the golden bough-第199章

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y　killing　one　of　the　species　he　should　excite　the　hostility　of　the　rest。　No　consideration　will　induce　a　Sumatran　to　catch　or　wound　a　tiger　except　in　self…defence　or　immediately　after　a　tiger　has　destroyed　a　friend　or　relation。　When　a　European　has　set　traps　for　tigers；　the　people　of　the　neighbourhood　have　been　known　to　go　by　night　to　the　place　and　explain　to　the　animals　that　the　traps　are　not　set　by　them　nor　with　their　consent。　The　inhabitants　of　the　hills　near　Rajamahall；　in　Bengal；　are　very　averse　to　killing　a　tiger；　unless　one　of　their　kinsfolk　has　been　carried　off　by　one　of　the　beasts。　In　that　case　they　go　out　for　the　purpose　of　hunting　and　slaying　a　tiger；　and　when　they　have　succeeded　they　lay　their　bows　and　arrows　on　the　carcase　and　invoke　God；　declaring　that　they　slew　the　animal　in　retaliation　for　the　loss　of　a　kinsman。　Vengeance　having　been　thus　taken；　they　swear　not　to　attack　another　tiger　except　under　similar　provocation。


The　Indians　of　Carolina　would　not　molest　snakes　when　they　came　upon　them；　but　would　pass　by　on　the　other　side　of　the　path；　believing　that　if　they　were　to　kill　a　serpent；　the　reptile's　kindred　would　destroy　some　of　their　brethren；　friends；　or　relations　in　return。　So　the　Seminole　Indians　spared　the　rattlesnake；　because　they　feared　that　the　soul　of　the　dead　rattlesnake　would　incite　its　kinsfolk　to　take　vengeance。　The　Cherokee　regard　the　rattlesnake　as　the　chief　of　the　snake　tribe　and　fear　and　respect　him　accordingly。　Few　Cherokee　will　venture　to　kill　a　rattlesnake；　unless　they　cannot　help　it；　and　even　then　they　must　atone　for　the　crime　by　craving　pardon　of　the　snake's　ghost　either　in　their　own　person　or　through　the　mediation　of　a　priest；　according　to　a　set　formula。　If　these　precautions　are　neglected；　the　kinsfolk　of　the　dead　snake　will　send　one　of　their　number　as　an　avenger　of　blood；　who　will　track　down　the　murderer　and　sting　him　to　death。　No　ordinary　Cherokee　dares　to　kill　a　wolf；　if　he　can　possibly　help　it；　for　he　believes　that　the　kindred　of　the　slain　beast　would　surely　avenge　its　death；　and　that　the　weapon　with　which　the　deed　had　been　done　would　be　quite　useless　for　the　future；　unless　it　were　cleaned　and　exorcised　by　a　medicine…man。　However；　certain　persons　who　know　the　proper　rites　of　atonement　for　such　a　crime　can　kill　wolves　with　impunity；　and　they　are　sometimes　hired　to　do　so　by　people　who　have　suffered　from　the　raids　of　the　wolves　on　their　cattle　or　fish…traps。　In　Jebel…Nuba；　a　district　of　the　Eastern　Sudan；　it　is　forbidden　to　touch　the　nests　or　remove　the　young　of　a　species　of　black　birds；　resembling　our　blackbirds；　because　the　people　believe　that　the　parent　birds　would　avenge　the　wrong　by　causing　a　stormy　wind　to　blow；　which　would　destroy　the　harvest。

But　the　savage　clearly　cannot　afford　to　spare　all　animals。　He　must　either　eat　some　of　them　or　starve；　and　when　the　question　thus　comes　to　be　whether　he　or　the　animal　must　perish；　he　is　forced　to　overcome　his　superstitious　scruples　and　take　the　life　of　the　beast。　At　the　same　time　he　does　all　he　can　to　appease　his　victims　and　their　kinsfolk。　Even　in　the　act　of　killing　them　he　testifies　his　respect　for　them；　endeavours　to　excuse　or　even　conceal　his　share　in　procuring　their　death；　and　promises　that　their　remains　will　be　honourably　treated。　By　thus　robbing　death　of　its　terrors；　he　hopes　to　reconcile　his　victims　to　their　fate　and　to　induce　their　fellows　to　come　and　be　killed　also。　For　example；　it　was　a　principle　with　the　Kamtchatkans　never　to　kill　a　land　or　sea　animal　without　first　making　excuses　to　it　and　begging　that　the　animal　would　not　take　it　ill。　Also　they　offered　it　cedarnuts　and　so　forth；　to　make　it　think　that　it　was　not　a　victim　but　a　guest　at　a　feast。　They　believed　that　this　hindered　other　animals　of　the　same　species　from　growing　shy。　For　instance；　after　they　had　killed　a　bear　and　feasted　on　its　flesh；　the　host　would　bring　the　bear's　head　before　the　company；　wrap　it　in　grass；　and　present　it　with　a　variety　of　trifles。　Then　he　would　lay　the　blame　of　the　bear's　death　on　the　Russians；　and　bid　the　beast　wreak　his　wrath　upon　them。　Also　he　would　ask　the　bear　to　inform　the　other　bears　how　well　he　had　been　treated；　that　they　too　might　come　without　fear。　Seals；　sea…lions；　and　other　animals　were　treated　by　the　Kamtchatkans　with　the　same　ceremonious　respect。　Moreover；　they　used　to　insert　sprigs　of　a　plant　resembling　bear's　wort　in　the　mouths　of　the　animals　they　killed；　after　which　they　would　exhort　the　grinning　skulls　to　have　no　fear　but　to　go　and　tell　it　to　their　fellows；　that　they　also　might　come　and　be　caught　and　so　partake　of　this　splendid　hospitality。　When　the　Ostiaks　have　hunted　and　killed　a　bear；　they　cut　off　its　head　and　hang　it　on　a　tree。　Then　they　gather　round　in　a　circle　and　pay　it　divine　honours。　Next　they　run　towards　the　carcase　uttering　lamentations　and　saying；　Who　killed　you？　It　was　the　Russians。　Who　cut　off　your　head？　It　was　a　Russian　axe。　Who　skinned　you？　It　was　a　knife　made　by　a　Russian。　They　explain；　too；　that　the　feathers　which　sped　the　arrow　on　its　flight　came　from　the　wing　of　a　strange　bird；　and　that　they　did　nothing　but　let　the　arrow　go。　They　do　all　this　because　they　believe　that　the　wandering　ghost　of　the　slain　bear　would　attack　them　on　the　first　opportunity；　if　they　did　not　thus　appease　it。　Or　they　stuff　the　skin　of　the　slain　bear　with　hay；　and　after　celebrating　their　victory　with　songs　of　mockery　and　insult；　after　spitting　on　and　kicking　it；　they　set　it　up　on　its　hind　legs；　and　then；　for　a　considerable　time；　they　bestow　on　it　all　the　veneration　due　to　a　guardian　god。　When　a　party　of　Koryak　have　killed　a　bear　or　a　wolf；　they　skin　the　beast　and　dress　one　of　themselves　in　the　skin。　Then　they　dance　round　the　skin…clad　man；　saying　that　it　was　not　they　who　killed　the　animal；　but　some　one　else；　generally　a　Russian。　When　they　kill　a　fox　they　skin　it；　wrap　the　body　in　grass；　and　bid　him　go　tell　his　companions　how　hospitably　he　has　been　received；　and　how　he　has　received　a　new　cloak　instead　of　his　old　one。　A　fuller　account　of　the　Koryak　ceremonies　is　given　by　a　more　recent　writer。　He　tells　us　that　when　a　dead　bear　is　brought　to　the　house；　the　women　come　out　to　meet　it；　dancing　with　firebrands。　The　bear…skin　is　taken　off　along　with　the　head；　and　one　of　the　women　puts　on　the　skin；　dances　in　it；　and　entreats　the　bear　not　to　be　angry；　but　to　be　kind　to　the　people。　At　the　same　time　they　offer　meat　on　a　wooden　platter　to　the　dead　beast；　saying；　Eat；　friend。　Afterwards　a　ceremony　is　performed　for　the　purpose　of　sending　the　dead　bear；　or　rather　his　spirit；　away　back　to　his　home。　He　is　provided　with　provisions　for　the　journey　in　the　shape　of　puddings　or　reindeer…flesh　packed　in　a　grass　bag。　His　skin　is　stuffed　with　grass　and　carried　round　the　house；　after　which　he　is　supposed　to　depart　towards　the　rising　sun。　The　intention　of　the　ceremonies　is　to　protect　the　people　from　the　wrath　of　the　slain　bear　and　his　kinsfolk；　and　so　to　ensure　success　in　future　bear…hunts。　The　Finns　used　to　try　to　persuade　a　slain　bear　that　he　had　not　been　killed　by　them；　but　had　fallen　from　a　tree；　or　met　his　death　in　some　other　way；　moreover；　they　held　a　funeral　festival　in　his　honour；　at　the　close　of　which　bards　expatiated　on　the　homage　that　had　been　paid　to　him；　urging　him　to　report　to　the　other　bears　the　high　consideration　with　which　he　had　been　treated；　in　order　that　they　also；　following　his　example；　might　come　and　be　slain。　When　the　Lapps　had　succeeded　in　killing　a　bear　with　impunity；　they　thanked　him　for　not　hurting　them　and　for　not　breaking　the　clubs　and　spears　which　had　given　him　his　death　wounds；　and　they　prayed　that　he　would　not　visit　his　death　upon　them　by　sending　storms　or　in　any　other　way。　His　flesh　then　furnished　a　feast。

The　reverence　of　hunters　for　the　bear　whom　they　regularly　kill　and　eat　may　thus　be　traced　all　along　the　northern　region　of　the　Old　World　from　Bering's　Straits　to　Lappland。　It　reappears　in　similar　forms　in　North　America。　With　the　American　Indians　a　bear　hunt　was　an　important　event　for　which　they　prepared　by　long　fasts　and　purgations。　Before　setting　out　they　offered　expiatory　sacrifices　to　the　souls　of　bears　slain　in　previous　hunts；　and　besought　them　to　be　favourable　to　the　hunters。　When　a　bear　was　killed　the　hunter　lit　his　pipe；　and　putting