Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review Volumes 32 and 33.djvu/227

Rh astonished at what they saw, and went and told the king what had happened. The king called the young man and said to him. "This doing is not of your own wisdom. No doubt your father has told you whom you have kept alive. Speak the truth and I will spare thy life." The young man owned that his father had advised him to plough up the thoroughfares and roads close to their house. The young king then sent for the old man and asked him what was the meaning of his advice. The old man replied: "All throughout the year carts laden with all manner of seeds and corn are passing to and fro, some of the corn falls to the ground, and not a few of the seeds fall on the ground and are trodden into the earth by the passers-by. Left in that state they usually rot, but if the ground is ploughed up, and is moist and favourable for the growth, no one passing over that part of the ground, some of the corn has a chance of growing. It is upon that chance that I relied, and thus it has come to pass that we have now a rich crop, not only for our necessities, but also to provide you all with enough necessary seed for your own fields in the future." When the king and the young people heard what the old man had to tell and saw his deep wisdom, they recognised their folly, they rescinded that resolution, and decided henceforth to allow the old people to live in peace and honour.

And henceforth the old men are allowed to live to the end of their days.

are indebted to the kindness of Sir James Frazer and Dr. Rendel Harris for a photograph of a Corn Baby used by cultivators in the Sohagpur District, Central Provinces, India. The photograph, which we are unfortunately unable to reproduce, was taken by a missionary. Rev. F. Kilbey, who writes: "I am sending you enclosed a photograph of a Corn Baby, in which I know you are very interested. The Corn Baby is a general institution in India, and excepting Muhammadan