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said； He is cutting the Goat's neck off。 In the neighbourhood of Grenoble； before the end of the reaping； a live goat is adorned with flowers and ribbons and allowed to run about the field。 The reapers chase it and try to catch it。 When it is caught； the farmer's wife holds it fast while the farmer cuts off its head。 The goat's flesh serves to furnish the harvest…supper。 A piece of the flesh is pickled and kept till the next harvest； when another goat is killed。 Then all the harvesters eat of the flesh。 On the same day the skin of the goat is made into a cloak； which the farmer； who works with his men； must always wear at harvest…time if rain or bad weather sets in。 But if a reaper gets pains in his back； the farmer gives him the goat…skin to wear。 The reason for this seems to be that the pains in the back； being inflicted by the corn…spirit； can also be healed by it。 Similarly； we saw that elsewhere； when a reaper is wounded at reaping； a cat； as the representative of the corn…spirit； is made to lick the wound。 Esthonian reapers of the island of Mon think that the man who cuts the first ears of corn at harvest will get pains in his back； probably because the corn…spirit is believed to resent especially the first wound； and； in order to escape pains in the back； Saxon reapers in Transylvania gird their loins with the first handful of ears which they cut。 Here； again； the corn…spirit is applied to for healing or protection； but in his original vegetable form； not in the form of a goat or a cat。
Further； the corn…spirit under the form of a goat is sometimes conceived as lurking among the cut corn in the barn； till he is driven from it by the threshing…flail。 Thus in Baden the last sheaf to be threshed is called the Corn…goat； the Spelt…goat； or the Oats…goat according to the kind of grain。 Again； near Marktl； in Upper Bavaria； the sheaves are called Straw…goats or simply Goats。 They are laid in a great heap on the open field and threshed by two rows of men standing opposite each other； who； as they ply their flails； sing a song in which they say that they see the Straw…goat amongst the corn…stalks。 The last Goat； that is； the last sheaf； is adorned with a wreath of violets and other flowers and with cakes strung together。 It is placed right in the middle of the heap。 Some of the threshers rush at it and tear the best of it out； others lay on with their flails so recklessly that heads are sometimes broken。 At Oberinntal； in the Tyrol； the last thresher is called Goat。 So at Haselberg； in West Bohemia； the man who gives the last stroke at threshing oats is called the Oats…goat。 At Tettnang； in Würtemburg； the thresher who gives the last stroke to the last bundle of corn before it is turned goes by the name of the He…goat； and it is said； He has driven the He…goat away。 The person who； after the bundle has been turned； gives the last stroke of all； is called the She…goat。 In this custom it is implied that the corn is inhabited by a pair of corn…spirits； male and female。
Further； the corn…spirit； captured in the form of a goat at threshing； is passed on to a neighbour whose threshing is not yet finished。 In Franche Comté； as soon as the threshing is over； the young people set up a straw figure of a goat on the farmyard of a neighbour who is still threshing。 He must give them wine or money in return。 At Ellwangen； in Würtemburg； the effigy of a goat is made out of the last bundle of corn at threshing； four sticks form its legs； and two its horns。 The man who gives the last stroke with the flail must carry the Goat to the barn of a neighbour who is still threshing and throw it down on the floor； if he is caught in the act； they tie the Goat on his back。 A similar custom is observed at Indersdorf； in Upper Bavaria； the man who throws the straw Goat into the neighbour's barn imitates the bleating of a goat； if they catch him； they blacken his face and tie the Goat on his back。 At Saverne； in Alsace； when a farmer is a week or more behind his neighbours with his threshing； they set a real stuffed goat or fox before his door。
Sometimes the spirit of the corn in goat form is believed to be killed at threshing。 In the district of Traunstein； Upper Bavaria； they think that the Oats…goat is in the last sheaf of oats。 He is represented by an old rake set up on end； with an old pot for a head。 The children are then told to kill the Oats…goat。
7。 The Corn…spirit as a Bull； Cow； or Ox。
ANOTHER form which the corn…spirit often assumes is that of a bull； cow； or ox。 When the wind sweeps over the corn they say at Conitz； in West Prussia； The Steer is running in the corn； when the corn is thick and strong in one spot； they say in some parts of East Prussia； The Bull is lying in the corn。 When a harvester has overstrained and lamed himself； they say in the Graudenz district of West Prussia； The Bull pushed him； in Lorraine they say； He has the Bull。 The meaning of both expressions is that he has unwittingly lighted upon the divine corn…spirit； who has punished the profane intruder with lameness。 So near Chambéry when a reaper wounds himself with his sickle； it is said that he has the wound of the Ox。 In the district of Bunzlau （Silesia） the last sheaf is sometimes made into the shape of a horned ox； stuffed with tow and wrapt in corn…ears。 This figure is called the Old Man。 In some parts of Bohemia the last sheaf is made up in human form and called the Buffalo…bull。 These cases show a confusion of the human with the animal shape of the corn…spirit。 The confusion is like that of killing a wether under the name of a wolf。 All over Swabia the last bundle of corn on the field is called the Cow； the man who cuts the last ears has the Cow； and is himself called Cow or Barley…cow or Oats…cow； according to the crop； at the harvest…supper he gets a nosegay of flowers and corn…ears and a more liberal allowance of drink than the rest。 But he is teased and laughed at； so no one likes to be the Cow。 The Cow was sometimes represented by the figure of a woman made out of ears of corn and corn…flowers。 It was carried to the farmhouse by the man who had cut the last handful of corn。 The children ran after him and the neighbours turned out to laugh at him； till the farmer took the Cow from him。 Here again the confusion between the human and the animal form of the corn…spirit is apparent。 In various parts of Switzerland the reaper who cuts the last ears of corn is called Wheat…cow； Corn…cow； Oats…cow； or Corn…steer； and is the butt of many a joke。 On the other hand； in the district of Rosenheim； Upper Bavaria； when a farmer is later of getting in his harvest than his neighbours； they set up on his land a Straw…bull； as it is called。 This is a gigantic figure of a bull made of stubble on a framework of wood and adorned with flowers and leaves。 Attached to it is a label on which are scrawled doggerel verses in ridicule of the man on whose land the Straw…bull is set up。
Again； the corn…spirit in the form of a bull or ox is killed on the harvest…field at the close of the reaping。 At Pouilly； near Dijon； when the last ears of corn are about to be cut； an ox adorned with ribbons； flowers； and ears of corn is led all round the field； followed by the whole troop of reapers dancing。 Then a man disguised as the Devil cuts the last ears of corn and immediately slaughters the ox。 Part of the flesh of the animal is eaten at the harvest…supper； part is pickled and kept till the first day of sowing in spring。 At Pont à Mousson and elsewhere on the evening of the last day of reaping； a calf adorned with flowers and ears of corn is led thrice round the farmyard； being allured by a bait or driven by men with sticks； or conducted by the farmer's wife with a rope。 The calf chosen for this ceremony is the calf which was born first on the farm in the spring of the year。 It is followed by all the reapers with their tools。 Then it is allowed to run free； the reapers chase it； and whoever catches it is called King of the Calf。 Lastly； it is solemnly killed； at Lunéville the man who acts as butcher is the Jewish merchant of the village。
Sometimes again the corn…spirit hides himself amongst the cut corn in the barn to reappear in bull or cow form at threshing。 Thus at Wurmlingen； in Thüringen； the man who gives the last stroke at threshing is called the Cow； or rather the Barley…cow； Oats…cow； Peas…cow； or the like； according to the crop。 He is entirely enveloped in straw； his head is surmounted by sticks in imitation of horns； and two lads lead him by ropes to the well to drink。 On the way thither he must low like a cow； and for a long time afterwards he goes by the name of the Cow。 At Obermedlingen； in Swabia； when the threshing draws near an end； each man is careful to avoid giving the last stroke。 He who does give it gets the Cow； which is a straw figure dressed in an old ragged petticoat； hood； and stockings。 It is tied on his back with a straw…rope； his face is blackened； and being bound with straw…ropes to a wheelbarrow he is wheeled round the village。 Here； again； we meet with that confusion between the human and animal shape of the corn…spirit which we have noted in other customs。 In Canton Schaffhausen the man who threshes the last corn is called the Cow； in Canton Thurg