pagan and christian creeds-第15章
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cases the sufferings of people may be relieved or their sins atoned for？
Simaetha； it will be remembered； in the second Idyll of Theocritus； curses her faithless lover Delphis； and as she melts his waxen image she prays that HE TOO MAY MELT。 All this is of the nature of Magic； and is independent of and generally more primitive than Theology or Philosophy。 Yet it interests us because it points to a firm instinct in early manto which I have already alludedthe instinct of his unity and continuity with the rest of creation； and of a common life so close that his lightest actions may cause a far…reaching reaction in the world outside。
Man； then； independently of any belief in gods； may assist the arrival of Spring by magic ceremonies。 If you want the Vegetation to appear you must have rain； and the rain…maker in almost all primitive tribes has been a MOST important personage。 Generally he based his rites on quite fanciful associations； as when the rain…maker among the Mandans wore a raven's skin on his head （bird of the storm） or painted his shield with red zigzags of lightning＇1＇； but partly； no doubt； he had observed actual facts； or had had the knowledge of them transmitted to himas； for instance that when rain is impending loud noises will bring about its speedy downfall； a fact we moderns have had occasion to notice on battlefields。 He had observed perhaps that in a storm a specially loud clap of thunder is generally followed by a greatly increased downpour of rain。 He had even noticed （a thing which I have often verified in the vicinity of Sheffield） that the copious smoke of fires will generate rain…cloudsand so quite naturally he concluded that it was his smoking SACRIFICES which had that desirable effect。 So far he was on the track of elementary Science。 And so he made 〃bull… roarers〃 to imitate the sound of wind and the blessed rain…bringing thunder； or clashed great bronze cymbals together with the same object。 Bull…voices and thunder… drums and the clashing of cymbals were used in this connection by the Greeks； and are mentioned by Aeschylus＇2＇； but the bull…roarer； in the form of a rhombus of wood whirled at the end of a string； seems to be known； or to have been known； all over the world。 It is described with some care by Mr。 Andrew Lang in his Custom and Myth （pp。 29…44）； where he says 〃it is found always as a sacred instrument employed in religious mysteries； in New Mexico； Australia； New Zealand； ancient Greece； and Africa。〃
＇1＇ See Catlin's North American Indians； Letter 19。
＇2＇ Themis； p。 61。
Sometimes； of course； the rain…maker was successful； but of the inner causes of rain he knew next to nothing； he was more ignorant even than we are！ His main idea was a more specially 'magical' onenamely； that the sound itself would appeal to the SPIRITS of rain and thunder and cause them to give a response。 For of course the thunder （in Hebrew Bath…Kol； 〃the daughter of the Voice〃） was everywhere regarded as the manifestation of a spirit。＇1＇ To make sounds like thunder would therefore naturally call the attention of such a spirit； or he； the rain…maker； might make sounds like rain。 He made gourd…rattles （known in ever so many parts of the world） in which he rattled dried seeds or small pebbles with a most beguiling and rain…like insistence； or sometimes； like the priests of Baal in the Bible；＇2＇ he would cut himself with knives till the blood fell upon the ground in great drops suggestive of an oncoming thunder…shower。 〃In Mexico the raingod was propitiated with sacrifices of children。 If the children wept and shed abundant tears； they who carried them rejoiced； being convinced that rain would also be abundant。〃＇3＇ Sometimes he； the rain…maker； would WHISTLE for the wind； or； like the Omaha Indians； flap his blankets for the same purpose。
＇1＇ See A。 Lang； op。 cit。： 〃The muttering of the thunder is said to be his voice calling to the rain to fall and make the grass grow up green。〃 Such are the very words of Umbara； the minstrel of the Tribe （Australian）。
＇2＇ I Kings xviii。
＇3＇ Quoted from Sahagun II； 2； 3 by A。 Lang in Myth； Ritual and Religion； vol。 ii； p。 102。
In the ancient myth of Demeter and Persephonewhich has been adopted by so many peoples under so many formsDemeter the Earth…mother loses her daughter Persephone （who represents of course the Vegetation）； carried down into the underworld by the evil powers of Darkness and Winter。 And in Greece there was a yearly ceremonial and ritual of magic for the purpose of restoring the lost one and bringing her back to the world again。 Women carried certain charms； 〃fir…cones and snakes and unnamable objects made of paste； to ensure fertility； there was a sacrifice of pigs； who were thrown into a deep cleft of the earth； and their remains afterwards collected and scattered as a charm over the fields。〃＇1＇ Fir…cones and snakes from their very forms were emblems of male fertility； snakes； too； from their habit of gliding out of their own skins with renewed brightness and color were suggestive of resurrection and re…vivification； pigs and sows by their exceeding fruitfulness would in their hour of sacrifice remind old mother Earth of what was expected from her！ Moreover； no doubt it had been observed that the scattering of dead flesh over the ground or mixed with the seed； did bless the ground to a greater fertility； and so by a strange mixture of primitive observation with a certain child…like belief that by means of symbols and suggestions Nature could be appealed to and induced to answer to the desires and needs for her children this sort of ceremonial Magic arose。 It was not exactly Science； and it was not exactly Religion； but it was a naive； and perhaps not altogether mistaken； sense of the bond between Nature and Man。
＇1＇ See Gilbert Murray's Four Stages of Greek Religion； p。 29。
For we can perceive that earliest man was not yet consciously differentiated from Nature。 Not only do we see that the tribal life was so strong that the individual seldom regarded himself as different or separate or opposed to the rest of the tribe； but that something of the same kind was true with regard to his relation to the Animals and to Nature at large。 This outer world was part of himself； was also himself。 His sub…conscious sense of unity was so great that it largely dominated his life。 That brain…cleverness and brain…activity which causes modern man to perceive such a gulf between him and the animals； or between himself and Nature； did not exist in the early man。 Hence it was no difficulty to him to believe that he was a Bear or an Emu。 Sub…consciously he was wiser than we are。 He knew that he was a bear or an emu； or any other such animal as his totem…creed led him to fix his mind upon。 Hence we find that a familiarity and common consent existed between primitive man and many of his companion animals such as has been lost or much attenuated in modern times。 Elisee Reclus in his very interesting paper La Grande Famille＇1＇ gives support to the idea that the so…called domestication of animals did not originally arise from any forcible subjugation of them by man； but from a natural amity with them which grew up in the beginning from common interests； pursuits and affections。 Thus the chetah of India （and probably the puma of Brazil） from far…back times took to hunting in the company of his two…legged and bow…and…arrow…armed friend； with whom he divided the spoil。 W。 H。 Hudson＇2＇ declares that the Puma； wild and fierce though it is； and capable of killing the largest game； will never even to…day attack man； but when maltreated by the latter submits to the outrage； unresisting； with mournful cries and every sign of grief。 The Llama； though domesticated in a sense； has never allowed the domination of the whip or the bit； but may still be seen walking by the side of the Brazilian peasant and carrying his burdens in a kind of proud companionship。 The mutual relations of Women and the Cow； or of Man and the Horse＇3＇ （also the Elephant） reach so far into the past that their origin cannot be traced。 The Swallow still loves to make its home under the cottage eaves and still is welcomed by the inmates as the bringer of good fortune。 Elisee Reclus assures us that the Dinka m
