the golden bough-第51章

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n　these　cases　the　human　representative　of　the　tree…spirit　is　sometimes　a　doll　or　puppet；　sometimes　a　living　person；　but　whether　a　puppet　or　a　person；　it　is　placed　beside　a　tree　or　bough；　so　that　together　the　person　or　puppet；　and　the　tree　or　bough；　form　a　sort　of　bilingual　inscription；　the　one　being；　so　to　speak；　a　translation　of　the　other。　Here；　therefore；　there　is　no　room　left　for　doubt　that　the　spirit　of　the　tree　is　actually　represented　in　human　form。　Thus　in　Bohemia；　on　the　fourth　Sunday　in　Lent；　young　people　throw　a　puppet　called　Death　into　the　water；　then　the　girls　go　into　the　wood；　cut　down　a　young　tree；　and　fasten　to　it　a　puppet　dressed　in　white　clothes　to　look　like　a　woman；　with　this　tree　and　puppet　they　go　from　house　to　house　collecting　gratuities　and　singing　songs　with　the　refrain：

We　carry　Death　out　of　the　village；　We　bring　Summer　into　the　village。

Here；　as　we　shall　see　later　on；　the　Summer　is　the　spirit　of　vegetation　returning　or　reviving　in　spring。　In　some　parts　of　our　own　country　children　go　about　asking　for　pence　with　some　small　imitations　of　May…poles；　and　with　a　finely…dressed　doll　which　they　call　the　Lady　of　the　May。　In　these　cases　the　tree　and　the　puppet　are　obviously　regarded　as　equivalent。

At　Thann；　in　Alsace；　a　girl　called　the　Little　May　Rose；　dressed　in　white；　carries　a　small　May…tree；　which　is　gay　with　garlands　and　ribbons。　Her　companions　collect　gifts　from　door　to　door；　singing　a　song：

Little　May　Rose　turn　round　three　times；　Let　us　look　at　you　round　and　round！　Rose　of　the　May；　come　to　the　greenwood　away；　We　will　be　merry　all。　So　we　go　from　the　May　to　the　roses。

In　the　course　of　the　song　a　wish　is　expressed　that　those　who　give　nothing　may　lose　their　fowls　by　the　marten；　that　their　vine　may　bear　no　clusters；　their　tree　no　nuts；　their　field　no　corn；　the　produce　of　the　year　is　supposed　to　depend　on　the　gifts　offered　to　these　May　singers。　Here　and　in　the　cases　mentioned　above；　where　children　go　about　with　green　boughs　or　garlands　on　May　Day　singing　and　collecting　money；　the　meaning　is　that　with　the　spirit　of　vegetation　they　bring　plenty　and　good　luck　to　the　house；　and　they　expect　to　be　paid　for　the　service。　In　Russian　Lithuania；　on　the　first　of　May；　they　used　to　set　up　a　green　tree　before　the　village。　Then　the　rustic　swains　chose　the　prettiest　girl；　crowned　her；　swathed　her　in　birch　branches　and　set　her　beside　the　May…tree；　where　they　danced；　sang；　and　shouted　O　May！　O　May！　In　Brie　（Isle　de　France）　a　May…tree　is　erected　in　the　midst　of　the　village；　its　top　is　crowned　with　flowers；　lower　down　it　is　twined　with　leaves　and　twigs；　still　lower　with　huge　green　branches。　The　girls　dance　round　it；　and　at　the　same　time　a　lad　wrapt　in　leaves　and　called　Father　May　is　led　about。　In　the　small　towns　of　the　Franken　Wald　mountains　in　Northern　Bavaria；　on　the　second　of　May；　a　Walber　tree　is　erected　before　a　tavern；　and　a　man　dances　round　it；　enveloped　in　straw　from　head　to　foot　in　such　a　way　that　the　ears　of　corn　unite　above　his　head　to　form　a　crown。　He　is　called　the　Walber；　and　used　to　be　led　in　procession　through　the　streets；　which　were　adorned　with　sprigs　of　birch。

Amongst　the　Slavs　of　Carinthia；　on　St。　George's　Day　（the　twentythird　of　April）；　the　young　people　deck　with　flowers　and　garlands　a　tree　which　has　been　felled　on　the　eve　of　the　festival。　The　tree　is　then　carried　in　procession；　accompanied　with　music　and　joyful　acclamations；　the　chief　figure　in　the　procession　being　the　Green　George；　a　young　fellow　clad　from　head　to　foot　in　green　birch　branches。　At　the　close　of　the　ceremonies　the　Green　George；　that　is　an　effigy　of　him；　is　thrown　into　the　water。　It　is　the　aim　of　the　lad　who　acts　Green　George　to　step　out　of　his　leafy　envelope　and　substitute　the　effigy　so　adroitly　that　no　one　shall　perceive　the　change。　In　many　places；　however；　the　lad　himself　who　plays　the　part　of　Green　George　is　ducked　in　a　river　or　pond；　with　the　express　intention　of　thus　ensuring　rain　to　make　the　fields　and　meadows　green　in　summer。　In　some　places　the　cattle　are　crowned　and　driven　from　their　stalls　to　the　accompaniment　of　a　song：

Green　George　we　bring；　Green　George　we　accompany；　May　he　feed　our　herds　well。　If　not；　to　the　water　with　him。

Here　we　see　that　the　same　powers　of　making　rain　and　fostering　the　cattle；　which　are　ascribed　to　the　tree…spirit　regarded　as　incorporate　in　the　tree；　are　also　attributed　to　the　tree…spirit　represented　by　a　living　man。

Among　the　gypsies　of　Transylvania　and　Roumania　the　festival　of　Green　George　is　the　chief　celebration　of　spring。　Some　of　them　keep　it　on　Easter　Monday；　others　on　St。　George's　Day　（the　twentythird　of　April）。　On　the　eve　of　the　festival　a　young　willow　tree　is　cut　down；　adorned　with　garlands　and　leaves；　and　set　up　in　the　ground。　Women　with　child　place　one　of　their　garments　under　the　tree；　and　leave　it　there　over　night；　if　next　morning　they　find　a　leaf　of　the　tree　lying　on　the　garment；　they　know　that　their　delivery　will　be　easy。　Sick　and　old　people　go　to　the　tree　in　the　evening；　spit　on　it　thrice；　and　say；　You　will　soon　die；　but　let　us　live。　Next　morning　the　gypsies　gather　about　the　willow。　The　chief　figure　of　the　festival　is　Green　George；　a　lad　who　is　concealed　from　top　to　toe　in　green　leaves　and　blossoms。　He　throws　a　few　handfuls　of　grass　to　the　beasts　of　the　tribe；　in　order　that　they　may　have　no　lack　of　fodder　throughout　the　year。　Then　he　takes　three　iron　nails；　which　have　lain　for　three　days　and　nights　in　water；　and　knocks　them　into　the　willow；　after　which　he　pulls　them　out　and　flings　them　into　a　running　stream　to　propitiate　the　water…spirits。　Finally；　a　pretence　is　made　of　throwing　Green　George　into　the　water；　but　in　fact　it　is　only　a　puppet　made　of　branches　and　leaves　which　is　ducked　in　the　stream。　In　this　version　of　the　custom　the　powers　of　granting　an　easy　delivery　to　women　and　of　communicating　vital　energy　to　the　sick　and　old　are　clearly　ascribed　to　the　willow；　while　Green　George；　the　human　double　of　the　tree；　bestows　food　on　the　cattle；　and　further　ensures　the　favour　of　the　water…spirits　by　putting　them　in　indirect　communication　with　the　tree。

Without　citing　more　examples　to　the　same　effect；　we　may　sum　up　the　results　of　the　preceding　pages　in　the　words　of　Mannhardt：　The　customs　quoted　suffice　to　establish　with　certainty　the　conclusion　that　in　these　spring　processions　the　spirit　of　vegetation　is　often　represented　both　by　the　May…tree　and　in　addition　by　a　man　dressed　in　green　leaves　or　flowers　or　by　a　girl　similarly　adorned。　It　is　the　same　spirit　which　animates　the　tree　and　is　active　in　the　inferior　plants　and　which　we　have　recognised　in　the　May…tree　and　the　Harvest…May。　Quite　consistently　the　spirit　is　also　supposed　to　manifest　his　presence　in　the　first　flower　of　spring　and　reveals　himself　both　in　a　girl　representing　a　May…rose；　and　also；　as　giver　of　harvest；　in　the　person　of　the　Walber。　The　procession　with　this　representative　of　the　divinity　was　supposed　to　produce　the　same　beneficial　effects　on　the　fowls；　the　fruit…trees；　and　the　crops　as　the　presence　of　the　deity　himself。　In　other　words　the　mummer　was　regarded　not　as　an　image　but　as　an　actual　representative　of　the　spirit　of　vegetation；　hence　the　wish　expressed　by　the　attendants　on　the　May…rose　and　the　May…tree　that　those　who　refuse　them　gifts　of　eggs；　bacon；　and　so　forth；　may　have　no　share　in　the　blessings　which　it　is　in　the　power　of　the　itinerant　spirit　to　bestow。　We　may　conclude　that　these　begging　processions　with　May…trees　or　May…boughs　from　door　to　door　（'bringing　the　May　or　the　summer'）　had　everywhere　originally　a　serious　and；　so　to　speak；　sacramental　significance；　people　really　believed　that　the　god　of　growth　was　present　unseen　in　the　bough；　by　the　procession　he　was　brought　to　each　house　to　bestow　his　blessing。　The　names　May；　Father　May；　May　Lady；　Queen　of　the　May；　by　which　the　anthropomorphic　spirit　of　vegetation　is　often　denoted；　show　that　the　idea　of　the　spirit　of　vegetation　is　blent　with　a　personification　of　the　season　at　which　his　powers　are　most　strikingly　manifested。

So　far　we　have　seen　that　the　tree…spirit　or　the　spirit　of　vegetation　in　general　is　represented　either　in　vegetable　form　alone；　as　by　a　tree；　bough；　or　flower；　or　in　vegetable　and　human　form　simultaneously；　as　by　a　tree；　bough；　or　flower　in　combin