the golden bough-第197章

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eat　the　flesh　with　his　friends。　The　feasts　being　public；　though　organised　by　individuals；　the　people　try　to　have　one　in　each　Orotchi　village　every　year　in　turn。　When　the　bear　is　taken　out　of　his　cage；　he　is　led　about　by　means　of　ropes　to　all　the　huts；　accompanied　by　people　armed　with　lances；　bows；　and　arrows。　At　each　hut　the　bear　and　bear…leaders　are　treated　to　something　good　to　eat　and　drink。　This　goes　on　for　several　days　until　all　the　huts；　not　only　in　that　village　but　also　in　the　next；　have　been　visited。　The　days　are　given　up　to　sport　and　noisy　jollity。　Then　the　bear　is　tied　to　a　tree　or　wooden　pillar　and　shot　to　death　by　the　arrows　of　the　crowd；　after　which　its　flesh　is　roasted　and　eaten。　Among　the　Orotchis　of　the　Tundja　River　women　take　part　in　the　bear…feasts；　while　among　the　Orotchis　of　the　River　Vi　the　women　will　not　even　touch　bear's　flesh。

In　the　treatment　of　the　captive　bear　by　these　tribes　there　are　features　which　can　hardly　be　distinguished　from　worship。　Such；　for　example；　are　the　prayers　offered　to　it　both　alive　and　dead；　the　offerings　of　food；　including　portions　of　its　own　flesh；　laid　before　the　animal's　skull；　and　the　Gilyak　custom　of　leading　the　living　beast　to　the　river　in　order　to　ensure　a　supply　of　fish；　and　of　conducting　him　from　house　to　house　in　order　that　every　family　may　receive　his　blessing；　just　as　in　Europe　a　May…tree　or　a　personal　representative　of　the　tree…spirit　used　to　be　taken　from　door　to　door　in　spring　for　the　sake　of　diffusing　among　all　and　sundry　the　fresh　energies　of　reviving　nature。　Again；　the　solemn　participation　in　his　flesh　and　blood；　and　particularly　the　Aino　custom　of　sharing　the　contents　of　the　cup　which　had　been　consecrated　by　being　set　before　the　dead　beast；　are　strongly　suggestive　of　a　sacrament；　and　the　suggestion　is　confirmed　by　the　Gilyak　practice　of　reserving　special　vessels　to　hold　the　flesh　and　cooking　it　on　a　fire　kindled　by　a　sacred　apparatus　which　is　never　employed　except　on　these　religious　occasions。　Indeed　our　principal　authority　on　Aino　religion；　the　Rev。　John　Batchelor；　frankly　describes　as　worship　the　ceremonious　respect　which　the　Aino　pay　to　the　bear；　and　he　affirms　that　the　animal　is　undoubtedly　one　of　their　gods。　Certainly　the　Aino　appear　to　apply　their　name　for　god　（kamui）　freely　to　the　bear；　but；　as　Mr。　Batchelor　himself　points　out；　that　word　is　used　with　many　different　shades　of　meaning　and　is　applied　to　a　great　variety　of　objects；　so　that　from　its　application　to　the　bear　we　cannot　safely　argue　that　the　animal　is　actually　regarded　as　a　deity。　Indeed　we　are　expressly　told　that　the　Aino　of　Saghalien　do　not　consider　the　bear　to　be　a　god　but　only　a　messenger　to　the　gods；　and　the　message　with　which　they　charge　the　animal　at　its　death　bears　out　the　statement。　Apparently　the　Gilyaks　also　look　on　the　bear　in　the　light　of　an　envoy　despatched　with　presents　to　the　Lord　of　the　Mountain；　on　whom　the　welfare　of　the　people　depends。　At　the　same　time　they　treat　the　animal　as　a　being　of　a　higher　order　than　man；　in　fact　as　a　minor　deity；　whose　presence　in　the　village；　so　long　as　he　is　kept　and　fed；　diffuses　blessings；　especially　by　keeping　at　bay　the　swarms　of　evil　spirits　who　are　constantly　lying　in　wait　for　people；　stealing　their　goods　and　destroying　their　bodies　by　sickness　and　disease。　Moreover；　by　partaking　of　the　flesh；　blood；　or　broth　of　the　bear；　the　Gilyaks；　the　Aino；　and　the　Goldi　are　all　of　opinion　that　they　acquire　some　portion　of　the　animal's　mighty　powers；　particularly　his　courage　and　strength。　No　wonder；　therefore；　that　they　should　treat　so　great　a　benefactor　with　marks　of　the　highest　respect　and　affection。

Some　light　may　be　thrown　on　the　ambiguous　attitude　of　the　Aino　to　bears　by　comparing　the　similar　treatment　which　they　accord　to　other　creatures。　For　example；　they　regard　the　eagle…owl　as　a　good　deity　who　by　his　hooting　warns　men　of　threatened　evil　and　defends　them　against　it；　hence　he　is　loved；　trusted；　and　devoutly　worshipped　as　a　divine　mediator　between　men　and　the　Creator。　The　various　names　applied　to　him　are　significant　both　of　his　divinity　and　of　his　mediatorship。　Whenever　an　opportunity　offers；　one　of　these　divine　birds　is　captured　and　kept　in　a　cage；　where　he　is　greeted　with　the　endearing　titles　of　Beloved　god　and　Dear　little　divinity。　Nevertheless　the　time　comes　when　the　dear　little　divinity　is　throttled　and　sent　away　in　his　capacity　of　mediator　to　take　a　message　to　the　superior　gods　or　to　the　Creator　himself。　The　following　is　the　form　of　prayer　addressed　to　the　eagle…owl　when　it　is　about　to　be　sacrificed：　Beloved　deity；　we　have　brought　you　up　because　we　loved　you；　and　now　we　are　about　to　send　you　to　your　father。　We　herewith　offer　you　food；　inao；　wine；　and　cakes；　take　them　to　your　parent；　and　he　will　be　very　pleased。　When　you　come　to　him　say；　'I　have　lived　a　long　time　among　the　Ainu；　where　an　Ainu　father　and　an　Ainu　mother　reared　me。　I　now　come　to　thee。　I　have　brought　a　variety　of　good　things。　I　saw　while　living　in　Ainuland　a　great　deal　of　distress。　I　observed　that　some　of　the　people　were　possessed　by　demons；　some　were　wounded　by　wild　animals；　some　were　hurt　by　landslides；　others　suffered　shipwreck；　and　many　were　attacked　by　disease。　The　people　are　in　great　straits。　My　father；　hear　me；　and　hasten　to　look　upon　the　Ainu　and　help　them。'　If　you　do　this；　your　father　will　help　us。

Again；　the　Aino　keep　eagles　in　cages；　worship　them　as　divinities；　and　ask　them　to　defend　the　people　from　evil。　Yet　they　offer　the　bird　in　sacrifice；　and　when　they　are　about　to　do　so　they　pray　to　him；　saying：　O　precious　divinity；　O　thou　divine　bird；　pray　listen　to　my　words。　Thou　dost　not　belong　to　this　world；　for　thy　home　is　with　the　Creator　and　his　golden　eagles。　This　being　so；　I　present　thee　with　these　inao　and　cakes　and　other　precious　things。　Do　thou　ride　upon　the　inao　and　ascend　to　thy　home　in　the　glorious　heavens。　When　thou　arrivest；　assemble　the　deities　of　thy　own　kind　together　and　thank　them　for　us　for　having　governed　the　world。　Do　thou　come　again；　I　beseech　thee；　and　rule　over　us。　O　my　precious　one；　go　thou　quietly。　Once　more；　the　Aino　revere　hawks；　keep　them　in　cages；　and　offer　them　in　sacrifice。　At　the　time　of　killing　one　of　them　the　following　prayer　should　be　addressed　to　the　bird：　O　divine　hawk；　thou　art　an　expert　hunter；　please　cause　thy　cleverness　to　descend　on　me。　If　a　hawk　is　well　treated　in　captivity　and　prayed　to　after　this　fashion　when　he　is　about　to　be　killed；　he　will　surely　send　help　to　the　hunter。

Thus　the　Aino　hopes　to　profit　in　various　ways　by　slaughtering　the　creatures；　which；　nevertheless；　he　treats　as　divine。　He　expects　them　to　carry　messages　for　him　to　their　kindred　or　to　the　gods　in　the　upper　world；　he　hopes　to　partake　of　their　virtues　by　swallowing　parts　of　their　bodies　or　in　other　ways；　and　apparently　he　looks　forward　to　their　bodily　resurrection　in　this　world；　which　will　enable　him　again　to　catch　and　kill　them；　and　again　to　reap　all　the　benefits　which　he　has　already　derived　from　their　slaughter。　For　in　the　prayers　addressed　to　the　worshipful　bear　and　the　worshipful　eagle　before　they　are　knocked　on　the　head　the　creatures　are　invited　to　come　again；　which　seems　clearly　to　point　to　a　faith　in　their　future　resurrection。　If　any　doubt　could　exist　on　this　head；　it　would　be　dispelled　by　the　evidence　of　Mr。　Batchelor；　who　tells　us　that　the　Aino　are　firmly　convinced　that　the　spirits　of　birds　and　animals　killed　in　hunting　or　offered　in　sacrifice　come　and　live　again　upon　the　earth　clothed　with　a　body；　and　they　believe；　further；　that　they　appear　here　for　the　special　benefit　of　men；　particularly　Ainu　hunters。　The　Aino；　Mr。　Batchelor　tells　us；　confessedly　slays　and　eats　the　beast　that　another　may　come　in　its　place　and　be　treated　in　like　manner；　and　at　the　time　of　sacrificing　the　creatures　prayers　are　said　to　them　which　form　a　request　that　they　will　come　again　and　furnish　viands　for　another　feast；　as　if　it　were　an　honour　to　them　to　be　thus　killed　and　eaten；　and　a　pleasure　as　well。　Indeed　such　is　the　people's　idea。　These　last　observations；　as　the　context　shows；　refer　especially　to　the　sacrifice　of　bears。

Thus　among　the　benefits　which　the　Aino　anticipates　from　the　slaughter　of　the　worshipful　animals　not　the　least　substantial　is　that　of　gorging　himself　on　their　fle