The Golden Bough (Third Edition, Vol. 7 of 12) - Mirrors

258 The Golden Bough (Third Edition, Vol. 7 of 12)[219]thus encased, is carried or carted about, beaten, drenched withwater, thrown on a dunghill, and so forth. Or, if he is sparedthis horseplay, he is at least the subject of ridicule or is thoughtto be destined to suffer some misfortune in the course of theyear. Hence the harvesters are naturally reluctant to give thelast cut at reaping or the last stroke at threshing or to bind thelast sheaf, and towards the close of the work this reluctanceproduces an emulation among the labourers, each striving tofinish his task as fast as possible, in order that he may escapethe invidious distinction of being last. 645 For example, in theneighbourhood of Danzig, when the winter corn is cut and mostlybound up in sheaves, the portion which still remains to be boundis divided amongst the women binders, each of whom receivesa swath of equal length to bind. A crowd of reapers, children,and idlers gather round to witness the contest, and at the word,“Seize the Old Man,” the women fall to work, all binding theirallotted swaths as hard as they can. The spectators watch themnarrowly, and the woman who cannot keep pace with the restand consequently binds the last sheaf has to carry the Old Man(that is, the last sheaf made up in the form of a man) to thefarmhouse and deliver it to the farmer with the words, “Here Ibring you the Old Man.” At the supper which follows, the OldMan is placed at the table and receives an abundant portion offood, which, as he cannot eat it, falls to the share of the womanwho carried him. Afterwards the Old Man is placed in the yardand all the people dance round him. Or the woman who boundthe last sheaf dances for a good while with the Old Man, while645 Compare above, pp. 134, 136, 137 sq., 140, 142, 143, 144, 145, 147 sq.,149, 164 sq. On the other hand, the last sheaf is sometimes an object of desireand emulation. See above, pp. 136, 141, 153, 154 sq., 156, 162 note 3, 165.It is so at Balquhidder also (Folk-lore Journal, vi. 269); and it was formerlyso on the Gareloch, Dumbartonshire, where there was a competition for thehonour of cutting it, and handfuls of standing corn used to be hidden undersheaves in order that the last to be uncovered should form the Maiden.—(Fromthe information of Archie Leitch. See pp. 157 sq.)