This also appears to be an instance of the personification of animals and the corn into anthropomorphic deities.

Perhaps this capacity of Southern scenery to bear a mortal interpretation accounts for the anthropomorphic deities of classical days.

By calling it the Life-Force he permits himself to address it in that heroic vein reserved, among more ordinary intelligencies, for anthropomorphic deities.

Anthropomorphic deities were decorated with the symbols and flowers of folk religion.