gs.earthabides-第59章
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realized； was deathly quiet。 Joey stood at the mantelpiece。 He reached out his hand； and took the hammer。 There was a strange little cry from one of the smaller girls。 In the hush that followed； Joey walked back from the mantelpiece； and gave the hammer to Ish。 Joey went back to where he had been sitting。
The room was still； and the children were looking at Joey。 Joey sat down； and Ish broke the silence by pounding on a nut with the hammer。 At that noise the tension； whatever it was； seemed to break。
Only after it had e to noon and he had dismissed school did Ish have time to think the matter over and e； with a start； to the conclusion that it had been a case of pure superstition。 The hammer…all the children associated it vaguely with something strange and mystical in the far past！ It was used on state occasions； it stood on the mantelpiece by itself。 Generally speaking； no one touched it except Ish。 Even Bob； Ish now remembered； had handled it with reluctance on that occasion when they had started out with the dog…teams。 The children had e to think it an implement of power； dangerous for any of them to touch。 He could see how such an idea might have begun half seriously as a game and in a few years have e to be taken seriously。 And as for Joey； again he realized that Joey was the one who stood out from the crowd。 Perhaps Joey had not rationally figured out that Ish's harnmer was only like any other hammer。 Perhaps； he had merely let his superstition work at a higher level； and assumed that he had something in mon with his father； such as was shown by his reading； so that he； as the High Priest's child； the Son of the Blessing； might touch the relics which would blast the others。 Possibly even； he might be capable of it； Joey had helped build up the superstition in the others in order to build up his own importance。 It could not be much work； Ish decided； to overe this superstition。
Yet that same afternoon he began to have doubts。 On the sidewalk in front of the house some children were playing。 As they played； they were jumping from one block of the sidewalk to another and crying out that old rhyme：
Step on a crack；Break your mother's back！
Ish had heard children singing it often in the Old Times。 It meant nothing then； just a little childish rhyme。 Children； as they got older； had always learned that such things were merely childish。 But now； he thought； what would there be to teach the children that such things were mere superstition？ Here was a society with almost no stored…up tradition； and apparently a society that was not going to develop its traditions greatly by reading。
He sat in his easy…chair in the living…room； and heard the children； outside； playing and shouting their rhyme。 As the smoke of his cigarette curled up； he remembered more and more disturbing evidences of superstition。 Ezra carried his pocket…piece； the old Victorian penny； and doubtless the children looked on that much as they looked on the hammer。 Molly was a confirmed rapper on wood； Ish was disturbed when； now that he considered； he remembered the children also rapping on wood。 Would they ever learn that that was just the thing that someone did to make himself feel more fortable； although it had no real meaning？
Yes； he reluctantly concluded； this matter of the children's beliefs was extremely serious。 In the Old Times the beliefs held by the children of any family or small group of families might be momentous enough； but still those children on growing up would e into contact with other beliefs and make adjustments。 Besides； there had been a great； even overwhelming； mass of tradition…the tradition of Christianity； or of Western civilization； or of Indo…European folkways； or of Anglo…American culture。 Call it what you wished； it was still so tremendous that you might say it was omnipotent； for good or bad absorbing the individual。
But now their little munity had lost much of the tradition。 Part of it had been lost because no seven survivors （Evie did not count） could preserve and transmit all of it。 Part had been lost because for so long a time there had been no big children to pass on the tradition to the small ones。 The oldest of the younger generation had been taught games by their parents； not by older rades。 The munity should therefore be plastic to an unprecedented degree。 This was an opportunity； but also a responsibility…and a danger。
It would be a danger…and he shuddered at the thought…if any evil force； such as a demagogue； should begin to work。
To be sure； he recollected wryly； he had not found the children particularly plastic as regards learning to read！ Yet that might be only that a stronger forcethe whole environment…was already working against his efforts。
But take now again this matter of superstition。 Perhaps this all had grown up because； as it happened； there was no one in The Tribe who was creatively religious。 Perhaps there was some kind of vacuum in the childish mind； and it had to be filled up with supernatural beliefs。 Perhaps all this represented some kind of subconscious straining toward an explanation of the basis of life itself。
Years ago they had organized those church services； and then discontinued them as meaningless。 That discontinuance might have been a mistake。
Now； more certainly even than before； he knew that he had the opportunity to be the founder of a religion for a whole people。 What he told the children in school； they would probably believe。 He could insure their memory of it by mere insistence and iteration。 He could tell them that the Lord God created the world in six days； and found it good。 They would believe。 He could tell them a local Indian legend that the world was the work of Old Man Coyote。 They would believe。
Yet what could he really tell them in honesty？ He might tell them any one of half a dozen theories of cosmogony which he remembered from his old studies。 Probably they would believe these too； although their plications did not make for quite as good a story as one of those others。
Actually； no matter what he said； it might easily be twisted and made into some kind of religion。 Again； as years before； he revolted from the idea； for he treasured the honesty of his own skepticism。
〃It's better；〃 he thought in words； remembering some bit of reading； 〃to have no opinion of God at all than to have one that is unworthy of Him。〃
He lighted another cigarette； and settled back into the chair again。。。 Yet this matter of the vacuum！ It worried him。 Unless it could be positively filled； his own descendants at the third or fourth generation might be practicing primitive rites of incantation； trembling in terror of witchcraft； and experimenting with ritualistic cannibalism。 They might believe in voodoo； in shamanism； in taboo。。。！
He started； almost guiltily。 Yes； already there were beliefs in The Tribe which approached the intensity of taboo； and he himself was inadvertently their chief author。
There was the matter of Evie； for instance。 He and Em and Ezra had talked it over long ago。 They wanted no half…witted children of Evie's…to be a care and drag。 So they had made her； at least for the boys； a kind of untouchable。 Evie； with her blond hair and startled blue eyes； was perhaps the best…looking girl of them all。 But Ish was sure that none of the boys had even seriously considered her。 Probably they had no specific idea that anything would happen to them if they did； but such action was merely outside their scope of imagination。 The prohibition was stronger than law。 Such a one you could only call taboo。
Again； there was all the allied matter of fidelity。 Always fearing the disruption of quarrels arising from jealousy； the older men had not so much taught marital fidelity as assumed it。 Young people had been married at the earliest possible moment。 Ezra's bigamy； having always been present； was not questioned。 Although Ish did not doubt the utility of this practice for their particular situation； still its acceptance as a matter of faith rather than of reason seemed to e close to taboo。 The first violation…and there would surely be one…might bring a tremendous shock。
A third possible e
