For this latter purpose many even of those who are officially Christians proceed at stated seasons to the graveyards and place an abundant supply of cooked food on the graves of their relations who have recently died, requesting the departed to accept this meal, and not to return to their old homes, where their presence is no longer desired.
Though more of the food is eaten at night by the village dogs than by the famished spirits, the custom is believed to have a powerful influence in preventing the dead from wandering about at night and frightening the living.

If it be true, as I am inclined to believe, that tombstones were originally used for keeping the dead in their graves, then it must be admitted that in the matter of "laying" ghosts the Finns have shown themselves much more humane than other races.

It may, however, be suggested that in the original home of the Finns--"le berceau de la race," as French ethnologists say--stones could not easily be procured, and that the custom of feeding the dead was adopted as a pis aller.

The decision of the question must be left to those who know where the original home of the Finns was.
As the Russian peasantry, knowing little or nothing of theology, and placing implicit confidence in rites and ceremonies, did not differ very widely from the pagan Finns in the matter of religious conceptions, the friendly contact of the two races naturally led to a curious blending of the two religions.

The Russians adopted many customs from the Finns, and the Finns adopted still more from the Russians.