the golden bough-第115章

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gnant　influence　of　demons　and　sorcerers。　But　we　have　seen　that　the　very　value　attached　to　the　life　of　the　man…god　necessitates　his　violent　death　as　the　only　means　of　preserving　it　from　the　inevitable　decay　of　age。　The　same　reasoning　would　apply　to　the　King　of　the　Wood；　he；　too；　had　to　be　killed　in　order　that　the　divine　spirit；　incarnate　in　him；　might　be　transferred　in　its　integrity　to　his　successor。　The　rule　that　he　held　office　till　a　stronger　should　slay　him　might　be　supposed　to　secure　both　the　preservation　of　his　divine　life　in　full　vigour　and　its　transference　to　a　suitable　successor　as　soon　as　that　vigour　began　to　be　impaired。　For　so　long　as　he　could　maintain　his　position　by　the　strong　hand；　it　might　be　inferred　that　his　natural　force　was　not　abated；　whereas　his　defeat　and　death　at　the　hands　of　another　proved　that　his　strength　was　beginning　to　fail　and　that　it　was　time　his　divine　life　should　be　lodged　in　a　less　dilapidated　tabernacle。　This　explanation　of　the　rule　that　the　King　of　the　Wood　had　to　be　slain　by　his　successor　at　least　renders　that　rule　perfectly　intelligible。　It　is　strongly　supported　by　the　theory　and　practice　of　the　Shilluk；　who　put　their　divine　king　to　death　at　the　first　signs　of　failing　health；　lest　his　decrepitude　should　entail　a　corresponding　failure　of　vital　energy　on　the　corn；　the　cattle；　and　men。　Moreover；　it　is　countenanced　by　the　analogy　of　the　Chitomé；　upon　whose　life　the　existence　of　the　world　was　supposed　to　hang；　and　who　was　therefore　slain　by　his　successor　as　soon　as　he　showed　signs　of　breaking　up。　Again；　the　terms　on　which　in　later　times　the　King　of　Calicut　held　office　are　identical　with　those　attached　to　the　office　of　King　of　the　Wood；　except　that　whereas　the　former　might　be　assailed　by　a　candidate　at　any　time；　the　King　of　Calicut　might　only　be　attacked　once　every　twelve　years。　But　as　the　leave　granted　to　the　King　of　Calicut　to　reign　so　long　as　he　could　defend　himself　against　all　comers　was　a　mitigation　of　the　old　rule　which　set　a　fixed　term　to　his　life；　so　we　may　conjecture　that　the　similar　permission　granted　to　the　King　of　the　Wood　was　a　mitigation　of　an　older　custom　of　putting　him　to　death　at　the　end　of　a　definite　period。　In　both　cases　the　new　rule　gave　to　the　god…man　at　least　a　chance　for　his　life；　which　under　the　old　rule　was　denied　him；　and　people　probably　reconciled　themselves　to　the　change　by　reflecting　that　so　long　as　the　god…man　could　maintain　himself　by　the　sword　against　all　assaults；　there　was　no　reason　to　apprehend　that　the　fatal　decay　had　set　in。

The　conjecture　that　the　King　of　the　Wood　was　formerly　put　to　death　at　the　expiry　of　a　fixed　term；　without　being　allowed　a　chance　for　his　life；　will　be　confirmed　if　evidence　can　be　adduced　of　a　custom　of　periodically　killing　his　counterparts；　the　human　representatives　of　the　tree…spirit；　in　Northern　Europe。　Now　in　point　of　fact　such　a　custom　has　left　unmistakable　traces　of　itself　in　the　rural　festivals　of　the　peasantry。　To　take　examples。

At　Niederp？ring；　in　Lower　Bavaria；　the　Whitsuntide　representative　of　the　tree…spiritthe　Pfingstl　as　he　was　calledwas　clad　from　top　to　toe　in　leaves　and　flowers。　On　his　head　he　wore　a　high　pointed　cap；　the　ends　of　which　rested　on　his　shoulders；　only　two　holes　being　left　in　it　for　his　eyes。　The　cap　was　covered　with　water…flowers　and　surmounted　with　a　nosegay　of　peonies。　The　sleeves　of　his　coat　were　also　made　of　water…plants；　and　the　rest　of　his　body　was　enveloped　in　alder　and　hazel　leaves。　On　each　side　of　him　marched　a　boy　holding　up　one　of　the　Pfingstls　arms。　These　two　boys　carried　drawn　swords；　and　so　did　most　of　the　others　who　formed　the　procession。　They　stopped　at　every　house　where　they　hoped　to　receive　a　present；　and　the　people；　in　hiding；　soused　the　leaf…clad　boy　with　water。　All　rejoiced　when　he　was　well　drenched。　Finally　he　waded　into　the　brook　up　to　his　middle；　whereupon　one　of　the　boys；　standing　on　the　bridge；　pretended　to　cut　off　his　head。　At　Wurmlingen；　in　Swabia；　a　score　of　young　fellows　dress　themselves　on　Whit…Monday　in　white　shirts　and　white　trousers；　with　red　scarves　round　their　waists　and　swords　hanging　from　the　scarves。　They　ride　on　horseback　into　the　wood；　led　by　two　trumpeters　blowing　their　trumpets。　In　the　wood　they　cut　down　leafy　oak　branches；　in　which　they　envelop　from　head　to　foot　him　who　was　the　last　of　their　number　to　ride　out　of　the　village。　His　legs；　however；　are　encased　separately；　so　that　he　may　be　able　to　mount　his　horse　again。　Further；　they　give　him　a　long　artificial　neck；　with　an　artificial　head　and　a　false　face　on　the　top　of　it。　Then　a　May…tree　is　cut；　generally　an　aspen　or　beech　about　ten　feet　high；　and　being　decked　with　coloured　handkerchiefs　and　ribbons　it　is　entrusted　to　a　special　May…bearer。　The　cavalcade　then　returns　with　music　and　song　to　the　village。　Amongst　the　personages　who　figure　in　the　procession　are　a　Moorish　king　with　a　sooty　face　and　a　crown　on　his　head；　a　Dr。　Iron…Beard；　a　corporal；　and　an　executioner。　They　halt　on　the　village　green；　and　each　of　the　characters　makes　a　speech　in　rhyme。　The　executioner　announces　that　the　leaf…clad　man　has　been　condemned　to　death；　and　cuts　off　his　false　head。　Then　the　riders　race　to　the　May…tree；　which　has　been　set　up　a　little　way　off。　The　first　man　who　succeeds　in　wrenching　it　from　the　ground　as　he　gallops　past　keeps　it　with　all　its　decorations。　The　ceremony　is　observed　every　second　or　third　year。

In　Saxony　and　Thüringen　there　is　a　Whitsuntide　ceremony　called　chasing　the　Wild　Man　out　of　the　bush；　or　fetching　the　Wild　Man　out　of　the　wood。　A　young　fellow　is　enveloped　in　leaves　or　moss　and　called　the　Wild　Man。　He　hides　in　the　wood　and　the　other　lads　of　the　village　go　out　to　seek　him。　They　find　him；　lead　him　captive　out　of　the　wood；　and　fire　at　him　with　blank　muskets。　He　falls　like　dead　to　the　ground；　but　a　lad　dressed　as　a　doctor　bleeds　him；　and　he　comes　to　life　again。　At　this　they　rejoice；　and；　binding　him　fast　on　a　waggon；　take　him　to　the　village；　where　they　tell　all　the　people　how　they　have　caught　the　Wild　Man。　At　every　house　they　receive　a　gift。　In　the　Erzgebirge　the　following　custom　was　annually　observed　at　Shrovetide　about　the　beginning　of　the　seventeenth　century。　Two　men　disguised　as　Wild　Men；　the　one　in　brushwood　and　moss；　the　other　in　straw；　were　led　about　the　streets；　and　at　last　taken　to　the　market…place；　where　they　were　chased　up　and　down；　shot　and　stabbed。　Before　falling　they　reeled　about　with　strange　gestures　and　spirted　blood　on　the　people　from　bladders　which　they　carried。　When　they　were　down；　the　huntsmen　placed　them　on　boards　and　carried　them　to　the　ale…house；　the　miners　marching　beside　them　and　winding　blasts　on　their　mining　tools　as　if　they　had　taken　a　noble　head　of　game。　A　very　similar　Shrovetide　custom　is　still　observed　near　Schluckenau　in　Bohemia。　A　man　dressed　up　as　a　Wild　Man　is　chased　through　several　streets　till　he　comes　to　a　narrow　lane　across　which　a　cord　is　stretched。　He　stumbles　over　the　cord　and；　falling　to　the　ground；　is　overtaken　and　caught　by　his　pursuers。　The　executioner　runs　up　and　stabs　with　his　sword　a　bladder　filled　with　blood　which　the　Wild　Man　wears　round　his　body；　so　the　Wild　Man　dies；　while　a　stream　of　blood　reddens　the　ground。　Next　day　a　straw…man；　made　up　to　look　like　the　Wild　Man；　is　placed　on　a　litter；　and；　accompanied　by　a　great　crowd；　is　taken　to　a　pool　into　which　it　is　thrown　by　the　executioner。　The　ceremony　is　called　burying　the　Carnival。

In　Semic　（Bohemia）　the　custom　of　beheading　the　King　is　observed　on　Whit…Monday。　A　troop　of　young　people　disguise　themselves；　each　is　girt　with　a　girdle　of　bark　and　carries　a　wooden　sword　and　a　trumpet　of　willow…bark。　The　King　wears　a　robe　of　tree…bark　adorned　with　flowers；　on　his　head　is　a　crown　of　bark　decked　with　flowers　and　branches；　his　feet　are　wound　about　with　ferns；　a　mask　hides　his　face；　and　for　a　sceptre　he　has　a　hawthorn　switch　in　his　hand。　A　lad　leads　him　through　the　village　by　a　rope　fastened　to　his　foot；　while　the　rest　dance　about；　blow　their　trumpets；　and　whistle。　In　every　farmhouse　the　King　is　chased　round　the　room；　and　one　of　the　troop；　amid　much　noise　and　outcry；　strikes　with　his　sword　a　blow　on　the　Kings　robe　of　bark　till　it　rings　again。　Then　a　gratuity　is　demanded。　The　ceremony　of　decapitation；　which　is　here　s