the golden bough-第192章

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　the　practice　of　maintaining　a　permanent　May…pole；　which　was；　however；　annually　decked　with　fresh　leaves　and　flowers；　and　even　surmounted　each　year　by　a　fresh　young　tree。　Similarly　when　the　stuffed　skin；　as　a　representative　of　the　god；　was　replaced　by　a　permanent　image　of　him　in　wood；　stone；　or　metal；　the　permanent　image　was　annually　clad　in　the　fresh　skin　of　the　slain　animal。　When　this　stage　had　been　reached；　the　custom　of　killing　the　ram　came　naturally　to　be　interpreted　as　a　sacrifice　offered　to　the　image；　and　was　explained　by　a　story　like　that　of　Ammon　and　Hercules。

3。　Killing　the　Sacred　Serpent

WEST　AFRICA　appears　to　furnish　another　example　of　the　annual　killing　of　a　sacred　animal　and　the　preservation　of　its　skin。　The　negroes　of　Issapoo；　in　the　island　of　Fernando　Po；　regard　the　cobra…capella　as　their　guardian　deity；　who　can　do　them　good　or　ill；　bestow　riches　or　inflict　disease　and　death。　The　skin　of　one　of　these　reptiles　is　hung　tail　downwards　from　a　branch　of　the　highest　tree　in　the　public　square；　and　the　placing　of　it　on　the　tree　is　an　annual　ceremony。　As　soon　as　the　ceremony　is　over；　all　children　born　within　the　past　year　are　carried　out　and　their　hands　made　to　touch　the　tail　of　the　serpent's　skin。　The　latter　custom　is　clearly　a　way　of　placing　the　infants　under　the　protection　of　the　tribal　god。　Similarly　in　Senegambia　a　python　is　expected　to　visit　every　child　of　the　Python　clan　within　eight　days　after　birth；　and　the　Psylli；　a　Snake　clan　of　ancient　Africa；　used　to　expose　their　infants　to　snakes　in　the　belief　that　the　snakes　would　not　harm　true…born　children　of　the　clan。　4。　Killing　the　Sacred　Turtles

IN　THE　CALIFORNIAN；　Egyptian；　and　Fernando　Po　customs　the　worship　of　the　animal　seems　to　have　no　relation　to　agriculture；　and　may　therefore　be　presumed　to　date　from　the　hunting　or　pastoral　stage　of　society。　The　same　may　be　said　of　the　following　custom；　though　the　Zuni　Indians　of　New　Mexico；　who　practise　it；　are　now　settled　in　walled　villages　or　towns　of　a　peculiar　type；　and　practise　agriculture　and　the　arts　of　pottery　and　weaving。　But　the　Zuni　custom　is　marked　by　certain　features　which　appear　to　place　it　in　a　somewhat　different　class　from　the　preceding　cases。　It　may　be　well　therefore　to　describe　it　at　full　length　in　the　words　of　an　eye…witness。

With　midsummer　the　heat　became　intense。　My　brother　＇i。e。　adopted　Indian　brother＇　and　I　sat；　day　after　day；　in　the　cool　under…rooms　of　our　house；the　latter　＇sic＇　busy　with　his　quaint　forge　and　crude　appliances；　working　Mexican　coins　over　into　bangles；　girdles；　ear…rings；　buttons；　and　what　not；　for　savage　ornament。　Though　his　tools　were　wonderfully　rude；　the　work　he　turned　out　by　dint　of　combined　patience　and　ingenuity　was　remarkably　beautiful。　One　day　as　I　sat　watching　him；　a　procession　of　fifty　men　went　hastily　down　the　hill；　and　off　westward　over　the　plain。　They　were　solemnly　led　by　a　painted　and　shell…bedecked　priest；　and　followed　by　the　torch…bearing　Shu…lu…wit…si　or　God　of　Fire。　After　they　had　vanished；　I　asked　old　brother　what　it　all　meant。

'They　are　going；'　said　he；　'to　the　city　of　Ka…ka　and　the　home　of　our　others。'

Four　days　after；　towards　sunset；　costumed　and　masked　in　the　beautiful　paraphernalia　of　the　Ka…k'ok…shi；　or　'Good　Dance；'　they　returned　in　file　up　the　same　pathway；　each　bearing　in　his　arms　a　basket　filled　with　living；　squirming　turtles；　which　he　regarded　and　carried　as　tenderly　as　a　mother　would　her　infant。　Some　of　the　wretched　reptiles　were　carefully　wrapped　in　soft　blankets；　their　heads　and　forefeet　protruding；and；　mounted　on　the　backs　of　the　plume…bedecked　pilgrims；　made　ludicrous　but　solemn　caricatures　of　little　children　in　the　same　position。　While　I　was　at　supper　upstairs　that　evening；　the　governor's　brother…in…law　came　in。　He　was　welcomed　by　the　family　as　if　a　messenger　from　heaven。　He　bore　in　his　tremulous　fingers　one　of　the　much　abused　and　rebellious　turtles。　Paint　still　adhered　to　his　hands　and　bare　feet；　which　led　me　to　infer　that　he　had　formed　one　of　the　sacred　embassy。

'So　you　went　to　Ka…thlu…el…lon；　did　you？'　I　asked。

'E'e；'　replied　the　weary　man；　in　a　voice　husky　with　long　chanting；　as　he　sank；　almost　exhausted；　on　a　roll　of　skins　which　had　been　placed　for　him；　and　tenderly　laid　the　turtle　on　the　floor。　No　sooner　did　the　creature　find　itself　at　liberty　than　it　made　off　as　fast　as　its　lame　legs　would　take　it。　Of　one　accord；　the　family　forsook　dish；　spoon；　and　drinking…cup；　and　grabbing　from　a　sacred　meal…bowl　whole　handfuls　of　the　contents；　hurriedly　followed　the　turtle　about　the　room；　into　dark　corners；　around　water…jars；　behind　the　grinding…troughs；　and　out　into　the　middle　of　the　floor　again；　praying　and　scattering　meal　on　its　back　as　they　went。　At　last；　strange　to　say；　it　approached　the　foot…sore　man　who　had　brought　it。

'Ha！'　he　exclaimed　with　emotion；　'see　it　comes　to　me　again；　ah；　what　great　favours　the　fathers　of　all　grant　me　this　day；'　and；　passing　his　hand　gently　over　the　sprawling　animal；　he　inhaled　from　his　palm　deeply　and　long；　at　the　same　time　invoking　the　favour　of　the　gods。　Then　he　leaned　his　chin　upon　his　hand；　and　with　large；　wistful　eyes　regarded　his　ugly　captive　as　it　sprawled　about；　blinking　its　meal…bedimmed　eyes；　and　clawing　the　smooth　floor　in　memory　of　its　native　element。　At　this　juncture　I　ventured　a　question：

'Why　do　you　not　let　him　go；　or　give　him　some　water？'

Slowly　the　man　turned　his　eyes　toward　me；　an　odd　mixture　of　pain；　indignation；　and　pity　on　his　face；　while　the　worshipful　family　stared　at　me　with　holy　horror。

'Poor　younger　brother！'　he　said　at　last；　'know　you　not　how　precious　it　is？　It　die？　It　will　not　die；　I　tell　you；　it　cannot　die。'

'But　it　will　die　if　you　don't　feed　it　and　give　it　water。'

'I　tell　you　it　cannot　die；　it　will　only　change　houses　to…morrow；　and　go　back　to　the　home　of　its　brothers。　Ah；　well！　How　should　you　know？'　he　mused。　Turning　to　the　blinded　turtle　again：　'Ah！　my　poor　dear　lost　child　or　parent；　my　sister　or　brother　to　have　been！　Who　knows　which？　Maybe　my　own　great…grandfather　or　mother！'　And　with　this　he　fell　to　weeping　most　pathetically；　and；　tremulous　with　sobs；　which　were　echoed　by　the　women　and　children；　he　buried　his　face　in　his　hands。　Filled　with　sympathy　for　his　grief；　however　mistaken；　I　raised　the　turtle　to　my　lips　and　kissed　its　cold　shell；　then　depositing　it　on　the　floor；　hastily　left　the　grief…stricken　family　to　their　sorrows。　Next　day；　with　prayers　and　tender　beseechings；　plumes；　and　offerings；　the　poor　turtle　was　killed；　and　its　flesh　and　bones　were　removed　and　deposited　in　the　little　river；　that　it　might　'return　once　more　to　eternal　life　among　its　comrades　in　the　dark　waters　of　the　lake　of　the　dead。'　The　shell；　carefully　scraped　and　dried；　was　made　into　a　dance…rattle；　and；　covered　by　a　piece　of　buckskin；　it　still　hangs　from　the　smoke…stained　rafters　of　my　brother's　house。　Once　a　Navajo　tried　to　buy　it　for　a　ladle；　loaded　with　indignant　reproaches；　he　was　turned　cut　of　the　house。　Were　any　one　to　venture　the　suggestion　that　the　turtle　no　longer　lived；　his　remark　would　cause　a　flood　of　tears；　and　he　would　be　reminded　that　it　had　only　'changed　houses　and　gone　to　live　for　ever　in　the　home　of　our　lost　others。'

In　this　custom　we　find　expressed　in　the　clearest　way　a　belief　in　the　transmigration　of　human　souls　into　the　bodies　of　turtles。　The　theory　of　transmigration　is　held　by　the　Moqui　Indians；　who　belong　to　the　same　race　as　the　Zunis。　The　Moquis　are　divided　into　totem　clansthe　Bear　clan；　Deer　clan；　Wolf　clan；　Hare　clan；　and　so　on；　they　believe　that　the　ancestors　of　the　clans　were　bears；　deer；　wolves；　hares；　and　so　forth；　and　that　at　death　the　members　of　each　clan　become　bears；　deer；　and　so　on　according　to　the　particular　clan　to　which　they　belonged。　The　Zuni　are　also　divided　into　clans；　the　totems　of　which　agree　closely　with　those　of　the　Moquis；　and　one　of　their　totems　is　the　turtle。　Thus　their　belief　in　transmigration　into　the　turtle　is　probably　one　of　the　regular　articles　of　their　totem　faith。　What　then　is　the　meaning　of　killing　a　turtle　in　which　the　soul　of　a　kinsman　is　believed　to　be　present？　Apparently　the　object　is　to　keep　up　a　communication　with　the　other　world　in　which　the　souls　of　the　departed　are　believed　to　be　assembled　in　the　form　of　turtles。　It　is