Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 9, 1898.djvu/127

Rh be contracted with neighbouring nations." So with the Kâfir chiefs of the Hindu Kush, who are bound to give feasts to the leading men of the tribe. And Sir Hugh Willoughby tells us of the dukes of Moscovy that "he gave to every one of his gentlemen waiters meat with his own hand, and so likewise drink. His intent thereby is, as I have heard, that every man shall know perfectly his servants." And again, "before the coming in of the meat, the emperor himself, according to an ancient custom of the kings of Moscovy, doth bestow a piece of bread upon every one of his guests with a loud pronunciation of his title and honour in this manner : 'The Great Duke of Moscovy, and Chief Emperor of Russia, John Basiliwich (and then the officer nameth the guest) doth give them bread.'" Again, each of these chiefs in Homeric times, according to the well-known savage etiquette, was entitled to the portion of honour according to his rank ; just as in former days in Scotland the chief's armour-bearer had a double portion of meat assigned to him at every meal. We have the same custom in the mess of Benjamin ; the distribution of the Kava cup in Tonga ; the joints of the sacrifice in Egypt ; and among the Australians, Fijians, Namaquas, Bechuanas, Niam-Niams, and Samoans. Postponing for the present the application of these facts,