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r； is germane to the theme of this book； for the more instances we discover of human beings representing in themselves the life or animating spirit of plants； the less difficulty will be felt at classing amongst them the King of the Wood at Nemi。
The Mandans and Minnitarees of North America used to hold a festival in spring which they called the corn…medicine festival of the women。 They thought that a certain Old Woman who Never Dies made the crops to grow； and that； living somewhere in the south； she sent the migratory waterfowl in spring as her tokens and representatives。 Each sort of bird represented a special kind of crop cultivated by the Indians： the wild goose stood for the maize； the wild swan for the gourds； and the wild duck for the beans。 So when the feathered messengers of the Old Woman began to arrive in spring the Indians celebrated the corn…medicine festival of the women。 Scaffolds were set up； on which the people hung dried meat and other things by way of offerings to the Old Woman； and on a certain day the old women of the tribe； as representatives of the Old Woman who Never Dies； assembled at the scaffolds each bearing in her hand an ear of maize fastened to a stick。 They first planted these sticks in the ground； then danced round the scaffolds； and finally took up the sticks again in their arms。 Meanwhile old men beat drums and shook rattles as a musical accompaniment to the performance of the old women。 Further； young women came and put dried flesh into the mouths of the old women； for which they received in return a grain of the consecrated maize to eat。 Three or four grains of the holy corn were also placed in the dishes of the young women； to be afterwards carefully mixed with the seed…corn； which they were supposed to fertilise。 The dried flesh hung on the scaffold belonged to the old women； because they represented the Old Woman who Never Dies。 A similar corn…medicine festival was held in autumn for the purpose of attracting the herds of buffaloes and securing a supply of meat。 At that time every woman carried in her arms an uprooted plant of maize。 They gave the name of the Old Woman who Never Dies both to the maize and to those birds which they regarded as symbols of the fruits of the earth； and they prayed to them in autumn saying； Mother； have pity on us！ send us not the bitter cold too soon； lest we have not meat enough！ let not all the game depart； that we may have something for the winter！ In autumn； when the birds were flying south； the Indians thought that they were going home to the Old Woman and taking to her the offerings that had been hung up on the scaffolds； especially the dried meat； which she ate。 Here then we have the spirit or divinity of the corn conceived as an Old Woman and represented in bodily form by old women； who in their capacity of representatives receive some at least of the offerings which are intended for her。
In some parts of India the harvest…goddess Gauri is represented at once by an unmarried girl and by a bundle of wild balsam plants； which is made up into the figure of a woman and dressed as such with mask； garments； and ornaments。 Both the human and the vegetable representative of the goddess are worshipped； and the intention of the whole ceremony appears to be to ensure a good crop of rice。
4。 The Double Personification ofthe Corn as Mother and Daughter。
COMPARED with the Corn…mother of Germany and the Harvest…maiden of Scotland； the Demeter and Persephone of Greece are late products of religious growth。 Yet as members of the Aryan family the Greeks must at one time or another have observed harvest customs like those which are still practised by Celts； Teutons； and Slavs； and which； far beyond the limits of the Aryan world； have been practised by the Indians of Peru and many peoples of the East Indiesa sufficient proof that the ideas on which these customs rest are not confined to any one race； but naturally suggest themselves to all untutored peoples engaged in agriculture。 It is probable； therefore； that Demeter and Persephone； those stately and beautiful figures of Greek mythology； grew out of the same simple beliefs and practices which still prevail among our modern peasantry； and that they were represented by rude dolls made out of the yellow sheaves on many a harvest…field long before their breathing images were wrought in bronze and marble by the master hands of Phidias and Praxiteles。 A reminiscence of that olden timea scent； so to say； of the harvest…fieldlingered to the last in the title of the Maiden （Kore） by which Persephone was commonly known。 Thus if the prototype of Demeter is the Corn…mother of Germany； the prototype of Persephone is the Harvest…maiden which； autumn after autumn； is still made from the last sheaf on the Braes of Balquhidder。 Indeed； if we knew more about the peasant…farmers of ancient Greece； we should probably find that even in classical times they continued annually to fashion their Corn…mothers （Demeters） and Maidens （Persephones） out of the ripe corn on the harvest…fields。 But unfortunately the Demeter and Persephone whom we know were the denizens of towns； the majestic inhabitants of lordly temples； it was for such divinities alone that the refined writers of antiquity had eyes； the uncouth rites performed by rustics amongst the corn were beneath their notice。 Even if they noticed them； they probably never dreamed of any connexion between the puppet of corn…stalks on the sunny stubble…field and the marble divinity in the shady coolness of the temple。 Still the writings even of these town…bred and cultured persons afford us an occasional glimpse of a Demeter as rude as the rudest that a remote German village can show。 Thus the story that Iasion begat a child Plutus （ wealth； abundance） by Demeter on a thrice…ploughed field； may be compared with the West Prussian custom of the mock birth of a child on the harvest…field。 In this Prussian custom the pretended mother represents the Corn…mother （Zytniamatka）； the pretended child represents the Corn…baby； and the whole ceremony is a charm to ensure a crop next year。 The custom and the legend alike point to an older practice of performing； among the sprouting crops in spring or the stubble in autumn； one of those real or mimic acts of procreation by which； as we have seen； primitive man often seeks to infuse his own vigorous life into the languid or decaying energies of nature。 Another glimpse of the savage under the civilised Demeter will be afforded farther on； when we come to deal with another aspect of those agricultural divinities。
The reader may have observed that in modern folk…customs the corn…spirit is generally represented either by a Corn…mother （Old Woman； etc。） or by a Maiden （Harvest…child； etc。）； not both by a Corn…mother and by a Maiden。 Why then did the Greeks represent the corn both as a mother and a daughter？
In the Breton custom the mother…sheafa large figure made out of the last sheaf with a small corn…doll inside of itclearly represents both the Corn…mother and the Corn…daughter； the latter still unborn。 Again； in the Prussian custom just referred to； the woman who plays the part of Corn…mother represents the ripe grain； the child appears to repre