the golden bough-第158章

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t；　like　our　peasantry；　advanced　beyond　the　intellectual　stage　at　which　the　customs　originated；　their　theory　and　their　practice　are　still　in　unison；　for　them　the　quaint　rites　which　in　Europe　have　long　dwindled　into　mere　fossils；　the　pastime　of　clowns　and　the　puzzle　of　the　learned；　are　still　living　realities　of　which　they　can　render　an　intelligible　and　truthful　account。　Hence　a　study　of　their　beliefs　and　usages　concerning　the　rice　may　throw　some　light　on　the　true　meaning　of　the　ritual　of　the　corn　in　ancient　Greece　and　modern　Europe。

Now　the　whole　of　the　ritual　which　the　Malays　and　Dyaks　observe　in　connexion　with　the　rice　is　founded　on　the　simple　conception　of　the　rice　as　animated　by　a　soul　like　that　which　these　people　attribute　to　mankind。　They　explain　the　phenomena　of　reproduction；　growth；　decay；　and　death　in　the　rice　on　the　same　principles　on　which　they　explain　the　corresponding　phenomena　in　human　beings。　They　imagine　that　in　the　fibres　of　the　plant；　as　in　the　body　of　a　man；　there　is　a　certain　vital　element；　which　is　so　far　independent　of　the　plant　that　it　may　for　a　time　be　completely　separated　from　it　without　fatal　effects；　though　if　its　absence　be　prolonged　beyond　certain　limits　the　plant　will　wither　and　die。　This　vital　yet　separable　element　is　what；　for　the　want　of　a　better　word；　we　must　call　the　soul　of　a　plant；　just　as　a　similar　vital　and　separable　element　is　commonly　supposed　to　constitute　the　soul　of　man；　and　on　this　theory　or　myth　of　the　plant…soul　is　built　the　whole　worship　of　the　cereals；　just　as　on　the　theory　or　myth　of　the　human　soul　is　built　the　whole　worship　of　the　dead；a　towering　superstructure　reared　on　a　slender　and　precarious　foundation。

Believing　the　rice　to　be　animated　by　a　soul　like　that　of　a　man；　the　Indonesians　naturally　treat　it　with　the　deference　and　the　consideration　which　they　show　to　their　fellows。　Thus　they　behave　towards　the　rice　in　bloom　as　they　behave　towards　a　pregnant　woman；　they　abstain　from　firing　guns　or　making　loud　noises　in　the　field；　lest　they　should　so　frighten　the　soul　of　the　rice　that　it　would　miscarry　and　bear　no　grain；　and　for　the　same　reason　they　will　not　talk　of　corpses　or　demons　in　the　rice…fields。　Moreover；　they　feed　the　blooming　rice　with　foods　of　various　kinds　which　are　believed　to　be　wholesome　for　women　with　child；　but　when　the　rice…ears　are　just　beginning　to　form；　they　are　looked　upon　as　infants；　and　women　go　through　the　fields　feeding　them　with　rice…pap　as　if　they　were　human　babes。　In　such　natural　and　obvious　comparisons　of　the　breeding　plant　to　a　breeding　woman；　and　of　the　young　grain　to　a　young　child；　is　to　be　sought　the　origin　of　the　kindred　Greek　conception　of　the　Corn…mother　and　the　Corn…daughter；　Demeter　and　Persephone。　But　if　the　timorous　feminine　soul　of　the　rice　can　be　frightened　into　a　miscarriage　even　by　loud　noises；　it　is　easy　to　imagine　what　her　feelings　must　be　at　harvest；　when　people　are　under　the　sad　necessity　of　cutting　down　the　rice　with　the　knife。　At　so　critical　a　season　every　precaution　must　be　used　to　render　the　necessary　surgical　operation　of　reaping　as　inconspicuous　and　as　painless　as　possible。　For　that　reason　the　reaping　of　the　seed…rice　is　done　with　knives　of　a　peculiar　pattern；　such　that　the　blades　are　hidden　in　the　reapers'　hands　and　do　not　frighten　the　rice…spirit　till　the　very　last　moment；　when　her　head　is　swept　off　almost　before　she　is　aware；　and　from　a　like　delicate　motive　the　reapers　at　work　in　the　fields　employ　a　special　form　of　speech；　which　the　rice…spirit　cannot　be　expected　to　understand；　so　that　she　has　no　warning　or　inkling　of　what　is　going　forward　till　the　heads　of　rice　are　safely　deposited　in　the　basket。

Among　the　Indonesian　peoples　who　thus　personify　the　rice　we　may　take　the　Kayans　or　Bahaus　of　Central　Borneo　as　typical。　In　order　to　secure　and　detain　the　volatile　soul　of　the　rice　the　Kayans　resort　to　a　number　of　devices。　Among　the　instruments　employed　for　this　purpose　are　a　miniature　ladder；　a　spatula；　and　a　basket　containing　hooks；　thorns；　and　cords。　With　the　spatula　the　priestess　strokes　the　soul　of　the　rice　down　the　little　ladder　into　the　basket；　where　it　is　naturally　held　fast　by　the　hooks；　the　thorn；　and　the　cord；　and　having　thus　captured　and　imprisoned　the　soul　she　conveys　it　into　the　rice…granary。　Sometimes　a　bamboo　box　and　a　net　are　used　for　the　same　purpose。　And　in　order　to　ensure　a　good　harvest　for　the　following　year　it　is　necessary　not　only　to　detain　the　soul　of　all　the　grains　of　rice　which　are　safely　stored　in　the　granary；　but　also　to　attract　and　recover　the　soul　of　all　the　rice　that　has　been　lost　through　falling　to　the　earth　or　being　eaten　by　deer；　apes；　and　pigs。　For　this　purpose　instruments　of　various　sorts　have　been　invented　by　the　priests。　One；　for　example；　is　a　bamboo　vessel　provided　with　four　hooks　made　from　the　wood　of　a　fruit…tree；　by　means　of　which　the　absent　rice…soul　may　be　hooked　and　drawn　back　into　the　vessel；　which　is　then　hung　up　in　the　house。　Sometimes　two　hands　carved　out　of　the　wood　of　a　fruit…tree　are　used　for　the　same　purpose。　And　every　time　that　a　Kayan　housewife　fetches　rice　from　the　granary　for　the　use　of　her　household；　she　must　propitiate　the　souls　of　the　rice　in　the　granary；　lest　they　should　be　angry　at　being　robbed　of　their　substance。

The　same　need　of　securing　the　soul　of　the　rice；　if　the　crop　is　to　thrive；　is　keenly　felt　by　the　Karens　of　Burma。　When　a　rice…field　does　not　flourish；　they　suppose　that　the　soul　（kelah）　of　the　rice　is　in　some　way　detained　from　the　rice。　If　the　soul　cannot　be　called　back；　the　crop　will　fail。　The　following　formula　is　used　in　recalling　the　kelah　（soul）　of　the　rice：　O　come；　rice…kelah；　come！　Come　to　the　field。　Come　to　the　rice。　With　seed　of　each　gender；　come。　Come　from　the　river　Kho；　come　from　the　river　Kaw；　from　the　place　where　they　meet；　come。　Come　from　the　West；　come　from　the　East。　From　the　throat　of　the　bird；　from　the　maw　of　the　ape；　from　the　throat　of　the　elephant。　Come　from　the　sources　of　rivers　and　their　mouths。　Come　from　the　country　of　the　Shan　and　Burman。　From　the　distant　kingdoms　come。　From　all　granaries　come。　O　rice…kelah；　come　to　the　rice。

The　Corn…mother　of　our　European　peasants　has　her　match　in　the　Rice…mother　of　the　Minangkabauers　of　Sumatra。　The　Minangkabauers　definitely　attribute　a　soul　to　rice；　and　will　sometimes　assert　that　rice　pounded　in　the　usual　way　tastes　better　than　rice　ground　in　a　mill；　because　in　the　mill　the　body　of　the　rice　was　so　bruised　and　battered　that　the　soul　has　fled　from　it。　Like　the　Javanese　they　think　that　the　rice　is　under　the　special　guardianship　of　a　female　spirit　called　Saning　Sari；　who　is　conceived　as　so　closely　knit　up　with　the　plant　that　the　rice　often　goes　by　her　name；　as　with　the　Romans　the　corn　might　be　called　Ceres。　In　particular　Saning　Sari　is　represented　by　certain　stalks　or　grains　called　indoea　padi；　that　is；　literally；　Mother　of　Rice；　a　name　that　is　often　given　to　the　guardian　spirit　herself。　This　so…called　Mother　of　Rice　is　the　occasion　of　a　number　of　ceremonies　observed　at　the　planting　and　harvesting　of　the　rice　as　well　as　during　its　preservation　in　the　barn。　When　the　seed　of　the　rice　is　about　to　be　sown　in　the　nursery　or　bedding…out　ground；　where　under　the　wet　system　of　cultivation　it　is　regularly　allowed　to　sprout　before　being　transplanted　to　the　fields；　the　best　grains　are　picked　out　to　form　the　Rice…mother。　These　are　then　sown　in　the　middle　of　the　bed；　and　the　common　seed　is　planted　round　about　them。　The　state　of　the　Rice…mother　is　supposed　to　exert　the　greatest　influence　on　the　growth　of　the　rice；　if　she　droops　or　pines　away；　the　harvest　will　be　bad　in　consequence。　The　woman　who　sows　the　Rice…mother　in　the　nursery　lets　her　hair　hang　loose　and　afterwards　bathes；　as　a　means　of　ensuring　an　abundant　harvest。　When　the　time　comes　to　transplant　the　rice　from　the　nursery　to　the　field；　the　Rice…mother　receives　a　special　place　either　in　the　middle　or　in　a　corner　of　the　field；　and　a　prayer　or　charm　is　uttered　as　follows：　Saning　Sari；　may　a　measure　of　rice　come　from　a　stalk　of　rice　and　a　basketful　from　a　root；　may　you　be　frightened　neither　by　lightning　nor　by　passers…by！　Sunshine　make　you　glad；　with　the　storm　may　you　be　at　peace；　and　may　rain　serve　to　wash　your　face！　While　the　rice　is　growing；　the　particular　plant