it is still the custom to have but one or at most
two great washing days in the year. Each household is provided with
an enormous quantity of linen, which when dirty is just soaked and
rinsed, and then put aside till the great washing day of the year.
This is why Nausicaa wants a waggon, and has to go so far afield.
If it was only a few collars and a pocket-handkerchief or two she
could no doubt have found water enough near at hand. The big spring
or autumn wash, however, is evidently intended.

Returning now to the Odyssey, when he had heard what Nausicaa wanted
Alcinous said:

"'You shall have the mules, my love, and whatever else you have a
mind for, so be off with you.'

"Then he told the servants, and they got the waggon out and
harnessed the mules, while the princess brought the clothes down
from the linen room and placed them on the waggon. Her mother got
ready a nice basket of provisions with all sorts of good things, and
a goatskin full of wine. The princess now got into the waggon, and
her mother gave her a golden cruse of oil that she and her maids
might anoint themselves.

"Then Nausicaa took the whip and reins and gave the mules a touch
which sent them off at a good pace. They pulled without nagging,
and carried not only Nausicaa and her wash of clothes, but the women
also who were with her.

"When they got to the river they went to the washing pools, through
which even in summer there ran enough pure water to wash any
quantity of linen, no matter how dirty. Here they unharnessed the
mules and turned them out to feed in the sweet juicy grass that grew
by the river-side. They got the clothes out of the waggon, brought
them to the water, and vied with one another in treading upon them
and banging them about to get the dirt out of them. When they had
got them quite clean, they laid them out by the seaside where the
waves had raised a high beach of shingle, and set about washing and
anointing themselves with olive oil. Then they got their dinner by
the side of the river, and waited for the sun to finish drying the
clothes. By and by, after dinner, they took off their head-dresses
and began to play at ball, and Nausicaa sang to them."

I think you will agree with me that there is no haziness--no milking
of ewes that have had a lamb with them all night--here. The writer
is at home and on her own ground.

"When they had done folding the clothes and were putting the mules
to the waggon before s