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just been expelled by the flails from the corn…stalks。 In other cases the farmer's wife represents the corn…spirit。 Thus in the Commune of Saligné （Vendée）； the farmer's wife； along with the last sheaf； is tied up in a sheet； placed on a litter； and carried to the threshing machine； under which she is shoved。 Then the woman is drawn out and the sheaf is threshed by itself； but the woman is tossed in the sheet； as if she were being winnowed。 It would be impossible to express more clearly the identification of the woman with the corn than by this graphic imitation of threshing and winnowing her。
In these customs the spirit of the ripe corn is regarded as old； or at least as of mature age。 Hence the names of Mother； Grandmother； Old Woman； and so forth。 But in other cases the corn…spirit is conceived as young。 Thus at Saldern； near Wolfenbuttel； when the rye has been reaped； three sheaves are tied together with a rope so as to make a puppet with the corn ears for a head。 This puppet is called the Maiden or the Corn…maiden。 Sometimes the corn…spirit is conceived as a child who is separated from its mother by the stroke of the sickle。 This last view appears in the Polish custom of calling out to the man who cuts the last handful of corn； You have cut the navel…string。 In some districts of West Prussia the figure made out of the last sheaf is called the Bastard； and a boy is wrapt up in it。 The woman who binds the last sheaf and represents the Corn…mother is told that she is about to be brought to bed； she cries like a woman in travail； and an old woman in the character of grandmother acts as midwife。 At last a cry is raised that the child is born； whereupon the boy who is tied up in the sheaf whimpers and squalls like an infant。 The grandmother wraps a sack； in imitation of swaddling bands； round the pretended baby； who is carried joyfully to the barn； lest he should catch cold in the open air。 In other parts of North Germany the last sheaf； or the puppet made out of it； is called the Child； the Harvest…Child； and so on； and they call out to the woman who binds the last sheaf； you are getting the child。
In some parts of Scotland； as well as in the north of England； the last handful of corn cut on the harvest…field was called the kirn； and the person who carried it off was said to win the kirn。 It was then dressed up like a child's doll and went by the name of the kirn…baby； the kirn…doll； or the Maiden。 In Berwickshire down to about the middle of the nineteenth century there was an eager competition among the reapers to cut the last bunch of standing corn。 They gathered round it at a little distance and threw their sickles in turn at it； and the man who succeeded in cutting it through gave it to the girl he preferred。 She made the corn so cut into a kirn…dolly and dressed it； and the doll was then taken to the farmhouse and hung up there till the next harvest； when its place was taken by the new kirn…dolly。 At Spottiswoode in Berwickshire the reaping of the last corn at harvest was called cutting the Queen almost as often as cutting the kirn。 The mode of cutting it was not by throwing sickles。 One of the reapers consented to be blindfolded； and having been given a sickle in his hand and turned twice or thrice about by his fellows； he was bidden to go and cut the kirn。 His groping about and making wild strokes in the air with his sickle excited much hilarity。 When he had tired himself out in vain and given up the task as hopeless； another reaper was blindfolded and pursued the quest； and so on； one after the other； till at last the kirn was cut。 The successful reaper was tossed up in the air with three cheers by his brother harvesters。 To decorate the room in which the kirn…supper was held at Spottiswoode as well as the granary； where the dancing took place； two women made kirn…dollies or Queens every year； and many of these rustic effigies of the corn…spirit might be seen hanging up together。
In some parts of the Highlands of Scotland the last handful of corn that is cut by the reapers on any particular farm is called the Maiden； or in Gaelic Maidhdeanbuain； literally； the shorn Maiden。 Superstitions attach to the winning of the Maiden。 If it is got by a young person； they think it an omen that he or she will be married before another harvest。 For that or other reasons there is a strife between the reapers as to who shall get the Maiden； and they resort to various stratagems for the purpose of securing it。 One of them； for example； will often leave a handful of corn uncut and cover it up with earth to hide it from the other reapers； till all the rest of the corn on the field is cut down。 Several may try to play the same trick； and the one who is coolest and holds out longest obtains the coveted distinction。 When it has been cut； the Maiden is dressed with ribbons into a sort of doll and affixed to a wall of the farmhouse。 In the north of Scotland the Maiden is carefully preserved till Yule morning； when it is divided among the cattle to make them thrive all the year round。 In the neighbourhood of Balquhidder； Perthshire； the last handful of corn is cut by the youngest girl on the field； and is made into the rude form of a female doll； clad in a paper dress； and decked with ribbons。 It is called the Maiden； and is kept in the farmhouse； generally above the chimney； for a good while； sometimes till the Maiden of the next year is brought in。 The writer of this book witnessed the ceremony of cutting the Maiden at Balquhidder in September 1888。 A lady friend informed me that as a young girl she cut the Maiden several times at the request of the reapers in the neighbourhood of Perth。 The name of the Maiden was given to the last handful of standing corn； a reaper held the top of the bunch while she cut it。 Afterwards the bunch was plaited； decked with ribbons； and hung up in a conspicuous place on the wall of the kitchen till the next Maiden was brought in。 The harvest…supper in this neighbourhood was also called the Maiden； the reapers danced at it。
On some farms on the Gareloch； in Dumbartonshire； about the year 1830； the last handful of standing corn was called the Maiden。 It was divided in two； plaited； and then cut with the sickle by a girl； who； it was thought； would be lucky and would soon be married。 When it was cut the reapers gathered together and threw their sickles in the air。 The Maiden was dressed with ribbons and hung in the kitchen near the roof； where it was kept for several years with the date attached。 Sometimes five or six Maidens might be seen hanging at once on hooks。 The harvest…supper was called the Kirn。 In other farms on the Gareloch the last handful of corn was called the Maidenhead or the Head； it was neatly plaited； sometimes decked with ribbons； and hung in the kitchen for a year； when the grain was given to the poultry。
In Aberdeenshire the last sheaf cut； or 'Maiden；' is carried home in merry procession by the harvesters。 It is then presented to the mistress of the house； who dresses it up to be preserved till the first mare foals。 The Maiden is then taken down and presented to the mare as its first food。 The neglect of this would have untoward effects upon the foal； and disastrous consequences upon farm operations generally for the season。 In the north…east of Aberdeenshire the last sheaf is commonly called the clyack sheaf。 It used to be cut by the youngest girl present and was dressed as a woman。 Being brought home in triumph； it was kept till Christmas morning； and then given to a mare in foal； if there was one on the farm； or； if there was not； to the oldest cow in calf。 Elsewhere the sheaf was divided between all the cows and their calves or between all the horses and the cattle of the farm。 In Fifeshire the last handful of corn； known as the Maiden； is cut by a young girl and made into the rude figure of a doll； tied with ribbons； by which it is hung on the wall of the farm…kitchen till the next spring。 The custom of cutting the Maiden at harvest was also observed in Inverness…shire and Sutherlandshire。
A somewhat maturer but still youthful age is assigned to the corn…spirit by the appellations of Bride； Oats…bride； and Wheat…bride； which in Germany are sometimes bestowed both on the last sheaf and on the woman who binds it。 At wheat…harvest near Müglitz； in Moravia； a small portion of the wheat is left standing after all the rest has been reaped。 This remnant is then cut； amid the rejoicing of the reapers； by a young girl who wears a wreath of wheaten ears on her head and goes by the name of the Wheat…bride。 It is supposed that she will be a real bride that same year。 Near Roslin and Stonehaven； in Scotland； the last handful of corn cut got the name of 'the bride；' and she was placed over the bress or chimney…piece； she had a ribbon tied below her numerous ears； and another round her waist。
Sometimes the idea implied by the name of Bride is worked out more fully by representing the productive powers of vegetation as bride and bridegroom。 Thus in the Vorharz an Oats…man and an Oats…woman； swathed in straw； dance at the harvest feast。 In South Saxony an Oats…bridegroom and an Oats…bride figure together at the harvest celebration。 The Oats…bridegroom is a man completely wrapt in oats…straw；