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he corn…spirit is represented either by a stranger passing the harvest…field （as in the Lityerses tale）； or by a visitor entering it for the first time。 All over Germany it is customary for the reapers or threshers to lay hold of passing strangers and bind them with a rope made of corn…stalks； till they pay a forfeit； and when the farmer himself or one of his guests enters the field or the threshing…floor for the first time； he is treated in the same way。 Sometimes the rope is only tied round his arm or his feet or his neck。 But sometimes he is regularly swathed in corn。 Thus at Sol？r in Norway； whoever enters the field； be he the master or a stranger； is tied up in a sheaf and must pay a ransom。 In the neighbourhood of Soest； when the farmer visits the flax…pullers for the first time； he is completely enveloped in flax。 Passers…by are also surrounded by the women； tied up in flax； and compelled to stand brandy。 At N？rdlingen strangers are caught with straw ropes and tied up in a sheaf till they pay a forfeit。 Among the Germans of Haselberg； in West Bohemia； as soon as a farmer had given the last corn to be threshed on the threshing…floor； he was swathed in it and had to redeem himself by a present of cakes。 In the canton of Putanges； in Normandy； a pretence of tying up the owner of the land in the last sheaf of wheat is still practised； or at least was still practised some quarter of a century ago。 The task falls to the women alone。 They throw themselves on the proprietor； seize him by the arms； the legs； and the body； throw him to the ground； and stretch him on the last sheaf。 Then a show is made of binding him； and the conditions to be observed at the harvest…supper are dictated to him。 When he has accepted them； he is released and allowed to get up。 At Brie； Isle de France； when any one who does not belong to the farm passes by the harvest…field； the reapers give chase。 If they catch him； they bind him in a sheaf an dbite him； one after the other； in the forehead； crying； You shall carry the key of the field。 To have the key is an expression used by harvesters elsewhere in the sense of to cut or bind or thresh the last sheaf； hence； it is equivalent to the phrases You have the Old Man； You are the Old Man； which are addressed to the cutter； binder； or thresher of the last sheaf。 Therefore； when a stranger； as at Brie； is tied up in a sheaf and told that he will carry the key of the field； it is as much as to say that he is the Old Man； that is； an embodiment of the corn…spirit。 In hop…picking； if a well…dressed stranger passes the hop…yard； he is seized by the women； tumbled into the bin； covered with leaves； and not released till he has paid a fine。
Thus； like the ancient Lityerses； modern European reapers have been wont to lay hold of a passing stranger and tie him up in a sheaf。 It is not to be expected that they should complete the parallel by cutting off his head； but if they do not take such a strong step； their language and gestures are at least indicative of a desire to do so。 For instance； in Mecklenburg on the first day of reaping； if the master or mistress or a stranger enters the field； or merely passes by it； all the mowers face towards him and sharpen their scythes； clashing their whet…stones against them in unison； as if they were making ready to mow。 Then the woman who leads the mowers steps up to him and ties a band round his left arm。 He must ransom himself by payment of a forfeit。 Near Ratzeburg； when the master or other person of mark enters the field or passes by it； all the harvesters stop work and march towards him in a body； the men with their scythes in front。 On meeting him they form up in line； men and women。 The men stick the poles of their scythes in the ground； as they do in whetting them； then they take off their caps and hang them on the scythes； while their leader stands forward and makes a speech。 When he has done； they all whet their scythes in measured time very loudly； after which they put on their caps。 Two of the women binders then come forward； one of them ties the master or stranger （as the case may be） with corn…ears or with a silken band； the other delivers a rhyming address。 The following are specimens of the speeches made by the reaper on these occasions。 In some parts of Pomerania every passer…by is stopped； his way being barred with a corn…rope。 The reapers form a circle round him and sharpen their scythes； while their leader says：
The men are ready； The scythes are bent； The corn is great and small； The gentleman must be mowed。
Then the process of whetting the scythes is repeated。 At Ramin； in the district of Stettin； the stranger； standing encircled by the reapers； is thus addressed：
We'll stroke the gentleman With our naked sword； Wherewith we shear meadows and fields。 We shear princes and lords。 Labourers are often athirst； If the gentleman will stand beer and brandy The joke will soon be over。 But； if our prayer he does not like； The sword has a right to strike。
On the threshing…floor strangers are also regarded as embodiments of the corn…spirit； and are treated accordingly。 At Wiedingharde in Schleswig when a stranger comes to the threshing…floor he is asked； Shall I teach you the flail…dance？ If he says yes； they put the arms of the threshing…flail round his neck as if he were a sheaf of corn； and press them together so tight that he is nearly choked。 In some parishes of Wermland （Sweden）； when a stranger enters the threshing…floor where the threshers are at work； they say that they will teach him the threshing…song。 Then they put a flail round his neck and a straw rope about his body。 Also； as we have seen； if a stranger woman enters the threshing…floor； the threshers put a flail round her body and a wreath of corn…stalks round her neck； and call out； See the Corn…woman！ See！ that is how the Corn…maiden looks！
Thus in these harvest…customs of modern Europe the person who cuts； binds； or threshes the last corn is treated as an embodiment of the corn…spirit by being wrapt up in sheaves； killed in mimicry by agricultural implements； and thrown into the water。 These coincidences with the Lityerses story seem to prove that the latter is a genuine description of an old Phrygian harvest…custom。 But since in the modern parallels the killing of the personal representative of the corn…spirit is necessarily omitted or at most enacted only in mimicry； it is desirable to show that in rude society human beings have been commonly killed as an agricultural ceremony to promote the fertility of the fields。 The following examples will make this plain。
3。 Human Sacrifices for the Crops。
THE INDIANS of Guayaquil； in Ecuador； used to sacrifice human blood and the hearts of men when they sowed their fields。 The people of Ca？ar （now Cuenca in Ecuador） used to sacrifice a hundred children annually at harvest。 The kings of Quito； the Incas of Peru； and for a long time the Spaniards were unable to suppress the bloody rite。 At a Mexican harvest…festival； when the first…fruits of the season were offered to the sun； a criminal was placed between two immense stones； balanced opposite each other； and was crushed by them as they fell together。 His remains were buried； and a feast and dance followed。 This sacrifice was known as the meeting of the stones。 We have seen that the ancient Mexicans also sacrificed human beings at all the various stages in the growth of the maize； the age of the victims corresponding to the age of the corn； for they sacrificed new…born babes at sowing； older children when the grain had sprouted； and so on till it was fully ripe； when they sacrificed old men。 No doubt the correspondence between the ages of the victims and the state of the corn was supposed to enhance the efficacy of the sacrifice。
The Pawnees annually sacrificed a human victim in spring when they sowed their fields。 The sacrifice was believed to have been enjoined on them by the Morning Star； or by a certain bird which the Morning Star had sent to them as its messenger。 The bird was stuffed and preserved as a powerful talisman。 They thought that an omission of this sacrifice would be followed by the total failure of the crops of maize； beans； and pumpkins。 The victim was a captive of either sex。 He was clad in the gayest and most costly attire； was fattened on the choicest food； and carefully kept in ignorance of his doom。 When he was fat enough； they bound him to a cross in the presence of the multitude； danced a solemn dance； then cleft his head with a tomahawk and shot him with arrows。 According to one trader； the squaws then cut pieces of flesh from the victim's body； with which they greased their hoes； but this was denied by another trader who had been present at the ceremony。 Immediately after the sacrifice the people proceeded to plant their fields。 A particular account has been preserved of the sacrifice of a Sioux girl by the Pawnees in April 1837 or 1838。 The girl was fourteen or fifteen years old and had been kept for six months and well treated。 Two days before the sacrifice she was led from wigwam to wigwam； accompanied by the whole council of chiefs and warriors。 At each lodge she received a small billet of wood and a little paint； which she handed to the warrior next to her。 In th