The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1909-11-11
Quaint Harvest Customs in
England.

quaint customs connected Win the
gathering in of the harvest. They all
bear a certain resemblance to each
| other, but have different designations.
When the last shock of corn on the
farm has been cut in Devonshire, a cry
is heard from one of the reapers:
1--WE gotten it'll"
"what hast tba' gotten?" shout the
others.
"I've gotten the neck" yells the
first.
As the reaping has been rapidly near
ing it's completion, the oldest laborer
goes round the field picking the best
ears of corn he sees in each sheaf.
These he ties together, and i~ntricately
plaits into a sort OF broom, topped
with the ears. This is called the meek"
or ''knack," and when the cutting of
the last corn is heralded with the
shout, "I've gotten it !" the reapers
gather together and stand in a circle
round the mar holding the meek"
He stoops to the stubble with it, and the
ring of reapers, holding their hats in
both hands, likwise bend to the ground
Rising upright, and stretching their
arms and hats above their heads. they
slowly chant, in harmony, "The
neck" three times. Then they burst
into triumphant shouts; 1--WE have
'un. We have 'un (" Round goes the
cider pitcher, and, with ~acclamations,
the plated neck of corn is escorted to
the farmhouse.
There it is delivered to the farmer,
with the chorus: "a neck, a neck, a
neckl Well cut, well bound, well
shocked !" The little bundle of corn
is hung from the kitchen ceiling, and
remains there until displaced by the
meek" of the next harvest. To lose
or part with this meek" is to invite
misfortune and disaster.
In Cornwall, the last sheaf of corn
is also called the meek" and is dec
Grated gaily with blue ribbons.
In Yorkshire, where the clergyman
is still often called upon to cut the
first corn of the harvest, the last sbeaf
is simply called "the KERN Its fall
before the sickle is proclaimed by
shouts o "We've gotten it," And the
reapers escort the kern home. 1t is
dressed in a white frock, with colored
ribbons, and crowned with wheat ears
At the kern supper which follows, this
kern baby is epthroned in the barn,
and supposed to preside over the feast.
The we'll known harvest supper comes
later, to mark the end of the gather
ing-in, and it is called the incl sup
per-"
The really interesting customs are
those which attend the cutting of the
last sheaf. 1t symbolizes the corr god
and, though its original meaning has
been forgotten, it is celebrated IN var
ious parts of the country.
In Devon it is a plated corn broom,
called 1.-The neck" in Yorkshire and
Northumberland a bulky female effigy
or harvest queen" In Scotland il
comes a maiden" and is cut by the
youngest girl in the harvest field. 1t.
head is formed of Dat ears a big blue
bow decks its neck, and Its skirt il
mede of paper. This corn doll il
placed over the fireplace in the farm
T kitchen, and sacredly preserved unit
. christmas day, when its grains are
given to the cattle.
! In some parts of Kent, the last shea.
3 is built up into tho image of a girl
and clothed witch a dress, cap, ruffles
: etc of paper. 1t is triumphantly es
corted home in a wagon. and entitle
the harvesters to a supper ut the farm
e ers expense.
g The sheaf also assume animal shape
e In Dumfries and Lincoln, it is calle'
& IAN old SOW" or '~'paiky"; in Ayrshire
r "a hare. in Dumbarton, 1.-THE head
in Skye, the crippled goat" In part
r of Shropshire it is styled "the gander'
neck And elsewhere il is known a
1.-the fox, i" 1.-THE wheat bride" 9Th
grandmother" 1.-THE corn baby =" 18th
d old man. according to some prehis
n Joric symbolism of the corn god.-FroI
the London Answers.