the golden bough-第47章

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ence。　These　precautions　are　observed　lest　the　tree　should　be　alarmed　and　bear　no　fruit；　or　should　drop　its　fruit　too　soon；　like　the　untimely　delivery　of　a　woman　who　has　been　frightened　in　her　pregnancy。　So　in　the　East　the　growing　rice…crop　is　often　treated　with　the　same　considerate　regard　as　a　breeding　woman。　Thus　in　Amboyna；　when　the　rice　is　in　bloom；　the　people　say　that　it　is　pregnant　and　fire　no　guns　and　make　no　other　noises　near　the　field；　for　fear　lest；　if　the　rice　were　thus　disturbed；　it　would　miscarry；　and　the　crop　would　be　all　straw　and　no　grain。

Sometimes　it　is　the　souls　of　the　dead　which　are　believed　to　animate　trees。　The　Dieri　tribe　of　Central　Australia　regard　as　very　sacred　certain　trees　which　are　supposed　to　be　their　fathers　transformed；　hence　they　speak　with　reverence　of　these　trees；　and　are　careful　that　they　shall　not　be　cut　down　or　burned。　If　the　settlers　require　them　to　hew　down　the　trees；　they　earnestly　protest　against　it；　asserting　that　were　they　to　do　so　they　would　have　no　luck；　and　might　be　punished　for　not　protecting　their　ancestors。　Some　of　the　Philippine　Islanders　believe　that　the　souls　of　their　ancestors　are　in　certain　trees；　which　they　therefore　spare。　If　they　are　obliged　to　fell　one　of　these　trees；　they　excuse　themselves　to　it　by　saying　that　it　was　the　priest　who　made　them　do　it。　The　spirits　take　up　their　abode；　by　preference；　in　tall　and　stately　trees　with　great　spreading　branches。　When　the　wind　rustles　the　leaves；　the　natives　fancy　it　is　the　voice　of　the　spirit；　and　they　never　pass　near　one　of　these　trees　without　bowing　respectfully；　and　asking　pardon　of　the　spirit　for　disturbing　his　repose。　Among　the　Ignorrotes；　every　village　has　its　sacred　tree；　in　which　the　souls　of　the　dead　forefathers　of　the　hamlet　reside。　Offerings　are　made　to　the　tree；　and　any　injury　done　to　it　is　believed　to　entail　some　misfortune　on　the　village。　Were　the　tree　cut　down；　the　village　and　all　its　inhabitants　would　inevitably　perish。

In　Corea　the　souls　of　people　who　die　of　the　plague　or　by　the　roadside；　and　of　women　who　expire　in　childbirth；　invariably　take　up　their　abode　in　trees。　To　such　spirits　offerings　of　cake；　wine；　and　pork　are　made　on　heaps　of　stones　piled　under　the　trees。　In　China　it　has　been　customary　from　time　immemorial　to　plant　trees　on　graves　in　order　thereby　to　strengthen　the　soul　of　the　deceased　and　thus　to　save　his　body　from　corruption；　and　as　the　evergreen　cypress　and　pine　are　deemed　to　be　fuller　of　vitality　than　other　trees；　they　have　been　chosen　by　preference　for　this　purpose。　Hence　the　trees　that　grow　on　graves　are　sometimes　identified　with　the　souls　of　the　departed。　Among　the　Miao…Kia；　an　aboriginal　race　of　Southern　and　Western　China；　a　sacred　tree　stands　at　the　entrance　of　every　village；　and　the　inhabitants　believe　that　it　is　tenanted　by　the　soul　of　their　first　ancestor　and　that　it　rules　their　destiny。　Sometimes　there　is　a　sacred　grove　near　a　village；　where　the　trees　are　suffered　to　rot　and　die　on　the　spot。　Their　fallen　branches　cumber　the　ground；　and　no　one　may　remove　them　unless　he　has　first　asked　leave　of　the　spirit　of　the　tree　and　offered　him　a　sacrifice。　Among　the　Maraves　of　Southern　Africa　the　burial…ground　is　always　regarded　as　a　holy　place　where　neither　a　tree　may　be　felled　nor　a　beast　killed；　because　everything　there　is　supposed　to　be　tenanted　by　the　souls　of　the　dead。

In　most；　if　not　all；　of　these　cases　the　spirit　is　viewed　as　incorporate　in　the　tree；　it　animates　the　tree　and　must　suffer　and　die　with　it。　But；　according　to　another　and　probably　later　opinion；　the　tree　is　not　the　body；　but　merely　the　abode　of　the　tree…spirit；　which　can　quit　it　and　return　to　it　at　pleasure。　The　inhabitants　of　Siaoo；　an　East　Indian　island；　believe　in　certain　sylvan　spirits　who　dwell　in　forests　or　in　great　solitary　trees。　At　full　moon　the　spirit　comes　forth　from　his　lurking…place　and　roams　about。　He　has　a　big　head；　very　long　arms　and　legs；　and　a　ponderous　body。　In　order　to　propitiate　the　wood…spirits　people　bring　offerings　of　food；　fowls；　goats；　and　so　forth　to　the　places　which　they　are　supposed　to　haunt。　The　people　of　Nias　think　that；　when　a　tree　dies；　its　liberated　spirit　becomes　a　demon；　which　can　kill　a　coco…nut　palm　by　merely　lighting　on　its　branches；　and　can　cause　the　death　of　all　the　children　in　a　house　by　perching　on　one　of　the　posts　that　support　it。　Further；　they　are　of　opinion　that　certain　trees　are　at　all　times　inhabited　by　roving　demons　who；　if　the　trees　were　damaged；　would　be　set　free　to　go　about　on　errands　of　mischief。　Hence　the　people　respect　these　trees；　and　are　careful　not　to　cut　them　down。

Not　a　few　ceremonies　observed　at　cutting　down　haunted　trees　are　based　on　the　belief　that　the　spirits　have　it　in　their　power　to　quit　the　trees　at　pleasure　or　in　case　of　need。　Thus　when　the　Pelew　Islanders　are　felling　a　tree；　they　conjure　the　spirit　of　the　tree　to　leave　it　and　settle　on　another。　The　wily　negro　of　the　Slave　Coast；　who　wishes　to　fell　an　ashorin　tree；　but　knows　that　he　cannot　do　it　so　long　as　the　spirit　remains　in　the　tree；　places　a　little　palm…oil　on　the　ground　as　a　bait；　and　then；　when　the　unsuspecting　spirit　has　quitted　the　tree　to　partake　of　this　dainty；　hastens　to　cut　down　its　late　abode。　When　the　Toboongkoos　of　Celebes　are　about　to　clear　a　piece　of　forest　in　order　to　plant　rice；　they　build　a　tiny　house　and　furnish　it　with　tiny　clothes　and　some　food　and　gold。　Then　they　call　together　all　the　spirits　of　the　wood；　offer　them　the　little　house　with　its　contents；　and　beseech　them　to　quit　the　spot。　After　that　they　may　safely　cut　down　the　wood　without　fearing　to　wound　themselves　in　so　doing。　Before　the　Tomori；　another　tribe　of　Celebes；　fell　a　tall　tree　they　lay　a　quid　of　betel　at　its　foot；　and　invite　the　spirit　who　dwells　in　the　tree　to　change　his　lodging；　moreover；　they　set　a　little　ladder　against　the　trunk　to　enable　him　to　descend　with　safety　and　comfort。　The　Mandelings　of　Sumatra　endeavour　to　lay　the　blame　of　all　such　misdeeds　at　the　door　of　the　Dutch　authorities。　Thus　when　a　man　is　cutting　a　road　through　a　forest　and　has　to　fell　a　tall　tree　which　blocks　the　way；　he　will　not　begin　to　ply　his　axe　until　he　has　said：　Spirit　who　lodgest　in　this　tree；　take　it　not　ill　that　I　cut　down　thy　dwelling；　for　it　is　done　at　no　wish　of　mine　but　by　order　of　the　Controller。　And　when　he　wishes　to　clear　a　piece　of　forest…land　for　cultivation；　it　is　necessary　that　he　should　come　to　a　satisfactory　understanding　with　the　woodland　spirits　who　live　there　before　he　lays　low　their　leafy　dwellings。　For　this　purpose　he　goes　to　the　middle　of　the　plot　of　ground；　stoops　down；　and　pretends　to　pick　up　a　letter。　Then　unfolding　a　bit　of　paper　he　reads　aloud　an　imaginary　letter　from　the　Dutch　Government；　in　which　he　is　strictly　enjoined　to　set　about　clearing　the　land　without　delay。　Having　done　so；　he　says：　You　hear　that；　spirits。　I　must　begin　clearing　at　once；　or　I　shall　be　hanged。

Even　when　a　tree　has　been　felled；　sawn　into　planks；　and　used　to　build　a　house；　it　is　possible　that　the　woodland　spirit　may　still　be　lurking　in　the　timber；　and　accordingly　some　people　seek　to　propitiate　him　before　or　after　they　occupy　the　new　house。　Hence；　when　a　new　dwelling　is　ready　the　Toradjas　of　Celebes　kill　a　goat；　a　pig；　or　a　buffalo；　and　smear　all　the　woodwork　with　its　blood。　If　the　building　is　a　lobo　or　spirit…house；　a　fowl　or　a　dog　is　killed　on　the　ridge　of　the　roof；　and　its　blood　allowed　to　flow　down　on　both　sides。　The　ruder　Tonapoo　in　such　a　case　sacrifice　a　human　being　on　the　roof。　This　sacrifice　on　the　roof　of　a　lobo　or　temple　serves　the　same　purpose　as　the　smearing　of　blood　on　the　woodwork　of　an　ordinary　house。　The　intention　is　to　propitiate　the　forest…spirits　who　may　still　be　in　the　timber；　they　are　thus　put　in　good　humour　and　will　do　the　inmates　of　the　house　no　harm。　For　a　like　reason　people　in　Celebes　and　the　Moluccas　are　much　afraid　of　planting　a　post　upside　down　at　the　building　of　a　house；　for　the　forest…spirit；　who　might　still　be　in　the　timber；　would　very　naturally　resent　the　indignity　and　visit　the　inmates　with　sickness。　The　Kayans　of　Borneo　are　of　opinion　that　tree…spirits　stand　very　stiffly　on　the　point　of　honour　and　visit　men　with　their　displeasure　for　any　injury　done　to　them。　Hence　after　building　a　house；　whereby　they　have　been　fo