Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 11, 1900.djvu/270

 258 Animal Superstitions and Toteinisni.

example of this "superposition." The casual theory defended by Dr. Frazer seems untenable. ^ The identifi- cation of the chance animal in the corn with the corn- spirit could hardly have led to the permanent recognition of one animal as such in a given district. Further we do not know that the chance animal ever was so recognised (as the chance stranger was) ; we cannot therefore argue, as Dr. Frazer does, that the two cases cannot be dissociated in any attempt at explanation ; it is Dr. Frazer's own hypothesis that the cases are parallel, and he quotes no facts in support of it. On the other hand it is simple and satisfactory to see in animal corn-spirit the sacred animal of a district identified with the corn-spirit because it was sacred in the pre-agricultural days. This view is favoured by the fact that a large number of animals which are in some cases comparatively rare are regarded as embodying the corn-spirit ; I shall have occasion to call attention in another connection to facts connected with the harvest supper which support this hypothesis.

Analogy suggests that the animals carried in procession^ were originally sacrificed, and there are facts which tend to prove that the Christmas horses and other animals were actually at one period killed and eaten.

Before leaving the question of sacrifice I must direct your attention to the great importance of the period about the winter solstice for ceremonies of this nature. The impor- tance of this point will be seen later.

III. 2.— Communion with the Sacred Animal. This was effected {a) by the distribiction of its feathers, sJcin, &€., [b) by eating it.

{b) i. Among the animals thus eaten are : cock,^

' Golden Bough, ii. 33,

^ Bear, boar, cockchafer, cow, crow, cuckoo, donkey, eagle, fly, fox, goat, horse, magpie, ox, rabbit, sardine, stockfish, sheep, stork, swallow, and wolf. To these may be added the cricket, sold in Florence on Ascension Day. Animals that appear in the other lists are not mentioned again here.

^ V. the refs. on p. 252.