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HOESES. 659
know how the Persians chose a king by the neighing of his
horse, Herod. 3, 84. In the Norwegian tale Griinsborken (Asb.
and Moe, no. 38) a foal is suckled by twelve mares, and gets to
talk sensibly (see Suppl.).
And as Mimr s head retained its wisdom after it was cut off
(379), heathendom seems to have practised all sorts of magic by
cutting off horse s heads and sticking them up. In a nursery-tale
(no. 89) the trusty Fala,da s head is nailed up over the gate, and
carries on converse with the king s daughter. This cutting off
and setting up of horse s heads has been mentioned at p. 47-8 as
an ancient German custom. Pliny 19, 10 (58) notices, as a remedy
for caterpillars : si polo imponantur in hortis ossa capitis ex
equino genere. In Scandinavia they stuck a horse s head on a
pole, and turned the gaping jaws, propped open with a stick, in
the direction whence the man they had a spite against, and
wished to harm, was sure to come. 1 This was called a neidstange
(spite-stake). Saxo Gram. p. 75 : Immolati diis equi abscissum
caput conto exdpiens, subject Is stipitibus distent os faucium rictus
aperuit, sperans se primos Erici conatus atrocis spectaculi formidine
frustraturum. Arbitrabatur enim ineptas barbarorum
mentes oblatae cervicis terriculamento cessuras; et jam Ericus
obvium illis iter agebat. Qui prospecto eminus capite, obscoenita-
tis apparatum intelligens, silere socios cautiusque se gerere jubet,
nee quemquam temere praecipitare sermonem, ne incauto effamine
ullum maleficiis instruerent locum, adjiciens, si sermone opus
incideret, verba se pro omnibus habiturum. Jamque medius illos
amnis secreverat, cum magi, ut Ericum pontis aditu deturbarent,
contum quo equi caput refixerant fluvio citimum locant. Hie
nihilominus pontem intrepide aggressus, f in latorem inquit
e
gestaminis sui fortuna recidat, nos melior consequatur eventus.
Male maleficis cedat, infaustae molis gerulum onus obruat, nobis
potiora tribuant omina sospitatem ! Nee secus quam optabatur
evenit : continuo namque excussa cervice ruens ferentem stipes
oppressit. Egilssaga p. 389 : Egill tok i hond ser heslis staung
(hazel rod), ok geek a bergsnaus nockura, ]>a
inn.
J?a tok hann hross-hofaff ok setti up d staungina.
er
vissi til lands
srSan veitti
1 Wolves heads were in like manner held open with hazel rods and hung up
Isengr. 645-7-8. Keinardus 3, 293. 312. Keinhart, introd. p. Ixix.