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s is shown by throwing the Corn…mother into the river in order to secure rain and dew for the crops； by making the Old Woman heavy in order to get a heavy crop next year； by strewing grain from the last sheaf amongst the young crops in spring； and by giving the last sheaf to the cattle to make them thrive。
Chapter 46。 The Corn…Mother in Many Lands。
1。 The Corn…mother in America。
EUROPEAN peoples； ancient and modern； have not been singular in personifying the corn as a mother goddess。 The same simple idea has suggested itself to other agricultural races in distant parts of the world； and has been applied by them to other indigenous cereals than barley and wheat。 If Europe has its Wheat…mother and its Barley…mother； America has its Maize…mother and the East Indies their Rice…mother。 These personifications I will now illustrate； beginning with the American personification of the maize。
We have seen that among European peoples it is a common custom to keep the plaited corn…stalks of the last sheaf； or the puppet which is formed out of them； in the farm…house from harvest to harvest。 The intention no doubt is； or rather originally was； by preserving the representative of the corn…spirit to maintain the spirit itself in life and activity throughout the year； in order that the corn may grow and the crops be good。 This interpretation of the custom is at all events rendered highly probable by a similar custom observed by the ancient Peruvians； and thus described by the old Spanish historian Acosta： They take a certain portion of the most fruitful of the maize that grows in their farms； the which they put in a certain granary which they do call Pirua； with certain ceremonies； watching three nights； they put this maize in the richest garments they have； and being thus wrapped and dressed； they worship this Pirua； and hold it in great veneration； saying it is the mother of the maize of their inheritances； and that by this means the maize augments and is preserved。 In this month ＇the sixth month； answering to May＇ they make a particular sacrifice； and the witches demand of this Pirua if it hath strength sufficient to continue until the next year； and if it answers no； then they carry this maize to the farm to burn； whence they brought it； according to every man's power； then they make another Pirua； with the same ceremonies； saying that they renew it； to the end the seed of maize may not perish； and if it answers that it hath force sufficient to last longer； they leave it until the next year。 This foolish vanity continueth to this day； and it is very common amongst the Indians to have these Piruas。
In this description of the custom there seems to be some error。 Probably it was the dressed…up bunch of maize； not the granary （Pirua）； which was worshipped by the Peruvians and regarded as the Mother of the Maize。 This is confirmed by what we know of the Peruvian custom from another source。 The Peruvians； we are told； believed all useful plants to be animated by a divine being who causes their growth。 According to the particular plant； these divine beings were called the Maize…mother （Zara…mama）； the Quinoa…mother （Quinoa…mama）； the Coca…mother （Coca…mama）； and the Potato…mother （Axo…mama）。 Figures of these divine mothers were made respectively of ears of maize and leaves of the quinoa and coca plants； they were dressed in women's clothes and worshipped。 Thus the Maize…mother was represented by a puppet made of stalks of maize dressed in full female attire； and the Indians believed that as mother； it had the power of producing and giving birth to much maize。 Probably； therefore； Acosta misunderstood his informant； and the Mother of the Maize which he describes was not the granary （Pirua）； but the bunch of maize dressed in rich vestments。 The Peruvian Mother of the Maize； like the harvest…Maiden at Balquhidder； was kept for a year in order that by her means the corn might grow and multiply。 But lest her strength might not suffice to last till the next harvest； she was asked in the course of the year how she felt； and if she answered that she felt weak； she was burned and a fresh Mother of the Maize made； to the end the seed of maize may not perish。 Here； it may be observed； we have a strong confirmation of the explanation already given of the custom of killing the god； both periodically and occasionally。 The Mother of the maize was allowed； as a rule； to live through a year； that being the period during which her strength might reasonably be supposed to last unimpaired； but on any symptom of her strength failing she was put to death； and a fresh and vigorous Mother of the Maize took her place； lest the maize which depended on her for its existence should languish and decay。
2。 The Rice…mother in the East Indies。
IF THE READER still feels any doubts as to the meaning of the harvest customs which have been practised within living memory by European peasants； these doubts may perhaps be dispelled by comparing the customs observed at the rice…harvest by the Malays and Dyaks of the East Indies。 For these Eastern peoples have not； like our peasantry； advanced beyond the intellectual stage at which the customs originated； their theory and their practice are still in unison； for them the quaint rites which in Europe have long dwindled into mere fossils； the pastime of clowns and the puzzle of the learned； are still living realities of which they can render an intelligible and truthful account。 Hence a study of their beliefs and usages concerning the rice may throw some light on the true meaning of the ritual of the corn in ancient Greece and modern Europe。
Now the whole of the ritual which the Malays and Dyaks observe in connexion with the rice is founded on the simple conception of the rice as animated by a soul like that which these people attribute to mankind。 They explain the phenomena of reproduction； growth； decay； and death in the rice on the same principles on which they explain the corresponding phenomena in human beings。 They imagine that in the fibres of the plant； as in the body of a man； there is a certain vital element； which is so far independent of the plant that it may for a time be completely separated from it without fatal effects； though if its absence be prolonged beyond certain limits the plant will wither and die。 This vital yet separable element is what； for the want of a better word； we must call the soul of a plant； just as a similar vital and separable element is commonly supposed to constitute the soul of man； and on this theory or myth of the plant…soul is built the whole worship of the cereals； just as on the theory or myth of the human soul is built the whole worship of the dead；a towering superstructure reared on a slender and precarious foundation。
Believing the rice to be animated by a soul like that of a man； the Indonesians naturally treat it with the deference and the consideration which they show to their fellows。 Thus they behave towards the rice in bloom as they behave towards a pregnant woman； they abstain from firing guns or making loud noises in the field； lest they should so frighten the soul of the rice that it would miscarry and bear no grain； and for the same reason they will not talk of corpses or demons in the rice…fields。 Moreover； they feed the blooming rice with foods of various kinds which are believed to be wholesome for women with child； but when the rice…ears are just beginning to form； they are looked upon as infants； and women go through the fields feeding them with rice…pap as if they were human babes。 In such natural and obvious comparisons of the breeding plant to a breeding woman； and of the young grain to a young child； is to be sought the origin of the kindred Greek conception of the Corn…mother and the Corn…daughter； Demeter and Persephone。 But if the timorous feminine soul of the rice can be frightened into a miscarriage even by loud noises； it is easy to imagine what her feelings must be at harvest； when people are under the sad necessity of cutting down the rice with the knife。 At so critical a season every precaution must be used to render the necessary surgical operation of reaping as inconspicuous and as painless as possible。 For that reason the reaping of the seed…rice is done with knives of a peculiar pattern； such that the blades are hidden in the reapers' hands and do not frighten the rice…spirit till the very last moment； when her head is swept off almost before she is aware； and from a like delicate motive the reapers at work in the fields employ a special form of speech； which the rice…spirit cannot be expected to understand； so that she has no warning or inkling of what is going forward till the heads of rice are safely deposited in the basket。
Among the Indonesian peoples who thus personify the rice we may take the Kayans or Bahaus of Central Borneo as typical。 In order to secure and detain the volatile soul of the rice the Kayans resort to a number of devices。 Among the instruments employed for this purpose are a miniature ladder； a spatula； and a basket containing hooks； thorns； and cords。 With the spatula the priestess strokes the soul of the rice down the little ladder into the basket； where it is naturally held fast by the hooks； the thorn； and the cor