the golden bough-第110章

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es　himself　in　his　richest　cloak　and　helmet；　and　is　paddled　in　a　canoe　along　the　shore；　followed　sometimes　by　many　of　his　subjects。　He　embarks　early；　and　must　finish　his　excursion　at　sunrise。　The　strongest　and　most　expert　of　the　warriors　is　chosen　to　receive　him　on　his　landing。　This　warrior　watches　the　canoe　along　the　beach；　and　as　soon　as　the　king　lands；　and　has　thrown　off　his　cloak；　he　darts　his　spear　at　him；　from　a　distance　of　about　thirty　paces；　and　the　king　must　either　catch　the　spear　in　his　hand；　or　suffer　from　it：　there　is　no　jesting　in　the　business。　Having　caught　it；　he　carries　it　under　his　arm；　with　the　sharp　end　downwards；　into　the　temple　or　heavoo。　On　his　entrance；　the　assembled　multitude　begin　their　sham…fights；　and　immediately　the　air　is　obscured　by　clouds　of　spears；　made　for　the　occasion　with　blunted　ends。　Hamamea　＇the　king＇　has　been　frequently　advised　to　abolish　this　ridiculous　ceremony；　in　which　he　risks　his　life　every　year；　but　to　no　effect。　His　answer　always　is；　that　he　is　as　able　to　catch　a　spear　as　any　one　on　the　island　is　to　throw　it　at　him。　During　the　Macahity；　all　punishments　are　remitted　throughout　the　country；　and　no　person　can　leave　the　place　in　which　he　commences　these　holidays；　let　the　affair　be　ever　so　important。

That　a　king　should　regularly　have　been　put　to　death　at　the　close　of　a　year's　reign　will　hardly　appear　improbable　when　we　learn　that　to　this　day　there　is　still　a　kingdom　in　which　the　reign　and　the　life　of　the　sovereign　are　limited　to　a　single　day。　In　Ngoio；　a　province　of　the　ancient　kingdom　of　Congo；　the　rule　obtains　that　the　chief　who　assumes　the　cap　of　sovereignty　is　always　killed　on　the　night　after　his　coronation。　The　right　of　succession　lies　with　the　chief　of　the　Musurongo；　but　we　need　not　wonder　that　he　does　not　exercise　it；　and　that　the　throne　stands　vacant。　No　one　likes　to　lose　his　life　for　a　few　hours'　glory　on　the　Ngoio　throne。

Chapter　25。　Temporary　Kings

IN　SOME　places　the　modified　form　of　the　old　custom　of　regicide　which　appears　to　have　prevailed　at　Babylon　has　been　further　softened　down。　The　king　still　abdicates　annually　for　a　short　time　and　his　place　is　filled　by　a　more　or　less　nominal　sovereign；　but　at　the　close　of　his　short　reign　the　latter　is　no　longer　killed；　though　sometimes　a　mock　execution　still　survives　as　a　memorial　of　the　time　when　he　was　actually　put　to　death。　To　take　examples。　In　the　month　of　Méac　（February）　the　king　of　Cambodia　annually　abdicated　for　three　days。　During　this　time　he　performed　no　act　of　authority；　he　did　not　touch　the　seals；　he　did　not　even　receive　the　revenues　which　fell　due。　In　his　stead　there　reigned　a　temporary　king　called　Sdach　Méac；　that　is；　King　February。　The　office　of　temporary　king　was　hereditary　in　a　family　distantly　connected　with　the　royal　house；　the　sons　succeeding　the　fathers　and　the　younger　brothers　the　elder　brothers　just　as　in　the　succession　to　the　real　sovereignty。　On　a　favourable　day　fixed　by　the　astrologers　the　temporary　king　was　conducted　by　the　mandarins　in　triumphal　procession。　He　rode　one　of　the　royal　elephants；　seated　in　the　royal　palanquin；　and　escorted　by　soldiers　who；　dressed　in　appropriate　costumes；　represented　the　neighbouring　peoples　of　Siam；　Annam；　Laos；　and　so　on。　In　place　of　the　golden　crown　he　wore　a　peaked　white　cap；　and　his　regalia；　instead　of　being　of　gold　encrusted　with　diamonds；　were　of　rough　wood。　After　paying　homage　to　the　real　king；　from　whom　he　received　the　sovereignty　for　three　days；　together　with　all　the　revenues　accruing　during　that　time　（though　this　last　custom　has　been　omitted　for　some　time）；　he　moved　in　procession　round　the　palace　and　through　the　streets　of　the　capital。　On　the　third　day；　after　the　usual　procession；　the　temporary　king　gave　orders　that　the　elephants　should　trample　under　foot　the　mountain　of　rice；　which　was　a　scaffold　of　bamboo　surrounded　by　sheaves　of　rice。　The　people　gathered　up　the　rice；　each　man　taking　home　a　little　with　him　to　secure　a　good　harvest。　Some　of　it　was　also　taken　to　the　king；　who　had　it　cooked　and　presented　to　the　monks。

In　Siam　on　the　sixth　day　of　the　moon　in　the　sixth　month　（the　end　of　April）　a　temporary　king　is　appointed；　who　for　three　days　enjoys　the　royal　prerogatives；　the　real　king　remaining　shut　up　in　his　palace。　This　temporary　king　sends　his　numerous　satellites　in　all　directions　to　seize　and　confiscate　whatever　they　can　find　in　the　bazaar　and　open　shops；　even　the　ships　and　junks　which　arrive　in　harbour　during　the　three　days　are　forfeited　to　him　and　must　be　redeemed。　He　goes　to　a　field　in　the　middle　of　the　city；　whither　they　bring　a　gilded　plough　drawn　by　gaily…decked　oxen。　After　the　plough　has　been　anointed　and　the　oxen　rubbed　with　incense；　the　mock　king　traces　nine　furrows　with　the　plough；　followed　by　aged　dames　of　the　palace　scattering　the　first　seed　of　the　season。　As　soon　as　the　nine　furrows　are　drawn；　the　crowd　of　spectators　rushes　in　and　scrambles　for　the　seed　which　has　just　been　sown；　believing　that；　mixed　with　the　seed…rice；　it　will　ensure　a　plentiful　crop。　Then　the　oxen　are　unyoked；　and　rice；　maize；　sesame；　sago；　bananas；　sugar…cane；　melons；　and　so　on；　are　set　before　them；　whatever　they　eat　first　will；　it　is　thought；　be　dear　in　the　year　following；　though　some　people　interpret　the　omen　in　the　opposite　sense。　During　this　time　the　temporary　king　stands　leaning　against　a　tree　with　his　right　foot　resting　on　his　left　knee。　》From　standing　thus　on　one　foot　he　is　popularly　known　as　King　Hop；　but　his　official　title　is　Phaya　Phollathep　Lord　of　the　Heavenly　Hosts。　He　is　a　sort　of　Minister　of　Agriculture；　all　disputes　about　fields；　rice；　and　so　forth；　are　referred　to　him。　There　is　moreover　another　ceremony　in　which　he　personates　the　king。　It　takes　place　in　the　second　month　（which　falls　in　the　cold　season）　and　lasts　three　days。　He　is　conducted　in　procession　to　an　open　place　opposite　the　Temple　of　the　Brahmans；　where　there　are　a　number　of　poles　dressed　like　May…poles；　upon　which　the　Brahmans　swing。　All　the　while　that　they　swing　and　dance；　the　Lord　of　the　Heavenly　Hosts　has　to　stand　on　one　foot　upon　a　seat　which　is　made　of　bricks　plastered　over；　covered　with　a　white　cloth；　and　hung　with　tapestry。　He　is　supported　by　a　wooden　frame　with　a　gilt　canopy；　and　two　Brahmans　stand　one　on　each　side　of　him。　The　dancing　Brahmans　carry　buffalo　horns　with　which　they　draw　water　from　a　large　copper　caldron　and　sprinkle　it　on　the　spectators；　this　is　supposed　to　bring　good　luck；　causing　the　people　to　dwell　in　peace　and　quiet；　health　and　prosperity。　The　time　during　which　the　Lord　of　the　Heavenly　Hosts　has　to　stand　on　one　foot　is　about　three　hours。　This　is　thought　to　prove　the　dispositions　of　the　Devattas　and　spirits。　If　he　lets　his　foot　down　he　is　liable　to　forfeit　his　property　and　have　his　family　enslaved　by　the　king；　as　it　is　believed　to　be　a　bad　omen；　portending　destruction　to　the　state；　and　instability　to　the　throne。　But　if　he　stand　firm　he　is　believed　to　have　gained　a　victory　over　evil　spirits；　and　he　has　moreover　the　privilege；　ostensibly　at　least；　of　seizing　any　ship　which　may　enter　the　harbour　during　these　three　days；　and　taking　its　contents；　and　also　of　entering　any　open　shop　in　the　town　and　carrying　away　what　he　chooses。

Such　were　the　duties　and　privileges　of　the　Siamese　King　Hop　down　to　about　the　middle　of　the　nineteenth　century　or　later。　Under　the　reign　of　the　late　enlightened　monarch　this　quaint　personage　was　to　some　extent　both　shorn　of　the　glories　and　relieved　of　the　burden　of　his　office。　He　still　watches；　as　of　old；　the　Brahmans　rushing　through　the　air　in　a　swing　suspended　between　two　tall　masts；　each　some　ninety　feet　high；　but　he　is　allowed　to　sit　instead　of　stand；　and；　although　public　opinion　still　expects　him　to　keep　his　right　foot　on　his　left　knee　during　the　whole　of　the　ceremony；　he　would　incur　no　legal　penalty　were　he；　to　the　great　chagrin　of　the　people；　to　put　his　weary　foot　to　the　ground。　Other　signs；　too；　tell　of　the　invasion　of　the　East　by　the　ideas　and　civilisation　of　the　West。　The　thoroughfares　that　lead　to　the　scene　of　the　performance　are　blocked　with　carriages：　lamp…posts　and　telegraph　posts；　to　which　eager　spectators　cling　like　monkeys；　rise　above　the　dense　crowd；　and；　while　a　tatterdemalion　band　of　the　old　style；　in　gaudy　garb　of　vermilion　and　yellow