the golden bough-第198章

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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　flesh　and　blood；　both　on　the　present　and　on　many　a　similar　occasion　hereafter；　and　that　pleasing　prospect　again　is　derived　from　his　firm　faith　in　the　spiritual　immortality　and　bodily　resurrection　of　the　dead　animals。　A　like　faith　is　shared　by　many　savage　hunters　in　many　parts　of　the　world　and　has　given　rise　to　a　variety　of　quaint　customs；　some　of　which　will　be　described　presently。　Meantime　it　is　not　unimportant　to　observe　that　the　solemn　festivals　at　which　the　Aino；　the　Gilyaks；　and　other　tribes　slaughter　the　tame　caged　bears　with　demonstrations　of　respect　and　sorrow；　are　probably　nothing　but　an　extension　or　glorification　of　similar　rites　which　the　hunter　performs　over　any　wild　bear　which　he　chances　to　kill　in　the　forest。　Indeed　with　regard　to　the　Gilyaks　we　are　expressly　informed　that　this　is　the　case。　If　we　would　understand　the　meaning　of　the　Gilyak　ritual；　says　Mr。　Sternberg；　we　must　above　all　remember　that　the　bear…festivals　are　not；　as　is　usually　but　falsely　assumed；　celebrated　only　at　the　killing　of　a　house…bear　but　are　held　on　every　occasion　when　a　Gilyak　succeeds　in　slaughtering　a　bear　in　the　chase。　It　is　true　that　in　such　cases　the　festival　assumes　less　imposing　dimensions；　but　in　its　essence　it　remains　the　same。　When　the　head　and　skin　of　a　bear　killed　in　the　forest　are　brought　into　the　village；　they　are　accorded　a　triumphal　reception　with　music　and　solemn　ceremonial。　The　head　is　laid　on　a　consecrated　scaffold；　fed；　and　treated　with　offerings；　just　as　at　the　killing　of　a　house…bear；　and　the　guests　of　honour　（Narch…en）　are　also　assembled。　So；　too；　dogs　are　sacrificed；　and　the　bones　of　the　bear　are　preserved　in　the　same　place　and　with　the　same　marks　of　respect　as　the　bones　of　a　house…bear。　Hence　the　great　winter　festival　is　only　an　extension　of　the　rite　which　is　observed　at　the　slaughter　of　every　bear。

Thus　the　apparent　contradiction　in　the　practice　of　these　tribes；　who　venerate　and　almost　deify　the　animals　which　they　habitually　hunt；　kill；　and　eat；　is　not　so　flagrant　as　at　first　sight　it　appears　to　us：　the　people　have　reasons；　and　some　very　practical　reasons；　for　acting　as　they　do。　For　the　savage　is　by　no　means　so　illogical　and　unpractical　as　to　superficial　observers　he　is　apt　to　seem；　he　has　thought　deeply　on　the　questions　which　immediately　concern　him；　he　reasons　about　them；　and　though　his　conclusions　often　diverge　very　widely　from　ours；　we　ought　not　to　deny　him　the　credit　of　patient　and　prolonged　meditation　on　some　fundamental　problems　of　human　existence。　In　the　present　case；　if　he　treats　bears　in　general　as　creatures　wholly　subservient　to　human　needs　and　yet　singles　out　certain　individuals　of　the　species　for　homage　which　almost　amounts　to　deification；　we　must　not　hastily　set　him　down　as　irrational　and　inconsistent；　but　must　endeavour　to　place　ourselves　at　his　point　of　view；　to　see　things　as　he　sees　them；　and　to　divest　ourselves　of　the　prepossessions　which　tinge　so　deeply　our　own　views　of　the　world。　If　we　do　so；　we　shall　probably　discover　that；　however　absurd　his　conduct　may　appear　to　us；　the　savage　nevertheless　generally　acts　on　a　train　of　reasoning　which　seems　to　him　in　harmony　with　the　facts　of　his　limited　experience。　This　I　propose　to　illustrate　in　the　following　chapter；　where　I　shall　attempt　to　show　that　the　solemn　ceremonial　of　the　bear…festival　among　the　Ainos　and　other　tribes　of　North…eastern　Asia　is　only　a　particularly　striking　example　of　the　respect　which　on　the　principles　of　his　rude　philosophy　the　savage　habitually　pays　to　the　animals　which　he　kills　and　eats。

Chapter　53。　The　Propitiation　of　Wild　Animals　By　Hunters

THE　EXPLANATION　of　life　by　the　theory　of　an　indwelling　and　practically　immortal　soul　is　one　which　the　savage　does　not　confine　to　human　beings　but　extends　to　the　animate　creation　in　general。　In　so　doing　he　is　more　liberal　and　perhaps　more　logical　than　the　civilised　man；　who　commonly　denies　to　animals　that　privilege　of　immortality　which　he　claims　for　himself。　The　savage　is　not　so　proud；　he　commonly　believes　that　animals　are　endowed　with　feelings　and　intelligence　like　those　of　men；　and　that；　like　men；　they　possess　souls　which　survive　the　death　of　their　bodies　either　to　wander　about　as　disembodied　spirits　or　to　be　born　again　in　animal　form。

Thus　to　the　savage；　who　regards　all　living　creatures　as　practically　on　a　footing　of　equality　with　man；　the　act　of　killing　and　eating　an　animal　must　wear　a　very　different　aspect　from　that　which　the　same　act　presents　to　us；　who　regard　the　intelligence　of　animals　as　far　inferior　to　our　own　and　deny　them　the　possession　of　immortal　souls。　Hence　on　the　principles　of　his　rude　philosophy　the　primitive　hunter　who　slays　an　animal　believes　himself　exposed　to　the　vengeance　either　of　its　disembodied　spirit　or　of　all　the　other　animals　of　the　same　species；　whom　he　considers　as　knit　together；　like　men；　by　the　ties　of　kin　and　the　obligations　of　the　blood　feud；　and　therefore　as　bound　to　resent　the　injury　done　to　one　of　their　number。　Accordingly　the　savage　makes　it　a　rule　to　spare　the　life　of　those　animals　which　he　has　no　pressing　motive　for　killing；　at　least　such　fierce　and　dangerous　animals　as　are　likely　to　exact　a　bloody　vengeance　for　the　slaughter　of　one　of　their　kind。　Crocodiles　are　animals　of　this　sort。　They　are　only　found　in　hot　countries；　where；　as　a　rule；　food　is　abundant　and　primitive　man　has　therefore　little　reason　to　kill　them　for　the　sake　of　their　tough　and　unpalatable　flesh。　Hence　it　is　a　custom　with　some　savages　to　spare　crocodiles；　or　rather　only　to　kill　them　in　obedience　to　the　law　of　blood　feud；　that　is；　as　a　retaliation　for　the　slaughter　of　men　by　crocodiles。　For　example；　the　Dyaks　of　Borneo　will　not　kill　a　crocodile　unless　a　crocodile　has　first　killed　a　man。　For　why；　say　they；　should　they　commit　an　act　of　aggression；　when　he　and　his　kindred　can　so　easily　repay　them？　But　should　the　alligator　take　a　human　life；　revenge　becomes　a　sacred　duty　of　the　living　relatives；　who　will　trap　the　man…eater　in　the　spirit　of　an　officer　of　justice　pursuing　a　criminal。　Others；　even　then；　hang　back；　reluctant　to　embroil　themselves　in　a　quarrel　which　does　not　concern　them。　The　man…eating　alligator　is　supposed　to　be　pursued　by　a　righteous　Nemesis；　and　whenever　one　is　caught　they　have　a　profound　conviction　that　it　must　be　the　guilty　one；　or　his　accomplice。

Like　the　Dyaks；　the　natives　of　Madagascar　never　kill　a　crocodile　except　in　retaliation　for　one　of　their　friends　who　has　been　destroyed　by　a　crocodile。　They　believe　that　the　wanton　destruction　of　one　of　these　reptiles　will　be　followed　by　the　loss　of　human　life；　in　accordance　with　the　principle　of　lex　talionis。　The　people　who　live　near　the　lake　Itasy　in　Madagascar　make　a　yearly　proclamation　to　the　crocodiles；　announcing　that　they　will　revenge　the　death　of　some　of　their　friends　by　killing　as　many　crocodiles　in　return；　and　warning　all　well…disposed　crocodiles　to　keep　out　of　the　way；　as　they　have　no　quarrel　with　them；　but　only　with　their　evil…minded　relations　who　have　taken　human　life。　Various　tribes　of　Madagascar　believe　themselves　to　be　descended　from　crocodiles；　and　accordingly　they　view　the　scaly　reptile　as；　to　all　intents　and　purposes；　a　man　and　a　brother。　If　one　of　the　animals　should　so　far　forget　himself　as　to　devour　one　of　his　human　kinsfolk；　the　chief　of　the　tribe；　or　in　his　absence　an　old　man　familiar　with　the　tribal　customs；　repairs　at　the　head　of　the　people　to　the　edge　of　the　water；　and　summons　the　family　of　the　culprit　to　deliver　him　up　to　the　arm　of　justice。　A　hook　is　then　baited　and　cast　into　the　river　or　lake。　Next　day　the　guilty　brother；　or　one　of　his　family；　is　dragged　ashore；　and　after　his　crime　has　been　clearly　brought　home　to　him　by　a　strict　interrogation；　he　is　sentenced　to　death　and　executed。　The　claims　of　justice　being　thus　satisfied　and　the　majesty　of　the　law　fully　vindicated；　the　deceased　crocodile　is　lamented　and　buried　like　a　kinsman；　a　mound　is　raised　over　his　relics　and　a　stone　marks　the　place　of　his　head。

Again；　the　tiger　is　another　of　those　dangerous　beasts　whom　the　savage　prefers　to　leave　alone；　lest　by　killing　one　of　the　species　he　shoul