INDIAN CORN. 109 



perfect flowers through the greater part of their 

 length. This looks as if Maize were not originally 

 diclinous. 



In some of the villages east of the Var the 

 peasants are so dishonest that they steal the corn from 

 their neighbours' fields. I noticed people sleeping 

 out in the fields when the crops were ripe, and 

 inquired the reason. I was told that they were 

 protecting the corn. 



Dr. Schweinfurth relates a curious custom of 

 some African tribes. When strangers approach their 

 territory, they hang up by the path a cob of Indian 

 Corn, a feather, and an arrow. The meaning is : " If 

 you touch either the produce of our fields, or our 

 domestic animals, we declare war against you." 



In his interesting work on Plant Mythology, De 

 Gubernatis cites the following Calabrian legend. A 

 mother had seven daughters ; six of them span busily, 

 but the seventh looked on. When her sisters went to 

 church she ate up all the food that was in the house. 

 On their return there was a scene. A travelling 

 pedlar, hearing the noise, looked in and asked what 

 was the matter. The mother, with ready wit, seizes 

 the opportunity. No man who knows this girl will 

 marry her ; but here is a stranger ! She tells him that 

 her six daughters are loudly praising their sister 

 because she eats so little, and does as much work as 

 all the rest together. The pedlar marries her on the 

 spot, to the great delight of all her relatives. He 

 takes the idle glutton home, gives her a large supply 

 of flax to spin, and goes forth to sell his wares. She 

 never thinks of spinning, and regales herself with a 

 huge pot of Maize porridge. But retribution is at 



