The Beard-Blown Goat. 26 



a 



antiquity suffice to assure us, and, given a dog, everything 

 becomes possible for man in the most natural way. More- 

 over, Lilith, who is called the first wife of Adam, came, it is 

 said, from a pastoral folk ; and it may be that she brought 

 with her into the soUtary wigwam that stood among the 

 thistles hard by the gates of Eden, the secret of weaving 

 the primitive pushm. 



" With glossy hair of shaggy goat, 

 Are light tiaras woven that wreath the head, 

 And airy float behind." 



There, too, was first made goats'-milk cheese, the original 

 Gruyere, such as the son of Jesse carried down to the camp 

 in the valley of Elah, for a present to the captain of the 

 thousand in which his brothers served. There, too, the 

 wandering jackal first sniff'ed the odour of the Kibab, the 

 roasted kid-flesh, such as Rebecca made haste to get ready 

 for old Isaac's deceiving, preparing it like Esau's venison, 

 " the savoury meat which his father loved." 



How is it, by the way, that this excellent meat is not 

 more common in England .-* The empty hills of Wales 

 would surely support innumerable herds of goats, and the 

 flesh of the kid is infinitely better eating, both in flavour 

 and texture, than half the " lamb " which is sold in butchers* 

 shops. 



That this animal was selected to bear away upon its head 

 the sins of the people, has somehow brought it obliquely 

 into disrepute, and the " scape-goat " has become a symbol 

 of reproach. Yet it should not be forgotten that when the 

 lots were cast, there were only two chances, and that the 

 goat which was not Azazel, "the departing one," was drawn 

 '^ for Jehovah." So that it rested only on the hazard of the 

 Levite's choice which of the two remained in the Hebrew 

 camp, consecrated for sacrifice to the Lord, and which was 

 sent forth. 



