d from
those remaining, as tribute, "a third part of their corn, a third
part of their milk, and a third part of their children." This tax
was paid on Samhain. It was on the week before Samhain that the
Fomor landed upon Ireland. On the eve of Samhain the gods met them
in the second battle of Moytura, and they were driven back into the
ocean.

As Tigernmas, a mythical king of Ireland, was sacrificing "the
firstlings of every issue, and the scions of every clan" to Crom
Croich, the king idol, and lay prostrate before the image, he and
three-fourths of his men mysteriously disappeared.

"Then came
Tigernmas, the prince of Tara yonder
On Hallowe'en with many hosts.
A cause of grief to them was the deed.
Dead were the men
Of Bamba's host, without happy strength
Around Tigernmas, the destructive man of the north,
From the worship of Crom Cruaich. 'T was no luck for them.
For I have learnt,
Except one-fourth of the keen Gaels,
Not a man alive--lasting the snare!
Escaped without death in his mouth."

_Dinnsenchus of Mag Slecht_ (Meyer _trans._).

This was direct invocation, but the fire rites which were continued
so long afterwards were really only worshipping the sun by proxy,
in his nearest likeness, fire.

Samhain was then a day sacred to the death of the sun, on which had
been paid a sacrifice of death to evil powers. Though overcome at
Moytura evil was ascendant at Samhain. Methods of finding out the
will of spirits and the future naturally worked better then, charms
and invocations had more power, for the spirits were near to help,
if care was taken not to anger them, and due honors paid.

CHAPTER IV

POMONA

Ops was the Latin goddess of plenty. Single parts of her province
were taken over by various other divinities, among whom was Pomona
(_pomorum patrona_, "she who cares for fruits"). She is represented
as a maiden with fruit in her arms and a pruning-knife in her hand.

"I am the ancient apple-queen.
As once I was so am I now--
For evermore a hope unseen
Betwixt the blossom and the bough.

"Ah, where's the river's hidden gold!
And where's the windy grave of Troy?
Yet come I as I came of old,
From out the heart of summer's joy."

MORRIS: _Pomona._

Many Roman poets told stories about her, the best known being by
Ovid, who says that she was wooed by m