The killing of the priest-king. Blood feeds the corn.’‘Tosh,’ said Mr Piggott.‘Peace, children,’ said Mr Keiller. The three of them stood on the lip of the pit, staring at the skeleton under the massive stone.‘Well, what else could it be, Alec? Frazer cites examples from every culture. The Marimo Indians, for example, always slaughtered a short fat man: sympathetic magic, to represent the desired shape of the young ears of ripening corn.’Stu Pig snorted with laughter.Mr Keiller took Mr Cromley more serious, though. ‘We must allow the possibility, Piggott–though I have to agree with you that Don’s a touch too keen to smell magic in the air. We need to lift this chap out.’ He looked away and closed his eyes, as he did when he was thinking hard. ‘Our first skeleton from the circle. Something for you to sketch, Heartbreaker, and don’t linger over it. We should parcel this chap off toute suite to find out how he died and, if possible, when. Don’t want the padre finding out, in case he tries to commandeer the bones for immediate Christian burial.’Terrible disappointment.
