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y worship and sacrifice。 These are the vermin that infest his crops and his cattle。 To rid himself of these deadly foes the farmer has recourse to many superstitious devices； of which； though some are meant to destroy or intimidate the vermin； others aim at propitiating them and persuading them by fair means to spare the fruits of the earth and the herds。 Thus Esthonian peasants； in the island of Oesel； stand in great awe of the weevil； an insect which is exceedingly destructive to the grain。 They give it a fine name； and if a child is about to kill a weevil they say； Don't do it； the more we hurt him； the more he hurts us。 If they find a weevil they bury it in the earth instead of killing it。 Some even put the weevil under a stone in the field and offer corn to it。 They think that thus it is appeased and does less harm。 Amongst the Saxons of Transylvania； in order to keep sparrows from the corn； the sower begins by throwing the first handful of seed backwards over his head； saying； That is for you； sparrows。 To guard the corn against the attacks of leaf…flies he shuts his eyes and scatters three handfuls of oats in different directions。 Having made this offering to the leaf…flies he feels sure that they will spare the corn。 A Transylvanian way of securing the crops against all birds； beasts； and insects； is this： after he has finished sowing； the sower goes once more from end to end of the field imitating the gesture of sowing； but with an empty hand。 As he does so he says； I sow this for the animals； I sow it for every thing that flies and creeps； that walks and stands； that sings and springs； in the name of God the Father； etc。 The following is a German way of freeing a garden from caterpillars。 After sunset or at midnight the mistress of the house； or another female member of the family； walks all round the garden dragging a broom after her。 She may not look behind her； and must keep murmuring； Good evening； Mother Caterpillar； you shall come with your husband to church。 The garden gate is left open till the following morning。
Sometimes in dealing with vermin the farmer aims at hitting a happy mean between excessive rigour on the one hand and weak indulgence on the other； kind but firm； he tempers severity with mercy。 An ancient Greek treatise on farming advises the husbandman who would rid his lands of mice to act thus： Take a sheet of paper and write on it as follows： 'I adjure you； ye mice here present； that ye neither injure me nor suffer another mouse to do so。 I give you yonder field' （here you specify the field）； 'but if ever I catch you here again； by the Mother of the Gods I will rend you in seven pieces。' Write this； and stick the paper on an unhewn stone in the field before sunrise； taking care to keep the written side up。 In the Ardennes they say that to get rid of rats you should repeat the following words： Erat verbum； apud Deum vestrum。 Male rats and female rats； I conjure you； by the great God； to go out of my house； out of all my habitations； and to betake yourselves to such and such a place； there to end your days。 Decretis； reversis et desembarassis virgo potens； clemens； justitiae。 Then write the same words on pieces of paper； fold them up； and place one of them under the door by which the rats are to go forth； and the other on the road which they are to take。 This exorcism should be performed at sunrise。 Some years ago an American farmer was reported to have written a civil letter to the rats； telling them that his crops were short； that he could not afford to keep them through the winter； that he had been very kind to them； and that for their own good he thought they had better leave him and go to some of his neighbours who had more grain。 This document he pinned to a post in his barn for the rats to read。
Sometimes the desired object is supposed to be attained by treating with high distinction one or two chosen individuals of the obnoxious species； while the rest are pursued with relentless rigour。 In the East Indian island of Bali； the mice which ravage the rice…fields are caught in great numbers； and burned in the same way that corpses are burned。 But two of the captured mice are allowed to live； and receive a little packet of white linen。 Then the people bow down before them； as before gods； and let them go。 When the farms of the Sea Dyaks or Ibans of Sarawak are much pestered by birds and insects； they catch a specimen of each kind of vermin （one sparrow； one grasshopper； and so on）； put them in a tiny boat of bark well…stocked with provisions； and then allow the little vessel with its obnoxious passengers to float down the river。 If that does not drive the pests away； the Dyaks resort to what they deem a more effectual mode of accomplishing the same purpose。 They make a clay crocodile as large as life and set it up in the fields； where they offer it food； rice…spirit； and cloth； and sacrifice a fowl and a pig before it。 Mollified by these attentions； the ferocious animal very soon gobbles up all the creatures that devour the crops。 In Albania； if the fields or vineyards are ravaged by locusts or beetles； some of the women will assemble with dishevelled hair； catch a few of the insects； and march with them in a funeral procession to a spring or stream； in which they drown the creatures。 Then one of the women sings； O locusts and beetles who have left us bereaved； and the dirge is taken up and repeated by all the women in chorus。 Thus by celebrating the obsequies of a few locusts and beetles； they hope to bring about the death of them all。 When caterpillars invaded a vineyard or field in Syria； the virgins were gathered； and one of the caterpillars was taken and a girl made its mother。 Then they bewailed and buried it。 Thereafter they conducted the mother to the place where the caterpillars were； consoling her； in order that all the caterpillars might leave the garden。
Chapter 54。 Types of Animal Sacrament。
1。 The Egyptian and the Aino Types of Sacrament
WE are now perhaps in a position to understand the ambiguous behaviour of the Aino and Gilyaks towards the bear。 It has been shown that the sharp line of demarcation which we draw between mankind and the lower animals does not exist for the savage。 To him many of the other animals appear as his equals or even his superiors； not merely in brute force but in intelligence； and if choice or necessity leads him to take their lives； he feels bound； out of regard to his own safety； to do it in a way which will be as inoffensive as possible not merely to the living animal； but to its departed spirit and to all the other animals of the same species； which would resent an affront put upon one of their kind much as a tribe of savages would revenge an injury or insult offered to a tribesman。 We have seen that among the many devices by which the savage seeks to atone for the wrong done by him to his animal victims one is to show marked deference to a few chosen individuals of the species； for such behaviour is apparently regarded as entitling him to exterminate with impunity all the rest of the species upon which he can lay hands。 This principle perhaps explains the attitude； at first sight puzzling and contradictory； of the Aino towards the bear。 T