the golden bough-第185章

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the　fire　as　a　sign　that　the　souls　of　the　dead　are　partaking　of　it。　A　few　days　later　porridge　is　made　from　the　new　grain　and　served　up　with　milk　at　the　evening　meal。　All　the　members　of　the　family　take　some　of　the　porridge　and　dab　it　on　the　walls　and　roofs　of　the　huts；　also　they　put　a　little　in　their　mouths　and　spit　it　out　towards　the　east　and　on　the　outside　of　the　huts。　Then；　holding　up　some　of　the　grain　in　his　hand；　the　head　of　the　family　prays　to　God　for　health　and　strength；　and　likewise　for　milk；　and　everybody　present　repeats　the　words　of　the　prayer　after　him。

Amongst　the　Caffres　of　Natal　and　Zululand；　no　one　may　eat　of　the　new　fruits　till　after　a　festival　which　marks　the　beginning　of　the　Caffre　year　and　falls　at　the　end　of　December　or　the　beginning　of　January。　All　the　people　assemble　at　the　king's　kraal；　where　they　feast　and　dance。　Before　they　separate　the　dedication　of　the　people　takes　place。　Various　fruits　of　the　earth；　as　corn；　mealies；　and　pumpkins；　mixed　with　the　flesh　of　a　sacrificed　animal　and　with　medicine；　are　boiled　in　great　pots；　and　a　little　of　this　food　is　placed　in　each　man's　mouth　by　the　king　himself。　After　thus　partaking　of　the　sanctified　fruits；　a　man　is　himself　sanctified　for　the　whole　year；　and　may　immediately　get　in　his　crops。　It　is　believed　that　if　any　man　were　to　partake　of　the　new　fruits　before　the　festival；　he　would　die；　if　he　were　detected；　he　would　be　put　to　death；　or　at　least　all　his　cattle　would　be　taken　from　him。　The　holiness　of　the　new　fruits　is　well　marked　by　the　rule　that　they　must　be　cooked　in　a　special　pot　which　is　used　only　for　this　purpose；　and　on　a　new　fire　kindled　by　a　magician　through　the　friction　of　two　sticks　which　are　called　husband　and　wife。

Among　the　Bechuanas　it　is　a　rule　that　before　they　partake　of　the　new　crops　they　must　purify　themselves。　The　purification　takes　place　at　the　commencement　of　the　new　year　on　a　day　in　January　which　is　fixed　by　the　chief。　It　begins　in　the　great　kraal　of　the　tribe；　where　all　the　adult　males　assemble。　Each　of　them　takes　in　his　hand　leaves　of　a　gourd　called　by　the　natives　lerotse　（described　as　something　between　a　pumpkin　and　a　vegetable　marrow）；　and　having　crushed　the　leaves　he　anoints　with　the　expressed　juice　his　big　toes　and　his　navel；　many　people　indeed　apply　the　juice　to　all　the　joints　of　their　body；　but　the　better…informed　say　that　this　is　a　vulgar　departure　from　ancient　custom。　After　this　ceremony　in　the　great　kraal　every　man　goes　home　to　his　own　kraal；　assembles　all　the　members　of　his　family；　men；　women；　and　children；　and　smears　them　all　with　the　juice　of　the　lerotse　leaves。　Some　of　the　leaves　are　also　pounded；　mixed　with　milk　in　a　large　wooden　dish；　and　given　to　the　dogs　to　lap　up。　Then　the　porridge　plate　of　each　member　of　the　family　is　rubbed　with　the　lerotse　leaves。　When　this　purification　has　been　completed；　but　not　before；　the　people　are　free　to　eat　of　the　new　crops。

The　Bororo　Indians　of　Brazil　think　that　it　would　be　certain　death　to　eat　the　new　maize　before　it　has　been　blessed　by　the　medicine…man。　The　ceremony　of　blessing　it　is　as　follows。　The　half…ripe　husk　is　washed　and　placed　before　the　medicine…man；　who　by　dancing　and　singing　for　several　hours；　and　by　incessant　smoking；　works　himself　up　into　a　state　of　ecstasy；　whereupon　he　bites　into　the　husk；　trembling　in　every　limb　and　uttering　shrieks　from　time　to　time。　A　similar　ceremony　is　performed　whenever　a　large　animal　or　a　large　fish　is　killed。　The　Bororo　are　firmly　persuaded　that　were　any　man　to　touch　unconsecrated　maize　or　meat；　before　the　ceremony　had　been　completed；　he　and　his　whole　tribe　would　perish。

Amongst　the　Creek　Indians　of　North　America；　the　busk　or　festival　of　first…fruits　was　the　chief　ceremony　of　the　year。　It　was　held　in　July　or　August；　when　the　corn　was　ripe；　and　marked　the　end　of　the　old　year　and　the　beginning　of　the　new　one。　Before　it　took　place；　none　of　the　Indians　would　eat　or　even　handle　any　part　of　the　new　harvest。　Sometimes　each　town　had　its　own　busk；　sometimes　several　towns　united　to　hold　one　in　common。　Before　celebrating　the　busk；　the　people　provided　themselves　with　new　clothes　and　new　household　utensils　and　furniture；　they　collected　their　old　clothes　and　rubbish；　together　with　all　the　remaining　grain　and　other　old　provisions；　cast　them　together　in　one　common　heap；　and　consumed　them　with　fire。　As　a　preparation　for　the　ceremony；　all　the　fires　in　the　village　were　extinguished；　and　the　ashes　swept　clean　away。　In　particular；　the　hearth　or　altar　of　the　temple　was　dug　up　and　the　ashes　carried　out。　Then　the　chief　priest　put　some　roots　of　the　button…snake　plant；　with　some　green　tobacco　leaves　and　a　little　of　the　new　fruits；　at　the　bottom　of　the　fireplace；　which　he　afterwards　commanded　to　be　covered　up　with　white　clay；　and　wetted　over　with　clean　water。　A　thick　arbour　of　green　branches　of　young　trees　was　then　made　over　the　altar。　Meanwhile　the　women　at　home　were　cleaning　out　their　houses；　renewing　the　old　hearths；　and　scouring　all　the　cooking　vessels　that　they　might　be　ready　to　receive　the　new　fire　and　the　new　fruits。　The　public　or　sacred　square　was　carefully　swept　of　even　the　smallest　crumbs　of　previous　feasts；　for　fear　of　polluting　the　first…fruit　offerings。　Also　every　vessel　that　had　contained　or　had　been　used　about　any　food　during　the　expiring　year　was　removed　from　the　temple　before　sunset。　Then　all　the　men　who　were　not　known　to　have　violated　the　law　of　the　first…fruit　offering　and　that　of　marriage　during　the　year　were　summoned　by　a　crier　to　enter　the　holy　square　and　observe　a　solemn　fast。　But　the　women　（except　six　old　ones）；　the　children；　and　all　who　had　not　attained　the　rank　of　warriors　were　forbidden　to　enter　the　square。　Sentinels　were　also　posted　at　the　corners　of　the　square　to　keep　out　all　persons　deemed　impure　and　all　animals。　A　strict　fast　was　then　observed　for　two　nights　and　a　day；　the　devotees　drinking　a　bitter　decoction　of　button…snake　root　in　order　to　vomit　and　purge　their　sinful　bodies。　That　the　people　outside　the　square　might　also　be　purified；　one　of　the　old　men　laid　down　a　quantity　of　green　tobacco　at　a　corner　of　the　square；　this　was　carried　off　by　an　old　woman　and　distributed　to　the　people　without；　who　chewed　and　swallowed　it　in　order　to　afflict　their　souls。　During　this　general　fast；　the　women；　children；　and　men　of　weak　constitution　were　allowed　to　eat　after　mid…day；　but　not　before。　On　the　morning　when　the　fast　ended；　the　women　brought　a　quantity　of　the　old　year's　food　to　the　outside　of　the　sacred　square。　These　provisions　were　then　fetched　in　and　set　before　the　famished　multitude；　but　all　traces　of　them　had　to　be　removed　before　noon。　When　the　sun　was　declining　from　the　meridian；　all　the　people　were　commanded　by　the　voice　of　a　crier　to　stay　within　doors；　to　do　no　bad　act；　and　to　be　sure　to　extinguish　and　throw　away　every　spark　of　the　old　fire。　Universal　silence　now　reigned。　Then　the　high　priest　made　the　new　fire　by　the　friction　of　two　pieces　of　wood；　and　placed　it　on　the　altar　under　the　green　arbour。　This　new　fire　was　believed　to　atone　for　all　past　crimes　except　murder。　Next　a　basket　of　new　fruits　was　brought；　the　high　priest　took　out　a　little　of　each　sort　of　fruit；　rubbed　it　with　bear's　oil；　and　offered　it；　together　with　some　flesh；　to　the　bountiful　holy　spirit　of　fire；　as　a　first…fruit　offering；　and　an　annual　oblation　for　sin。　He　also　consecrated　the　sacred　emetics　（the　button…snake　root　and　the　cassina　or　black…drink）　by　pouring　a　little　of　them　into　the　fire。　The　persons　who　had　remained　outside　now　approached；　without　entering；　the　sacred　square；　and　the　chief　priest　thereupon　made　a　speech；　exhorting　the　people　to　observe　their　old　rites　and　customs；　announcing　that　the　new　divine　fire　had　purged　away　the　sins　of　the　past　year；　and　earnestly　warning　the　women　that；　if　any　of　them　had　not　extinguished　the　old　fire；　or　had　contracted　any　impurity；　they　must　forthwith　depart；　lest　the　divine　fire　should　spoil　both　them　and　the　people。　Some　of　the　new　fire　was　then　set　down　outside　the　holy　square；　the　women　carried　it　home　joyfully；　and　laid　it　on　their　unpolluted　hearths。　When　several　towns　had　united　to　celebrate　the　festival；　the　new　fire　might　thus　be　carried　for　several　miles。　The　new　fruits　were　then　dressed　on　the　new　fires　and　eaten　with　bear'