　when　the　reapers　come　to　the　last　patch　of　corn；　they　cry；　Here　we　shall　catch　the　Cock。　At　Fürstenwalde；　when　the　last　sheaf　is　about　to　be　bound；　the　master　releases　a　cock；　which　he　has　brought　in　a　basket；　and　lets　it　run　over　the　field。　All　the　harvesters　chase　it　till　they　catch　it。　Elsewhere　the　harvesters　all　try　to　seize　the　last　corn　cut；　he　who　succeeds　in　grasping　it　must　crow；　and　is　called　Cock。　Among　the　Wends　it　is　or　used　to　be　customary　for　the　farmer　to　hide　a　live　cock　under　the　last　sheaf　as　it　lay　on　the　field；　and　when　the　corn　was　being　gathered　up；　the　harvester　who　lighted　upon　this　sheaf　had　a　right　to　keep　the　cock；　provided　he　could　catch　it。　This　formed　the　close　of　the　harvest…festival　and　was　known　as　the　Cock…catching；　and　the　beer　which　was　served　out　to　the　reapers　at　this　time　went　by　the　name　of　Cock…beer。　The　last　sheaf　is　called　Cock；　Cock…sheaf；　Harvest…cock；　Harvest…hen；　Autumn…hen。　A　distinction　is　made　between　a　Wheat…cock；　Bean…cock；　and　so　on；　according　to　the　crop。　At　Wünschensuhl；　in　Thüringen；　the　last　sheaf　is　made　into　the　shape　of　a　cock；　and　called　the　Harvest…cock。　A　figure　of　a　cock；　made　of　wood；　pasteboard；　ears　of　corn；　or　flowers；　is　borne　in　front　of　the　harvest…waggon；　especially　in　Westphalia；　where　the　cock　carries　in　his　beak　fruits　of　the　earth　of　all　kinds。　Sometimes　the　image　of　the　cock　is　fastened　to　the　top　of　a　May…tree　on　the　last　harvest…waggon。　Elsewhere　a　live　cock；　or　a　figure　of　one；　is　attached　to　a　harvest…crown　and　carried　on　a　pole。　In　Galicia　and　elsewhere　this　live　cock　is　fastened　to　the　garland　of　corn…ears　or　flowers；　which　the　leader　of　the　women…reapers　carries　on　her　head　as　she　marches　in　front　of　the　harvest　procession。　In　Silesia　a　live　cock　is　presented　to　the　master　on　a　plate。　The　harvest…supper　is　called　Harvest…cock；　Stubble…cock；　etc。；　and　a　chief　dish　at　it；　at　least　in　some　places；　is　a　cock。　If　a　waggoner　upsets　a　harvest…waggon；　it　is　said　that　he　has　spilt　the　Harvest…cock；　and　he　loses　the　cock；　that　is；　the　harvest…supper。　The　harvest…waggon；　with　the　figure　of　the　cock　on　it；　is　driven　round　the　farmhouse　before　it　is　taken　to　the　barn。　Then　the　cock　is　nailed　over　or　at　the　side　of　the　house…door；　or　on　the　gable；　and　remains　there　till　next　harvest。　In　East　Friesland　the　person　who　gives　the　last　stroke　at　threshing　is　called　the　Clucking…hen；　and　grain　is　strewed　before　him　as　if　he　were　a　hen。

Again；　the　corn…spirit　is　killed　in　the　form　of　a　cock。　In　parts　of　Germany；　Hungary；　Poland；　and　Picardy　the　reapers　place　a　live　cock　in　the　corn　which　is　to　be　cut　last；　and　chase　it　over　the　field；　or　bury　it　up　to　the　neck　in　the　ground；　afterwards　they　strike　off　its　head　with　a　sickle　or　scythe。　In　many　parts　of　Westphalia；　when　the　harvesters　bring　the　wooden　cock　to　the　farmer；　he　gives　them　a　live　cock；　which　they　kill　with　whips　or　sticks；　or　behead　with　an　old　sword；　or　throw　into　the　barn　to　the　girls；　or　give　to　the　mistress　to　cook。　It　the　Harvest…cock　has　not　been　spiltthat　is；　if　no　waggon　has　been　upsetthe　harvesters　have　the　right　to　kill　the　farmyard　cock　by　throwing　stones　at　it　or　beheading　it。　Where　this　custom　has　fallen　into　disuse；　it　is　still　common　for　the　farmer's　wife　to　make　cockie…leekie　for　the　harvesters；　and　to　show　them　the　head　of　the　cock　which　has　been　killed　for　the　soup。　In　the　neighbourhood　of　Klausenburg；　Transylvania；　a　cock　is　buried　on　the　harvest…field　in　the　earth；　so　that　only　its　head　appears。　A　young　man　then　takes　a　scythe　and　cuts　off　the　cock's　head　at　a　single　sweep。　If　he　fails　to　do　this；　he　is　called　the　Red　Cock　for　a　whole　year；　and　people　fear　that　next　year's　crop　will　be　bad。　Near　Udvarhely；　in　Transylvania；　a　live　cock　is　bound　up　in　the　last　sheaf　and　killed　with　a　spit。　It　is　then　skinned。　The　flesh　is　thrown　away；　but　the　skin　and　feathers　are　kept　till　next　year；　and　in　spring　the　grain　from　the　last　sheaf　is　mixed　with　the　feathers　of　the　cock　and　scattered　on　the　field　which　is　to　be　tilled。　Nothing　could　set　in　a　clearer　light　the　identification　of　the　cock　with　the　spirit　of　the　corn。　By　being　tied　up　in　the　last　sheaf　and　killed；　the　cock　is　identified　with　the　corn；　and　its　death　with　the　cutting　of　the　corn。　By　keeping　its　feathers　till　spring；　then　mixing　them　with　the　seed…corn　taken　from　the　very　sheaf　in　which　the　bird　had　been　bound；　and　scattering　the　feathers　together　with　the　seed　over　the　field；　the　identity　of　the　bird　with　the　corn　is　again　emphasised；　and　its　quickening　and　fertilising　power；　as　an　embodiment　of　the　corn…spirit；　is　intimated　in　the　plainest　manner。　Thus　the　corn…spirit；　in　the　form　of　a　cock；　is　killed　at　harvest；　but　rises　to　fresh　life　and　activity　in　spring。　Again；　the　equivalence　of　the　cock　to　the　corn　is　expressed；　hardly　less　plainly；　in　the　custom　of　burying　the　bird　in　the　ground；　and　cutting　off　its　head　（like　the　ears　of　corn）　with　the　scythe。

4。　The　Corn…spirit　as　a　Hare。

ANOTHER　common　embodiment　of　the　corn…spirit　is　the　hare。　In　Galloway　the　reaping　of　the　last　standing　corn　is　called　cutting　the　Hare。　The　mode　of　cutting　it　is　as　follows。　When　the　rest　of　the　corn　has　been　reaped；　a　handful　is　left　standing　to　form　the　Hare。　It　is　divided　into　three　parts　and　plaited；　and　the　ears　are　tied　in　a　knot。　The　reapers　then　retire　a　few　yards　and　each　throws　his　or　her　sickle　in　turn　at　the　Hare　to　cut　it　down。　It　must　be　cut　below　the　knot；　and　the　reapers　continue　to　throw　their　sickles　at　it；　one　after　the　other；　until　one　of　them　succeeds　in　severing　the　stalks　below　the　knot。　The　Hare　is　then　carried　home　and　given　to　a　maidservant　in　the　kitchen；　who　places　it　over　the　kitchen…door　on　the　inside。　Sometimes　the　Hare　used　to　be　thus　kept　till　the　next　harvest。　In　the　parish　of　Minnigaff；　when　the　Hare　was　cut；　the　unmarried　reapers　ran　home　with　all　speed；　and　the　one　who　arrived　first　was　the　first　to　be　married。　In　Germany　also　one　of　the　names　for　the　last　sheaf　is　the　Hare。　Thus　in　some　parts　of　Anhalt；　when　the　corn　has　been　reaped　and　only　a　few　stalks　are　left　standing；　they　say；　The　Hare　will　soon　come；　or　the　reapers　cry　to　each　other；　Look　how　the　Hare　comes　jumping　out。　In　East　Prussia　they　say　that　the　Hare　sits　in　the　last　patch　of　standing　corn；　and　must　be　chased　out　by　the　last　reaper。　The　reapers　hurry　with　their　work；　each　being　anxious　not　to　have　to　chase　out　the　Hare；　for　the　man　who　does　so；　that　is；　who　cuts　the　last　corn；　is　much　laughed　at。　At　Aurich；　as　we　have　seen；　an　expression　for　cutting　the　last　corn　is　to　cut　off　the　Hare's　tail。　He　is　killing　the　Hare　is　commonly　said　of　the　man　who　cuts　the　last　corn　in　Germany；　Sweden；　Holland；　France；　and　Italy。　In　Norway　the　man　who　is　thus　said　to　kill　the　Hare　must　give　hare's　blood；　in　the　form　of　brandy；　to　his　fellows　to　drink。　In　Lesbos；　when　the　reapers　are　at　work　in　two　neighbouring　fields；　each　party　tries　to　finish　first　in　order　to　drive　the　Hare　into　their　neighbour's　field；　the　reapers　who　succeed　in　doing　so　believe　that　next　year　the　crop　will　be　better。　A　small　sheaf　of　corn　is　made　up　and　kept　beside　the　holy　picture　till　next　harvest。

5。　The　Corn…spirit　as　a　Cat。

AGAIN；　the　corn…spirit　sometimes　takes　the　form　of　a　cat。　Near　Kiel　children　are　warned　not　to　go　into　the　corn…fields　because　the　Cat　sits　there。　In　the　Eisenach　Oberland　they　are　told　the　Corn…cat　will　come　and　fetch　you；　the　Corn…cat　goes　in　the　corn。　In　some　parts　of　Silesia　at　mowing　the　last　corn　they　say；　The　Cat　is　caught；　and　at　threshing；　the　man　who　gives　the　last　stroke　is　called　the　Cat。　In　the　neighbourhood　of　Lyons　the　last　sheaf　and　the　harvest…supper　are　both　called　the　Cat。　About　Vesoul　when　they　cut　the　last　corn　they　say；　We　have　the　Cat　by　the　tail。　At　Brian？on；　in　Dauphiné；　at　the　beginning　of　reaping；　a　cat　is　decked　out　with　ribbons；　flowers；　and　ears　of　corn。　It　is　called　the　Cat　of　the　ball…skin　（le　chat　de　peau　de　balle）。　If　a　reaper　is　wounded　at　his　work；　they　make　the　cat　lick　the　wound。　At　the　close　of　the　reaping　the　cat　is　again　decked　out　with　ribbons　and　ears　of　corn；　then　they　dance　and　make　merry。　When　the　dance　is　over　the　girls　solemnly　strip　the　cat　of　its　finery。　At　Grüneberg；　in　Silesia；　the　reaper　who　cuts　the　last　corn　goes　by　the　name　of　the　Tom…cat。　He　is　enveloped　in　rye…stalks　and　green　withes；　and　is　furnished　with　a　long　plaited　tail。　Sometimes　as　a　companion　he　has　a　man　similarly　dressed；　who　is　called　the　（female）　Cat。　Their　duty　is　to　run　after　people　whom　they　see　and　to　beat　them　with　a　long　stick。　Near　Amiens　the　expression　for　finishing　the　harvest　is；　They　are　going　to　kill　the　Cat；　and　when　the　last　corn　is　cut　they　kill　a　cat　in　the　farmyard。　At　threshing；　in　some　parts　of　France；　a　live　cat　is　placed　under　the　last　bundle　of　corn　to　be　threshed；　and　is　struck　dead　with　the　flails。　Then　on　Sunday　it　is　roasted　and