104 THE FRUITS OF THE COUNTRY-SIDE 



While another writer goes yet further and asserts that 

 these men — 



When fed with oaken mast 



The aged trees themselves in years surpassed. 



If SO it is an interesting illustration of that great law, 

 the survival of the fittest, those who could thrive on acorns 

 being practically unkillable. According to Chaucer " thei 

 weren wonte lightlie to slaken hir hunger at euen with 

 akehornes of okes," but this would appear to be merely 

 a light supper before turning in, and not a solid dietary. 



Famines frequently occurred in earlier days, and in the 

 Saxon Chronicle we read of one special time of dearth and 

 scarcity in the year 1116, when it is stated, "this year 

 was so wanting in mast that there was never heard such 

 in all this land." We must remember that this natural 

 provision of oak-corn, while of very slight nutritive value 

 to man, furnished a valuable food for swine, and one that 

 they greatly appreciated and throve on. 



From oak to oak they run with eager haste. 



And wrangHng share the first delicious taste 



Of fallen acorns ; yet but thinly found, 



Till the strong gale has shook them to the ground. ' 



We find swine's flesh the principal animal food of most 

 tribes and peoples in an early stage of civilisation, whether 

 on a South Sea Island or dwelling in an English shire, 

 since pigs multiply rapidly, and, herding together, need 

 but little oversight. The scarcity of mast in this Saxon 

 time of dearth meant therefore not scarcity of acorns for 

 the man and his family, but for his pigs ; yet if these 



' Bloomfield, Farmer's Boy. 



