the golden bough-第249章
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and other evil spirits； and the ceremony aims rather at repelling these baleful beings than at actually consuming them in the flames。 But for our present purpose these distinctions are immaterial。 The important thing to observe is that among the Slavs the need…fire； which is probably the original of all the ceremonial fires now under consideration； is not a sun…charm； but clearly and unmistakably nothing but a means of protecting man and beast against the attacks of maleficent creatures； whom the peasant thinks to burn or scare by the heat of the fire； just as he might burn or scare wild animals。
Again； the bonfires are often supposed to protect the fields against hail and the homestead against thunder and lightning。 But both hail and thunderstorms are frequently thought to be caused by witches； hence the fire which bans the witches necessarily serves at the same time as a talisman against hail； thunder； and lightning。 Further； brands taken from the bonfires are commonly kept in the houses to guard them against conflagration； and though this may perhaps be done on the principle of homoeopathic magic； one fire being thought to act as a preventive of another； it is also possible that the intention may be to keep witch…incendiaries at bay。 Again； people leap over the bonfires as a preventive of colic； and look at the flames steadily in order to preserve their eyes in good health； and both colic and sore eyes are in Germany； and probably elsewhere； set down to the machinations of witches。 Once more； to leap over the midsummer fires or to circumambulate them is thought to prevent a person from feeling pains in his back at reaping； and in Germany such pains are called witch…shots and ascribed to witchcraft。
But if the bonfires and torches of the fire…festivals are to be regarded primarily as weapons directed against witches and wizards； it becomes probable that the same explanation applies not only to the flaming discs which are hurled into the air； but also to the burning wheels which are rolled down hill on these occasions； discs and wheels； we may suppose； are alike intended to burn the witches who hover invisible in the air or haunt unseen the fields； the orchards； and the vineyards on the hillside。 Certainly witches are constantly thought to ride through the air on broomsticks or other equally convenient vehicles； and if they do so； how can you get at them so effectually as by hurling lighted missiles； whether discs； torches； or besoms； after them as they flit past overhead in the gloom？ The South Slavonian peasant believes that witches ride in the dark hail…clouds； so he shoots at the clouds to bring down the hags； while he curses them； saying； Curse； curse Herodias； thy mother is a heathen； damned of God and fettered through the Redeemer's blood。 Also he brings out a pot of glowing charcoal on which he has thrown holy oil； laurel leaves； and wormwood to make a smoke。 The fumes are supposed to ascend to the clouds and stupefy the witches； so that they tumble down to earth。 And in order that they may not fall soft； but may hurt themselves very much； the yokel hastily brings out a chair and tilts it bottom up so that the witch in falling may break her legs on the legs of the chair。 Worse than that； he cruelly lays scythes； bill…hooks； and other formidable weapons edge upwards so as to cut and mangle the poor wretches when they drop plump upon them from the clouds。
On this view the fertility supposed to follow the application of fire in the form of bonfires； torches； discs； rolling wheels； and so forth； is not conceived as resulting directly from an increase of solar heat which the fire has magically generated； it is merely an indirect result obtained by freeing the reproductive powers of plants and animals from the fatal obstruction of witchcraft。 And what is true of the reproduction of plants and animals may hold good also of the fertility of the human sexes。 The bonfires are supposed to promote marriage and to procure offspring for childless couples。 This happy effect need not flow directly from any quickening or fertilising energy in the fire； it may follow indirectly from the power of the fire to remove those obstacles which the spells of witches and wizards notoriously present to the union of man and wife。
On the whole； then； the theory of the purificatory virtue of the ceremonial fires appears more probable and more in accordance with the evidence than the opposing theory of their connexion with the sun。
Chapter 64。 The Burning of Human Beings in the Fires。
1。 The Burning ofEffigies in the Fires
WE have still to ask； What is the meaning of burning effigies in the fire at these festivals？ After the preceding investigation the answer to the question seems obvious。 As the fires are often alleged to be kindled for the purpose of burning the witches； and as the effigy burnt in them is sometimes called the Witch； we might naturally be disposed to conclude that all the effigies consumed in the flames on these occasions represent witches or warlocks； and that the custom of burning them is merely a substitute for burning the wicked men and women themselves； since on the principle of homoeopathic or imitative magic you practically destroy the witch herself in destroying her effigy。 On the whole this explanation of the burning of straw figures in human shape at the festivals is perhaps the most probable。
Yet it may be that this explanation does not apply to all the cases； and that certain of them may admit and even require another interpretation。 For the effigies so burned； as I have already remarked； can hardly be separated from the effigies of Death which are burned or otherwise destroyed in spring； and grounds have been already given for regarding the so…called effigies of Death as really representatives of the tree…spirit or spirit of vegetation。 Are the other effigies； which are burned in the spring and midsummer bonfires； susceptible of the same explanation？ It would seem so。 For just as the fragments of the so…called Death are stuck in the fields to make the crops grow； so the charred embers of the figure burned in the spring bonfires are sometimes laid on the fields in the belief that they will keep vermin from the crop。 Again； the rule that the last married bride must leap over the fire in which the straw…man is burned on Shrove Tuesday； is probably intended to make her fruitful。 But； as we have seen； the power of blessing women with offspring is a special attribute of tree…spirits； it is therefore a fair presumption that the burning effigy over which the bride must leap is a representative of the fertilising tree…spirit or spirit of vegetation。 This character of the effigy； as representative of the spirit of vegetation； is almost unmistakable when the figure is composed of an unthreshed sheaf of corn or is covered from head to foot with flowers。 Again； it is to be noted that； instead of a puppet； trees； either living or felled； are sometimes burned both in the spring and midsummer bonfires。 Now； considering the frequency with which the tree…spirit is represented in human shape； it is hardly rash to suppose that when sometimes a tree and sometimes an effigy is burned in these fires； the effigy and the tree are regarded as equivalent to each other； each being a representative of the tree…spirit。 This； again； is confirmed by observing； first； that sometimes the effigy which is to be burned is carried about simultaneously with a May…tree； the former being carried by the boys； the latter by the girls； and； second； that the effigy is sometimes tied to a living tree and burned with it。 In these cases； we can scarcely doubt； the tree…spirit is represented； as we have found it represented before； in duplicate； both by the tree and by the effigy。 That the true character of the effigy as a representative of the beneficent spirit of vegetation should sometimes be forgotten； is natural。 The custom of burning a beneficent god is too foreign to later modes of thought to escape misinterpretation。 Naturally enough the people who continued to burn his image came in time to identify it as the effigy of persons； whom； on various grounds； they regarded with aversion； such as Judas Iscariot； Luther； and a witch。
The general re
