the golden bough-第204章

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ps　explains　the　attitude；　at　first　sight　puzzling　and　contradictory；　of　the　Aino　towards　the　bear。　The　flesh　and　skin　of　the　bear　regularly　afford　them　food　and　clothing；　but　since　the　bear　is　an　intelligent　and　powerful　animal；　it　is　necessary　to　offer　some　satisfaction　or　atonement　to　the　bear　species　for　the　loss　which　it　sustains　in　the　death　of　so　many　of　its　members。　This　satisfaction　or　atonement　is　made　by　rearing　young　bears；　treating　them；　so　long　as　they　live；　with　respect；　and　killing　them　with　extraordinary　marks　of　sorrow　and　devotion。　So　the　other　bears　are　appeased；　and　do　not　resent　the　slaughter　of　their　kind　by　attacking　the　slayers　or　deserting　the　country；　which　would　deprive　the　Aino　of　one　of　their　means　of　subsistence。

Thus　the　primitive　worship　of　animals　conforms　to　two　types；　which　are　in　some　respects　the　converse　of　each　other。　On　the　one　hand；　animals　are　worshipped；　and　are　therefore　neither　killed　nor　eaten。　On　the　other　hand；　animals　are　worshipped　because　they　are　habitually　killed　and　eaten。　In　both　types　of　worship　the　animal　is　revered　on　account　of　some　benefit；　positive　or　negative；　which　the　savage　hopes　to　receive　from　it。　In　the　former　worship　the　benefit　comes　either　in　the　positive　shape　of　protection；　advice；　and　help　which　the　animal　affords　the　man；　or　in　the　negative　shape　of　abstinence　from　injuries　which　it　is　in　the　power　of　the　animal　to　inflict。　In　the　latter　worship　the　benefit　takes　the　material　form　of　the　animal's　flesh　and　skin。　The　two　types　of　worship　are　in　some　measure　antithetical：　in　the　one；　the　animal　is　not　eaten　because　it　is　revered；　in　the　other；　it　is　revered　because　it　is　eaten。　But　both　may　be　practised　by　the　same　people；　as　we　see　in　the　case　of　the　North　American　Indians；　who；　while　they　apparently　revere　and　spare　their　totem　animals；　also　revere　the　animals　and　fish　upon　which　they　subsist。　The　aborigines　of　Australia　have　totemism　in　the　most　primitive　form　known　to　us；　but　there　is　no　clear　evidence　that　they　attempt；　like　the　North　American　Indians；　to　conciliate　the　animals　which　they　kill　and　eat。　The　means　which　the　Australians　adopt　to　secure　a　plentiful　supply　of　game　appear　to　be　primarily　based；　not　on　conciliation；　but　on　sympathetic　magic；　a　principle　to　which　the　North　American　Indians　also　resort　for　the　same　purpose。　Hence；　as　the　Australians　undoubtedly　represent　a　ruder　and　earlier　stage　of　human　progress　than　the　American　Indians；　it　would　seem　that　before　hunters　think　of　worshipping　the　game　as　a　means　of　ensuring　an　abundant　supply　of　it；　they　seek　to　attain　the　same　end　by　sympathetic　magic。　This；　again；　would　showwhat　there　is　good　reason　for　believingthat　sympathetic　magic　is　one　of　the　earliest　means　by　which　man　endeavours　to　adapt　the　agencies　of　nature　to　his　needs。

Corresponding　to　the　two　distinct　types　of　animal　worship；　there　are　two　distinct　types　of　the　custom　of　killing　the　animal　god。　On　the　one　hand；　when　the　revered　animal　is　habitually　spared；　it　is　nevertheless　killedand　sometimes　eatenon　rare　and　solemn　occasions。　Examples　of　this　custom　have　been　already　given　and　an　explanation　of　them　offered。　On　the　other　hand；　when　the　revered　animal　is　habitually　killed；　the　slaughter　of　any　one　of　the　species　involves　the　killing　of　the　god；　and　is　atoned　for　on　the　spot　by　apologies　and　sacrifices；　especially　when　the　animal　is　a　powerful　and　dangerous　one；　and；　in　addition　to　this　ordinary　and　everyday　atonement；　there　is　a　special　annual　atonement；　at　which　a　select　individual　of　the　species　is　slain　with　extraordinary　marks　of　respect　and　devotion。　Clearly　the　two　types　of　sacramental　killingthe　Egyptian　and　the　Aino　types；　as　we　may　call　them　for　distinctionare　liable　to　be　confounded　by　an　observer；　and；　before　we　can　say　to　which　type　any　particular　example　belongs；　it　is　necessary　to　ascertain　whether　the　animal　sacramentally　slain　belongs　to　a　species　which　is　habitually　spared；　or　to　one　which　is　habitually　killed　by　the　tribe。　In　the　former　case　the　example　belongs　to　the　Egyptian　type　of　sacrament；　in　the　latter　to　the　Aino　type。

The　practice　of　pastoral　tribes　appears　to　furnish　examples　of　both　types　of　sacrament。　Pastoral　tribes；　says　Adolf　Bastian；　being　sometimes　obliged　to　sell　their　herds　to　strangers　who　may　handle　the　bones　disrespectfully；　seek　to　avert　the　danger　which　such　a　sacrilege　would　entail　by　consecrating　one　of　the　herd　as　an　object　of　worship；　eating　it　sacramentally　in　the　family　circle　with　closed　doors；　and　afterwards　treating　the　bones　with　all　the　ceremonious　respect　which；　strictly　speaking；　should　be　accorded　to　every　head　of　cattle；　but　which；　being　punctually　paid　to　the　representative　animal；　is　deemed　to　be　paid　to　all。　Such　family　meals　are　found　among　various　peoples；　especially　those　of　the　Caucasus。　When　amongst　the　Abchases　the　shepherds　in　spring　eat　their　common　meal　with　their　loins　girt　and　their　staves　in　their　hands；　this　may　be　looked　upon　both　as　a　sacrament　and　as　an　oath　of　mutual　help　and　support。　For　the　strongest　of　all　oaths　is　that　which　is　accompanied　with　the　eating　of　a　sacred　substance；　since　the　perjured　person　cannot　possibly　escape　the　avenging　god　whom　he　has　taken　into　his　body　and　assimilated。　This　kind　of　sacrament　is　of　the　Aino　or　expiatory　type；　since　it　is　meant　to　atone　to　the　species　for　the　possible　ill…usage　of　individuals。　An　expiation；　similar　in　principle　but　different　in　details；　is　offered　by　the　Kalmucks　to　the　sheep；　whose　flesh　is　one　of　their　staple　foods。　Rich　Kalmucks　are　in　the　habit　of　consecrating　a　white　ram　under　the　title　of　the　ram　of　heaven　or　the　ram　of　the　spirit。　The　animal　is　never　shorn　and　never　sold；　but　when　it　grows　old　and　its　owner　wishes　to　consecrate　a　new　one；　the　old　ram　must　be　killed　and　eaten　at　a　feast　to　which　the　neighbours　are　invited。　On　a　lucky　day；　generally　in　autumn　when　the　sheep　are　fat；　a　sorcerer　kills　the　old　ram；　after　sprinkling　it　with　milk。　Its　flesh　is　eaten；　the　skeleton；　with　a　portion　of　the　fat；　is　burned　on　a　turf　altar；　and　the　skin；　with　the　head　and　feet；　is　hung　up。

An　example　of　a　sacrament　of　the　Egyptian　type　is　furnished　by　the　Todas；　a　pastoral　people　of　Southern　India；　who　subsist　largely　upon　the　milk　of　their　buffaloes。　Amongst　them　the　buffalo　is　to　a　certain　degree　held　sacred　and　is　treated　with　great　kindness；　even　with　a　degree　of　adoration；　by　the　people。　They　never　eat　the　flesh　of　the　cow　buffalo；　and　as　a　rule　abstain　from　the　flesh　of　the　male。　But　to　the　latter　rule　there　is　a　single　exception。　Once　a　year　all　the　adult　males　of　the　village　join　in　the　ceremony　of　killing　and　eating　a　very　young　male　calfseemingly　under　a　month　old。　They　take　the　animal　into　the　dark　recesses　of　the　village　wood；　where　it　is　killed　with　a　club　made　from　the　sacred　tree　of　the　Todas　（the　Millingtonia）。　A　sacred　fire　having　been　made　by　the　rubbing　of　sticks；　the　flesh　of　the　calf　is　roasted　on　the　embers　of　certain　trees；　and　is　eaten　by　the　men　alone；　women　being　excluded　from　the　assembly。　This　is　the　only　occasion　on　which　the　Todas　eat　buffalo　flesh。　The　Madi　or　Moru　tribe　of　Central　Africa；　whose　chief　wealth　is　their　cattle；　though　they　also　practise　agriculture；　appear　to　kill　a　lamb　sacramentally　on　certain　solemn　occasions。　The　custom　is　thus　described　by　Dr。　Felkin：　A　remarkable　custom　is　observed　at　stated　timesonce　a　year；　I　am　led　to　believe。　I　have　not　been　able　to　ascertain　what　exact　meaning　is　attached　to　it。　It　appears；　however；　to　relieve　the　people's　minds；　for　beforehand　they　evince　much　sadness；　and　seem　very　joyful　when　the　ceremony　is　duly　accomplished。　The　following　is　what　takes　place：　A　large　concourse　of　people　of　all　ages　assemble；　and　sit　down　round　a　circle　of　stones；　which　is　erected　by　the　side　of　a　road　（really　a　narrow　path）。　A　very　choice　lamb　is　then　fetched　by　a　boy；　who　leads　it　four　times　round　the　assembled　people。　As　it　passes　they　pluck　off　little　bits　of　its　fleece　and　place　them　in　their　hair；　or　on　to　some　other　part　of　their　body。　The　lamb　is　then　led　up　to　the　stones；　and　there　killed　by　a　man　belonging　to　a　kind　of　priestly　order；　who　takes　some　of　the　blood　and　sprinkles　it　four　times　over　the　people。　He　then　applies　it