the golden bough-第88章

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alit　hunter　who　has　had　a　hand　in　the　killing　of　a　white　whale；　or　even　has　helped　to　take　one　from　the　net；　is　not　allowed　to　do　any　work　for　the　next　four　days；　that　being　the　time　during　which　the　shade　or　ghost　of　the　whale　is　supposed　to　stay　with　its　body。　At　the　same　time　no　one　in　the　village　may　use　any　sharp　or　pointed　instrument　for　fear　of　wounding　the　whale's　shade；　which　is　believed　to　be　hovering　invisible　in　the　neighbourhood；　and　no　loud　noise　may　be　made　lest　it　should　frighten　or　offend　the　ghost。　Whoever　cuts　a　whale's　body　with　an　iron　axe　will　die。　Indeed　the　use　of　all　iron　instruments　is　forbidden　in　the　village　during　these　four　days。

These　same　Esquimaux　celebrate　a　great　annual　festival　in　December　when　the　bladders　of　all　the　seals；　whales；　walrus；　and　white　bears　that　have　been　killed　in　the　year　are　taken　into　the　assembly…house　of　the　village。　They　remain　there　for　several　days；　and　so　long　as　they　do　so　the　hunters　avoid　all　intercourse　with　women；　saying　that　if　they　failed　in　that　respect　the　shades　of　the　dead　animals　would　be　offended。　Similarly　among　the　Aleuts　of　Alaska　the　hunter　who　had　struck　a　whale　with　a　charmed　spear　would　not　throw　again；　but　returned　at　once　to　his　home　and　separated　himself　from　his　people　in　a　hut　specially　constructed　for　the　purpose；　where　he　stayed　for　three　days　without　food　or　drink；　and　without　touching　or　looking　upon　a　woman。　During　this　time　of　seclusion　he　snorted　occasionally　in　imitation　of　the　wounded　and　dying　whale；　in　order　to　prevent　the　whale　which　he　had　struck　from　leaving　the　coast。　On　the　fourth　day　he　emerged　from　his　seclusion　and　bathed　in　the　sea；　shrieking　in　a　hoarse　voice　and　beating　the　water　with　his　hands。　Then；　taking　with　him　a　companion；　he　repaired　to　that　part　of　the　shore　where　he　expected　to　find　the　whale　stranded。　If　the　beast　was　dead；　he　at　once　cut　out　the　place　where　the　death…wound　had　been　inflicted。　If　the　whale　was　not　dead；　he　again　returned　to　his　home　and　continued　washing　himself　until　the　whale　died。　Here　the　hunter's　imitation　of　the　wounded　whale　is　probably　intended　by　means　of　homoeopathic　magic　to　make　the　beast　die　in　earnest。　Once　more　the　soul　of　the　grim　polar　bear　is　offended　if　the　taboos　which　concern　him　are　not　observed。　His　soul　tarries　for　three　days　near　the　spot　where　it　left　his　body；　and　during　these　days　the　Esquimaux　are　particularly　careful　to　conform　rigidly　to　the　laws　of　taboo；　because　they　believe　that　punishment　overtakes　the　transgressor　who　sins　against　the　soul　of　a　bear　far　more　speedily　than　him　who　sins　against　the　souls　of　the　sea…beasts。

When　the　Kayans　have　shot　one　of　the　dreaded　Bornean　panthers；　they　are　very　anxious　about　the　safety　of　their　souls；　for　they　think　that　the　soul　of　a　panther　is　almost　more　powerful　than　their　own。　Hence　they　step　eight　times　over　the　carcase　of　the　dead　beast　reciting　the　spell；　Panther；　thy　soul　under　my　soul。　On　returning　home　they　smear　themselves；　their　dogs；　and　their　weapons　with　the　blood　of　fowls　in　order　to　calm　their　souls　and　hinder　them　from　fleeing　away；　for；　being　themselves　fond　of　the　flesh　of　fowls；　they　ascribe　the　same　taste　to　their　souls。　For　eight　days　afterwards　they　must　bathe　by　day　and　by　night　before　going　out　again　to　the　chase。　Among　the　Hottentots；　when　a　man　has　killed　a　lion；　leopard；　elephant；　or　rhinoceros；　he　is　esteemed　a　great　hero；　but　he　has　to　remain　at　home　quite　idle　for　three　days；　during　which　his　wife　may　not　come　near　him；　she　is　also　enjoined　to　restrict　herself　to　a　poor　diet　and　to　eat　no　more　than　is　barely　necessary　to　keep　her　in　health。　Similarly　the　Lapps　deem　it　the　height　of　glory　to　kill　a　bear；　which　they　consider　the　king　of　beasts。　Nevertheless；　all　the　men　who　take　part　in　the　slaughter　are　regarded　as　unclean；　and　must　live　by　themselves　for　three　days　in　a　hut　or　tent　made　specially　for　them；　where　they　cut　up　and　cook　the　bear's　carcase。　The　reindeer　which　brought　in　the　carcase　on　a　sledge　may　not　be　driven　by　a　woman　for　a　whole　year；　indeed；　according　to　one　account；　it　may　not　be　used　by　anybody　for　that　period。　Before　the　men　go　into　the　tent　where　they　are　to　be　secluded；　they　strip　themselves　of　the　garments　they　had　worn　in　killing　the　bear；　and　their　wives　spit　the　red　juice　of　alder　bark　in　their　faces。　They　enter　the　tent　not　by　the　ordinary　door　but　by　an　opening　at　the　back。　When　the　bear's　flesh　has　been　cooked；　a　portion　of　it　is　sent　by　the　hands　of　two　men　to　the　women；　who　may　not　approach　the　men's　tent　while　the　cooking　is　going　on。　The　men　who　convey　the　flesh　to　the　women　pretend　to　be　strangers　bringing　presents　from　a　foreign　land；　the　women　keep　up　the　pretence　and　promise　to　tie　red　threads　round　the　legs　of　the　strangers。　The　bear's　flesh　may　not　be　passed　in　to　the　women　through　the　door　of　their　tent；　but　must　be　thrust　in　at　a　special　opening　made　by　lifting　up　the　hem　of　the　tent…cover。　When　the　three　days'　seclusion　is　over　and　the　men　are　at　liberty　to　return　to　their　wives；　they　run；　one　after　the　other；　round　the　fire；　holding　the　chain　by　which　pots　are　suspended　over　it。　This　is　regarded　as　a　form　of　purification；　they　may　now　leave　the　tent　by　the　ordinary　door　and　rejoin　the　women。　But　the　leader　of　the　party　must　still　abstain　from　cohabitation　with　his　wife　for　two　days　more。

Again；　the　Caffres　are　said　to　dread　greatly　the　boa…constrictor　or　an　enormous　serpent　resembling　it；　and　being　influenced　by　certain　superstitious　notions　they　even　fear　to　kill　it。　The　man　who　happened　to　put　it　to　death；　whether　in　self…defence　or　otherwise；　was　formerly　required　to　lie　in　a　running　stream　of　water　during　the　day　for　several　weeks　together；　and　no　beast　whatever　was　allowed　to　be　slaughtered　at　the　hamlet　to　which　he　belonged；　until　this　duty　had　been　fully　performed。　The　body　of　the　snake　was　then　taken　and　carefully　buried　in　a　trench；　dug　close　to　the　cattle…fold；　where　its　remains；　like　those　of　a　chief；　were　henceforward　kept　perfectly　undisturbed。　The　period　of　penance；　as　in　the　case　of　mourning　for　the　dead；　is　now　happily　reduced　to　a　few　days。　In　Madras　it　is　considered　a　great　sin　to　kill　a　cobra。　When　this　has　happened；　the　people　generally　burn　the　body　of　the　serpent；　just　as　they　burn　the　bodies　of　human　beings。　The　murderer　deems　himself　polluted　for　three　days。　On　the　second　day　milk　is　poured　on　the　remains　of　the　cobra。　On　the　third　day　the　guilty　wretch　is　free　from　pollution。

In　these　last　cases　the　animal　whose　slaughter　has　to　be　atoned　for　is　sacred；　that　is；　it　is　one　whose　life　is　commonly　spared　from　motives　of　superstition。　Yet　the　treatment　of　the　sacrilegious　slayer　seems　to　resemble　so　closely　the　treatment　of　hunters　and　fishermen　who　have　killed　animals　for　food　in　the　ordinary　course　of　business；　that　the　ideas　on　which　both　sets　of　customs　are　based　may　be　assumed　to　be　substantially　the　same。　Those　ideas；　if　I　am　right；　are　the　respect　which　the　savage　feels　for　the　souls　of　beasts；　especially　valuable　or　formidable　beasts；　and　the　dread　which　he　entertains　of　their　vengeful　ghosts。　Some　confirmation　of　this　view　may　be　drawn　from　the　ceremonies　observed　by　fishermen　of　Annam　when　the　carcase　of　a　whale　is　washed　ashore。　These　fisherfolk；　we　are　told；　worship　the　whale　on　account　of　the　benefits　they　derive　from　it。　There　is　hardly　a　village　on　the　sea…shore　which　has　not　its　small　pagoda；　containing　the　bones；　more　or　less　authentic；　of　a　whale。　When　a　dead　whale　is　washed　ashore；　the　people　accord　it　a　solemn　burial。　The　man　who　first　caught　sight　of　it　acts　as　chief　mourner；　performing　the　rites　which　as　chief　mourner　and　heir　he　would　perform　for　a　human　kinsman。　He　puts　on　all　the　garb　of　woe；　the　straw　hat；　the　white　robe　with　long　sleeves　turned　inside　out；　and　the　other　paraphernalia　of　full　mourning。　As　next　of　kin　to　the　deceased　he　presides　over　the　funeral　rites。　Perfumes　are　burned；　sticks　of　incense　kindled；　leaves　of　gold　and　silver　scattered；　crackers　let　off。　When　the　flesh　has　been　cut　off　and　the　oil　extracted；　the　remains　of　the　carcase　are　buried　in　the　sand。　After　wards　a　shed　is　set　up　and　offerings　are　made　in　it。　Usually　some　time　after　the　burial　the　spirit　of　the　dead　whale　ta