the golden bough-第184章

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e　colour　and　of　the　same　brood；　which　must　have　been　hatched　within　the　year。　Then　the　farmer　knelt　down；　with　the　jug　in　his　hand；　and　thanked　God　for　the　harvest　and　prayed　for　a　good　crop　next　year。　Next　all　lifted　up　their　hands　and　said；　O　God；　and　thou；　O　earth；　we　give　you　this　cock　and　hen　as　a　free…will　offering。　With　that　the　farmer　killed　the　fowls　with　the　blows　of　a　wooden　spoon；　for　he　might　not　cut　their　heads　off。　After　the　first　prayer　and　after　killing　each　of　the　birds　he　poured　out　a　third　of　the　beer。　Then　his　wife　boiled　the　fowls　in　a　new　pot　which　had　never　been　used　before。　After　that；　a　bushel　was　set；　bottom　upwards；　on　the　floor；　and　on　it　were　placed　the　little　loaves　mentioned　above　and　the　boiled　fowls。　Next　the　new　beer　was　fetched；　together　with　a　ladle　and　three　mugs；　none　of　which　was　used　except　on　this　occasion。　When　the　farmer　had　ladled　the　beer　into　the　mugs；　the　family　knelt　down　round　the　bushel。　The　father　then　uttered　a　prayer　and　drank　off　the　three　mugs　of　beer。　The　rest　followed　his　example。　Then　the　loaves　and　the　flesh　of　the　fowls　were　eaten；　after　which　the　beer　went　round　again；　till　every　one　had　emptied　each　of　the　three　mugs　nine　times。　None　of　the　food　should　remain　over；　but　if　anything　did　happen　to　be　left；　it　was　consumed　next　morning　with　the　same　ceremonies。　The　bones　were　given　to　the　dog　to　eat；　if　he　did　not　eat　them　all　up；　the　remains　were　buried　under　the　dung　in　the　cattle…stall。　This　ceremony　was　observed　at　the　beginning　of　December。　On　the　day　on　which　it　took　place　no　bad　word　might　be　spoken。

Such　was　the　custom　about　two　hundred　years　or　more　ago。　At　the　present　day　in　Lithuania；　when　new　potatoes　or　loaves　made　from　the　new　corn　are　being　eaten；　all　the　people　at　table　pull　each　other's　hair。　The　meaning　of　this　last　custom　is　obscure；　but　a　similar　custom　was　certainly　observed　by　the　heathen　Lithuanians　at　their　solemn　sacrifices。　Many　of　the　Esthonians　of　the　island　of　Oesel　will　not　eat　bread　baked　of　the　new　corn　till　they　have　first　taken　a　bite　at　a　piece　of　iron。　The　iron　is　here　plainly　a　charm；　intended　to　render　harmless　the　spirit　that　is　in　the　corn。　In　Sutherlandshire　at　the　present　day；　when　the　new　potatoes　are　dug　all　the　family　must　taste　them；　otherwise　the　spirits　in　them　＇the　potatoes＇　take　offence；　and　the　potatoes　would　not　keep。　In　one　part　of　Yorkshire　it　is　still　customary　for　the　clergyman　to　cut　the　first　corn；　and　my　informant　believes　that　the　corn　so　cut　is　used　to　make　the　communion　bread。　If　the　latter　part　of　the　custom　is　correctly　reported　（and　analogy　is　all　in　its　favour）；　it　shows　how　the　Christian　communion　has　absorbed　within　itself　a　sacrament　which　is　doubtless　far　older　than　Christianity。

The　Aino　or　Ainu　of　Japan　are　said　to　distinguish　various　kinds　of　millet　as　male　and　female　respectively；　and　these　kinds；　taken　together；　are　called　the　divine　husband　and　wife　cereal　（Umurek　haru　kamui）。　Therefore　before　millet　is　pounded　and　made　into　cakes　for　general　eating；　the　old　men　have　a　few　made　for　themselves　first　to　worship。　When　they　are　ready　they　pray　to　them　very　earnestly　and　say：　'O　thou　cereal　deity；　we　worship　thee。　Thou　hast　grown　very　well　this　year；　and　thy　flavour　will　be　sweet。　Thou　art　good。　The　goddess　of　fire　will　be　glad；　and　we　also　shall　rejoice　greatly。　O　thou　god；　O　thou　divine　cereal；　do　thou　nourish　the　people。　I　now　partake　of　thee。　I　worship　thee　and　give　thee　thanks。'　After　having　thus　prayed；　they；　the　worshippers；　take　a　cake　and　eat　it；　and　from　this　time　the　people　may　all　partake　of　the　new　millet。　And　so　with　many　gestures　of　homage　and　words　of　prayer　this　kind　of　food　is　dedicated　to　the　well…being　of　the　Ainu。　No　doubt　the　cereal　offering　is　regarded　as　a　tribute　paid　to　a　god；　but　that　god　is　no　other　than　the　seed　itself；　and　it　is　only　a　god　in　so　far　as　it　is　beneficial　to　the　human　body。

At　the　close　of　the　rice　harvest　in　the　East　Indian　island　of　Buru；　each　clan　meets　at　a　common　sacramental　meal；　to　which　every　member　of　the　clan　is　bound　to　contribute　a　little　of　the　new　rice。　This　meal　is　called　eating　the　soul　of　the　rice；　a　name　which　clearly　indicates　the　sacramental　character　of　the　repast。　Some　of　the　rice　is　also　set　apart　and　offered　to　the　spirits。　Amongst　the　Alfoors　of　Minahassa；　in　Celebes；　the　priest　sows　the　first　rice…seed　and　plucks　the　first　ripe　rice　in　each　field。　This　rice　he　roasts　and　grinds　into　meal；　and　gives　some　of　it　to　each　of　the　household。　Shortly　before　the　rice…harvest　in　Boland　Mongondo；　another　district　of　Celebes；　an　offering　is　made　of　a　small　pig　or　a　fowl。　Then　the　priest　plucks　a　little　rice；　first　on　his　own　field　and　next　on　those　of　his　neighbours。　All　the　rice　thus　plucked　by　him　he　dries　along　with　his　own；　and　then　gives　it　back　to　the　respective　owners；　who　have　it　ground　and　boiled。　When　it　is　boiled　the　women　take　it　back；　with　an　egg；　to　the　priest；　who　offers　the　egg　in　sacrifice　and　returns　the　rice　to　the　women。　Of　this　rice　every　member　of　the　family；　down　to　the　youngest　child；　must　partake。　After　this　ceremony　every　one　is　free　to　get　in　his　rice。

Amongst　the　Burghers　or　Badagas；　a　tribe　of　the　Neilgherry　Hills　in　Southern　India；　the　first　handful　of　seed　is　sown　and　the　first　sheaf　reaped　by　a　Curumbar；　a　man　of　a　different　tribe；　the　members　of　which　the　Burghers　regard　as　sorcerers。　The　grain　contained　in　the　first　sheaf　is　that　day　reduced　to　meal；　made　into　cakes；　and；　being　offered　as　a　first…fruit　oblation；　is；　together　with　the　remainder　of　the　sacrificed　animal；　partaken　of　by　the　Burgher　and　the　whole　of　his　family；　as　the　meat　of　a　federal　offering　and　sacrifice。　Among　the　Hindoos　of　Southern　India　the　eating　of　the　new　rice　is　the　occasion　of　a　family　festival　called　Pongol。　The　new　rice　is　boiled　in　a　new　pot　on　a　fire　which　is　kindled　at　noon　on　the　day　when；　according　to　Hindoo　astrologers；　the　sun　enters　the　tropic　of　Capricorn。　The　boiling　of　the　pot　is　watched　with　great　anxiety　by　the　whole　family；　for　as　the　milk　boils；　so　will　the　coming　year　be。　If　the　milk　boils　rapidly；　the　year　will　be　prosperous；　but　it　will　be　the　reverse　if　the　milk　boils　slowly。　Some　of　the　new　boiled　rice　is　offered　to　the　image　of　Ganesa；　then　every　one　partakes　of　it。　In　some　parts　of　Northern　India　the　festival　of　the　new　crop　is　known　as　Navan；　that　is；　new　grain。　When　the　crop　is　ripe；　the　owner　takes　the　omens；　goes　to　the　field；　plucks　five　or　six　ears　of　barley　in　the　spring　crop　and　one　of　the　millets　in　the　autumn　harvest。　This　is　brought　home；　parched；　and　mixed　with　coarse　sugar；　butter；　and　curds。　Some　of　it　is　thrown　on　the　fire　in　the　name　of　the　village　gods　and　deceased　ancestors；　the　rest　is　eaten　by　the　family。

The　ceremony　of　eating　the　new　yams　at　Onitsha；　on　the　Niger；　is　thus　described：　Each　headman　brought　out　six　yams；　and　cut　down　young　branches　of　palm…leaves　and　placed　them　before　his　gate；　roasted　three　of　the　yams；　and　got　some　kola…nuts　and　fish。　After　the　yam　is　roasted；　the　Libia；　or　country　doctor；　takes　the　yam；　scrapes　it　into　a　sort　of　meal；　and　divides　it　into　halves；　he　then　takes　one　piece；　and　places　it　on　the　lips　of　the　person　who　is　going　to　eat　the　new　yam。　The　eater　then　blows　up　the　steam　from　the　hot　yam；　and　afterwards　pokes　the　whole　into　his　mouth；　and　says；　'I　thank　God　for　being　permitted　to　eat　the　new　yam'；　he　then　begins　to　chew　it　heartily；　with　fish　likewise。

Among　the　Nandi　of　British　East　Africa；　when　the　eleusine　grain　is　ripening　in　autumn；　every　woman　who　owns　a　corn…field　goes　out　into　it　with　her　daughters；　and　they　all　pluck　some　of　the　ripe　grain。　Each　of　the　women　then　fixes　one　grain　in　her　necklace　and　chews　another；　which　she　rubs　on　her　forehead；　throat；　and　breast。　No　mark　of　joy　escapes　them；　sorrowfully　they　cut　a　basketful　of　the　new　corn；　and　carrying　it　home　place　it　in　the　loft　to　dry。　As　the　ceiling　is　of　wickerwork；　a　good　deal　of　the　grain　drops　through　the　crevices　and　falls　into　the　fire；　where　it　explodes　with　a　crackling　noise。　The　people　make　no　attempt　to　prevent　this　waste；　for　they　regard　the　crackling　of　the　grain　in　the　fire　as　a　sign　that　the　souls　of　the　dead　are　partaking　of　it。　A　few　days　later　porridge　is　made