Page:Modern Greek folklore and ancient Greek religion - a study in survivals.djvu/166

 [Greek: gialos] (i.e. [Greek: aigialos]), the 'sea-shore .' But there is no evidence advanced to show that the common-folk regard them as a species of Nereid; and there is, on the contrary, evidence of their identity with certain female demons whose name more commonly appears in the form [Greek: gelloudes], and with whom I shall deal later.

The Oreads are no longer known under their old name, but their existence is still recognised throughout the mainland of Greece. Their change of name is the result merely of a change in the ordinary word for 'mountain.' Anciently [Greek: oros] was usual, [Greek: bounos] rare; now the peasant uses commonly [Greek: bouno], and [Greek: oros] although understood everywhere and occurring in popular poetry comes less readily to his lips. Hence the Oreads are now called [Greek: hê Bounêsias] (sc. [Greek: neraides]) or [Greek: ta kouritsia tou bounou] ('the mountain-nymphs' or 'the maidens of the mount'). These mountain-nymphs delight in dance and merriment even more than their kin of the rivers and of the sea. In Maina indeed they seem to have become infected with the pugnacious character of the people, for as we have seen they there do battle with the sea-nymphs each Saturday night. But in general frolic is more to their taste than fighting. On the heights of Taÿgetus are three Oreads, well known to the dwellers in the plain of Sparta, who dance together without pause. On the summit of Hymettus too there is a flat space, called in the modern Attic dialect a [Greek: platôma] and in shape 'round like a threshing-floor,' where Nereids of the mountain dance at midday. Above all in the uplands of Acarnania and Aetolia many are the hollows or tree-encircled level spaces which the shepherds will point out as [Greek: neraidalôna], 'threshing-floors' where the nymphs make merry; for a threshing-floor, it must be remembered, is the usual resort for dancing, wrestling, and all those amusements for which a level space is required.

Nymphs of the same kind are known also in Crete. A curious story of a wedding procession in which they took part was therein [Greek: Ephêmeris tôn Philomathôn], 1861, p. 1826; and Bent, ''loc. cit.'']of Athens University, whom I consulted, concurs with me.], p. 669, [Greek: Politês, Meletê k.t.l.] p. 97.] p. 223.]