230 THE RED DEER OF EX MOOR. 



in and spay the deer, stabbing with a short sword 

 behind the shoulder, forward to the heart, the lymer 

 being let go at him in front to divert his attention. 

 " And when the deer is dead and lieth on his side, 

 then first it is time to blow * the death.' " 



At a time when deer were esteemed almost more 

 for the venison than for the sport, it was not won- 

 derful that great stress should be laid on the proper 

 way of cutting up the dead stag, rewarding the 

 hounds, and distributing the venison — to use the 

 techical term, "undoing him." To cut up a deer 

 otherwise than with all the orthodox ceremonies 

 was considered an outrage unworthy of a good 

 sportsman. 



The " Minnesanger " Gottfried von Strasbourg 

 relates that when Tristan was wrecked on the coast of 

 Cornwall he found King Mark's huntsman, who had 

 just killed a stag, about to slit it down the back and 

 divide it into four pieces. Tristan interfered, and 

 instructed him how the work should be done secundum 

 arteni, and accompanied the King home to feast on 

 the venison, which Is the introduction on which the 

 whole romance is based. To kill the stag properly 

 was accounted a great feat, and was duly rewarded 

 by the gift of the head and skin : — 



What shall he have who killed the deer } 

 The leathern hide and horns to wear. 



Even when the deer was taken as in the present 

 day, it was for a long time customary to hand the 

 knife to the most honourable person present — even 



