the golden bough-第172章

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h　them；　it　was　the　figure　of　a　wolf　about　two　feet　long　and　half　a　foot　high；　the　legs　of　the　animal　being　represented　by　stiff　stalks　and　its　tail　and　mane　by　wheat…ears。　This　Wheat…wolf　she　carried　back　at　the　head　of　the　harvesters　to　the　village；　where　it　was　set　up　on　a　high　place　in　the　parlour　of　the　farm　and　remained　there　for　a　long　time。　In　many　places　the　sheaf　called　the　Wolf　is　made　up　in　human　form　and　dressed　in　clothes。　This　indicates　a　confusion　of　ideas　between　the　corn…spirit　conceived　in　human　and　in　animal　form。　Generally　the　Wolf　is　brought　home　on　the　last　waggon　with　joyful　cries。　Hence　the　last　waggon…load　itself　receives　the　name　of　the　Wolf。

Again；　the　Wolf　is　supposed　to　hide　himself　amongst　the　cut　corn　in　the　granary；　until　he　is　driven　out　of　the　last　bundle　by　the　strokes　of　the　flail。　Hence　at　Wanzleben；　near　Magdeburg；　after　the　threshing　the　peasants　go　in　procession；　leading　by　a　chain　a　man　who　is　enveloped　in　the　threshed…out　straw　and　is　called　the　Wolf。　He　represents　the　corn…spirit　who　has　been　caught　escaping　from　the　threshed　corn。　In　the　district　of　Treves　it　is　believed　that　the　Corn…wolf　is　killed　at　threshing。　The　men　thresh　the　last　sheaf　till　it　is　reduced　to　chopped　straw。　In　this　way　they　think　that　the　Corn…wolf；　who　was　lurking　in　the　last　sheaf；　has　been　certainly　killed。

In　France　also　the　Corn…wolf　appears　at　harvest。　Thus　they　call　out　to　the　reaper　of　the　last　corn；　You　will　catch　the　Wolf。　Near　Chambéry　they　form　a　ring　round　the　last　standing　corn；　and　cry；　The　Wolf　is　in　there。　In　Finisterre；　when　the　reaping　draws　near　an　end；　the　harvesters　cry；　There　is　the　Wolf；　we　will　catch　him。　Each　takes　a　swath　to　reap；　and　he　who　finishes　first　calls　out；　I've　caught　the　Wolf。　In　Guyenne；　when　the　last　corn　has　been　reaped；　they　lead　a　wether　all　round　the　field。　It　is　called　the　Wolf　of　the　field。　Its　horns　are　decked　with　a　wreath　of　flowers　and　corn…ears；　and　its　neck　and　body　are　also　encircled　with　garlands　and　ribbons。　All　the　reapers　march；　singing；　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