the golden bough-第69章

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tal　of　the　native　king　of　Fernando　Po。　This　mysterious　being　lives　in　the　lowest　depths　of　the　crater；　surrounded　by　a　harem　of　forty　women；　and　covered；　it　is　said；　with　old　silver　coins。　Naked　savage　as　he　is；　he　yet　exercises　far　more　influence　in　the　island　than　the　Spanish　governor　at　Santa　Isabel。　In　him　the　conservative　spirit　of　the　Boobies　or　aboriginal　inhabitants　of　the　island　is；　as　it　were；　incorporate。　He　has　never　seen　a　white　man　and；　according　to　the　firm　conviction　of　all　the　Boobies；　the　sight　of　a　pale　face　would　cause　his　instant　death。　He　cannot　bear　to　look　upon　the　sea；　indeed　it　is　said　that　he　may　never　see　it　even　in　the　distance；　and　that　therefore　he　wears　away　his　life　with　shackles　on　his　legs　in　the　dim　twilight　of　his　hut。　Certain　it　is　that　he　has　never　set　foot　on　the　beach。　With　the　exception　of　his　musket　and　knife；　he　uses　nothing　that　comes　from　the　whites；　European　cloth　never　touches　his　person；　and　he　scorns　tobacco；　rum；　and　even　salt。

Among　the　Ewe…speaking　peoples　of　the　Slave　Coast　the　king　is　at　the　same　time　high　priest。　In　this　quality　he　was；　particularly　in　former　times；　unapproachable　by　his　subjects。　Only　by　night　was　he　allowed　to　quit　his　dwelling　in　order　to　bathe　and　so　forth。　None　but　his　representative；　the　so…called　'visible　king；'　with　three　chosen　elders　might　converse　with　him；　and　even　they　had　to　sit　on　an　ox…hide　with　their　backs　turned　to　him。　He　might　not　see　any　European　nor　any　horse；　nor　might　he　look　upon　the　sea；　for　which　reason　he　was　not　allowed　to　quit　his　capital　even　for　a　few　moments。　These　rules　have　been　disregarded　in　recent　times。　The　king　of　Dahomey　himself　is　subject　to　the　prohibition　of　beholding　the　sea；　and　so　are　the　kings　of　Loango　and　Great　Ardra　in　Guinea。　The　sea　is　the　fetish　of　the　Eyeos；　to　the　north…west　of　Dahomey；　and　they　and　their　king　are　threatened　with　death　by　their　priests　if　ever　they　dare　to　look　on　it。　It　is　believed　that　the　king　of　Cayor　in　Senegal　would　infallibly　die　within　the　year　if　he　were　to　cross　a　river　or　an　arm　of　the　sea。　In　Mashonaland　down　to　recent　times　the　chiefs　would　not　cross　certain　rivers；　particularly　the　Rurikwi　and　the　Nyadiri；　and　the　custom　was　still　strictly　observed　by　at　least　one　chief　within　recent　years。　On　no　account　will　the　chief　cross　the　river。　If　it　is　absolutely　necessary　for　him　to　do　so；　he　is　blindfolded　and　carried　across　with　shouting　and　singing。　Should　he　walk　across；　he　will　go　blind　or　die　and　certainly　lose　the　chieftainship。　So　among　the　Mahafalys　and　Sakalavas　in　the　south　of　Madagascar　some　kings　are　forbidden　to　sail　on　the　sea　or　to　cross　certain　rivers。　Among　the　Sakalavas　the　chief　is　regarded　as　a　sacred　being；　but　he　is　held　in　leash　by　a　crowd　of　restrictions；　which　regulate　his　behaviour　like　that　of　the　emperor　of　China。　He　can　undertake　nothing　whatever　unless　the　sorcerers　have　declared　the　omens　favourable；　he　may　not　eat　warm　food：　on　certain　days　he　may　not　quit　his　hut；　and　so　on。　Among　some　of　the　hill　tribes　of　Assam　both　the　headman　and　his　wife　have　to　observe　many　taboos　in　respect　of　food；　thus　they　may　not　eat　buffalo；　pork；　dog；　fowl；　or　tomatoes。　The　headman　must　be　chaste；　the　husband　of　one　wife；　and　he　must　separate　himself　from　her　on　the　eve　of　a　general　or　public　observance　of　taboo。　In　one　group　of　tribes　the　headman　is　forbidden　to　eat　in　a　strange　village；　and　under　no　provocation　whatever　may　he　utter　a　word　of　abuse。　Apparently　the　people　imagine　that　the　violation　of　any　of　these　taboos　by　a　headman　would　bring　down　misfortune　on　the　whole　village。

The　ancient　kings　of　Ireland；　as　well　as　the　kings　of　the　four　provinces　of　Leinster；　Munster；　Connaught；　and　Ulster；　were　subject　to　certain　quaint　prohibitions　or　taboos；　on　the　due　observance　of　which　the　prosperity　of　the　people　of　the　country；　as　well　as　their　own；　was　supposed　to　depend。　Thus；　for　example；　the　sun　might　not　rise　on　the　king　of　Ireland　in　his　bed　at　Tara；　the　old　capital　of　Erin；　he　was　forbidden　to　alight　on　Wednesday　at　Magh　Breagh；　to　traverse　Magh　Cuillinn　after　sunset；　to　incite　his　horse　at　Fan…Chomair；　to　go　in　a　ship　upon　the　water　the　Monday　after　Bealltaine　（May　day）；　and　to　leave　the　track　of　his　army　upon　Ath　Maighne　the　Tuesday　after　All…Hallows。　The　king　of　Leinster　might　not　go　round　Tuath　Laighean　left…hand…wise　on　Wednesday；　nor　sleep　between　the　Dothair　（Dodder）　and　the　Duibhlinn　with　his　head　inclining　to　one　side；　nor　encamp　for　nine　days　on　the　plains　of　Cualann；　nor　travel　the　road　of　Duibhlinn　on　Monday；　nor　ride　a　dirty　black…heeled　horse　across　Magh　Maistean。　The　king　of　Munster　was　prohibited　from　enjoying　the　feast　of　Loch　Lein　from　one　Monday　to　another；　from　banqueting　by　night　in　the　beginning　of　harvest　before　Geim　at　Leitreacha；　from　encamping　for　nine　days　upon　the　Siuir；　and　from　holding　a　border　meeting　at　Gabhran。　The　king　of　Connaught　might　not　conclude　a　treaty　respecting　his　ancient　palace　of　Cruachan　after　making　peace　on　All…Hallows　Day；　nor　go　in　a　speckled　garment　on　a　grey　speckled　steed　to　the　heath　of　Dal　Chais；　nor　repair　to　an　assembly　of　women　at　Seaghais；　nor　sit　in　autumn　on　the　sepulchral　mounds　of　the　wife　of　Maine；　nor　contend　in　running　with　the　rider　of　a　grey　one…eyed　horse　at　Ath　Gallta　between　two　posts。　The　king　of　Ulster　was　forbidden　to　attend　the　horse　fair　at　Rath　Line　among　the　youths　of　Dal　Araidhe；　to　listen　to　the　fluttering　of　the　flocks　of　birds　of　Linn　Saileach　after　sunset；　to　celebrate　the　feast　of　the　bull　of　Daire…mic…Daire；　to　go　into　Magh　Cobha　in　the　month

of　March；　and　to　drink　of　the　water　of　Bo　Neimhidh　between　two　darknesses。　If　the　kings　of　Ireland　strictly　observed　these　and　many　other　customs；　which　were　enjoined　by　immemorial　usage；　it　was　believed　that　they　would　never　meet　with　mischance　or　misfortune；　and　would　live　for　ninety　years　without　experiencing　the　decay　of　old　age；　that　no　epidemic　or　mortality　would　occur　during　their　reigns；　and　that　the　seasons　would　be　favourable　and　the　earth　yield　its　fruit　in　abundance；　whereas；　if　they　set　the　ancient　usages　at　naught；　the　country　would　be　visited　with　plague；　famine；　and　bad　weather。

The　kings　of　Egypt　were　worshipped　as　gods；　and　the　routine　of　their　daily　life　was　regulated　in　every　detail　by　precise　and　unvarying　rules。　The　life　of　the　kings　of　Egypt；　says　Diodorus；　was　not　like　that　of　other　monarchs　who　are　irresponsible　and　may　do　just　what　they　choose；　on　the　contrary；　everything　was　fixed　for　them　by　law；　not　only　their　official　duties；　but　even　the　details　of　their　daily　life　。　The　hours　both　of　day　and　night　were　arranged　at　which　the　king　had　to　do；　not　what　he　pleased；　but　what　was　prescribed　for　him　。　For　not　only　were　the　times　appointed　at　which　he　should　transact　public　business　or　sit　in　judgment；　but　the　very　hours　for　his　walking　and　bathing　and　sleeping　with　his　wife；　and；　in　short；　performing　every　act　of　life　were　all　settled。　Custom　enjoined　a　simple　diet；　the　only　flesh　he　might　eat　was　veal　and　goose；　and　he　might　only　drink　a　prescribed　quantity　of　wine。　However；　there　is　reason　to　think　that　these　rules　were　observed；　not　by　the　ancient　Pharaohs；　but　by　the　priestly　kings　who　reigned　at　Thebes　and　Ethiopia　at　the　close　of　the　twentieth　dynasty。

Of　the　taboos　imposed　on　priests　we　may　see　a　striking　example　in　the　rules　of　life　prescribed　for　the　Flamen　Dialis　at　Rome；　who　has　been　interpreted　as　a　living　image　of　Jupiter；　or　a　human　embodiment　of　the　sky…spirit。　They　were　such　as　the　following：　The　Flamen　Dialis　might　not　ride　or　even　touch　a　horse；　nor　see　an　army　under　arms；　nor　wear　a　ring　which　was　not　broken；　nor　have　a　knot　on　any　part　of　his　garments；　no　fire　except　a　sacred　fire　might　be　taken　out　of　his　house；　he　might　not　touch　wheaten　flour　or　leavened　bread；　he　might　not　touch　or　even　name　a　goat；　a　dog；　raw　meat；　beans；　and　ivy；　he　might　not　walk　under　a　vine；　the　feet　of　his　bed　had　to　be　daubed　with　mud；　his　hair　could　be　cut　only　by　a　free　man　and　with　a　bronze　knife　and　his　hair　and　nails　when　cut　had　to　be　buried　under　a　lucky　tree；　he　might　not　touch　a　dead　body　nor　enter　a　place　where　one　was　burned；　he　might　not　see　work　being　done　on　holy　days；　he　might　not　be　uncovere