the golden bough-第132部分

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On　the　threshing…floor　strangers　are　also　regarded　as　embodiments　of　the　corn…spirit；　and　are　treated　accordingly。　At　Wiedingharde　in　Schleswig　when　a　stranger　comes　to　the　threshing…floor　he　is　asked；　Shall　I　teach　you　the　flail…dance？　If　he　says　yes；　they　put　the　arms　of　the　threshing…flail　round　his　neck　as　if　he　were　a　sheaf　of　corn；　and　press　them　together　so　tight　that　he　is　nearly　choked。　In　some　parishes　of　Wermland　（Sweden）；　when　a　stranger　enters　the　threshing…floor　where　the　threshers　are　at　work；　they　say　that　they　will　teach　him　the　threshing…song。　Then　they　put　a　flail　round　his　neck　and　a　straw　rope　about　his　body。　Also；　as　we　have　seen；　if　a　stranger　woman　enters　the　threshing…floor；　the　threshers　put　a　flail　round　her　body　and　a　wreath　of　corn…stalks　round　her　neck；　and　call　out；　See　the　Corn…woman！　See！　that　is　how　the　Corn…maiden　looks！

Thus　in　these　harvest…customs　of　modern　Europe　the　person　who　cuts；　binds；　or　threshes　the　last　corn　is　treated　as　an　embodiment　of　the　corn…spirit　by　being　wrapt　up　in　sheaves；　killed　in　mimicry　by　agricultural　implements；　and　thrown　into　the　water。　These　coincidences　with　the　Lityerses　story　seem　to　prove　that　the　latter　is　a　genuine　description　of　an　old　Phrygian　harvest…custom。　But　since　in　the　modern　parallels　the　killing　of　the　personal　representative　of　the　corn…spirit　is　necessarily　omitted　or　at　most　enacted　only　in　mimicry；　it　is　desirable　to　show　that　in　rude　society　human　beings　have　been　commonly　killed　as　an　agricultural　ceremony　to　promote　the　fertility　of　the　fields。　The　following　examples　will　make　this　plain。

3。　Human　Sacrifices　for　the　Crops。

THE　INDIANS　of　Guayaquil；　in　Ecuador；　used　to　sacrifice　human　blood　and　the　hearts　of　men　when　they　sowed　their　fields。　The　people　of　Ca？ar　（now　Cuenca　in　Ecuador）　used　to　sacrifice　a　hundred　children　annually　at　harvest。　The　kings　of　Quito；　the　Incas　of　Peru；　and　for　a　long　time　the　Spaniards　were　unable　to　suppress　the　bloody　rite。　At　a　Mexican　harvest…festival；　when　the　first…fruits　of　the　season　were　offered　to　the　sun；　a　criminal　was　placed　between　two　immense　stones；　balanced　opposite　each　other；　and　was　crushed　by　them　as　they　fell　together。　His　remains　were　buried；　and　a　feast　and　dance　followed。　This　sacrifice　was　known　as　the　meeting　of　the　stones。　We　have　seen　that　the　ancient　Mexicans　also　sacrificed　human　beings　at　all　the　various　stages　in　the　growth　of　the　maize；　the　age　of　the　victims　corresponding　to　the　age　of　the　corn；　for　they　sacrificed　new…born　babes　at　sowing；　older　children　when　the　grain　had　sprouted；　and　so　on　till　it　was　fully　ripe；　when　they　sacrificed　old　men。　No　doubt　the　correspondence　between　the　ages　of　the　victims　and　the　state　of　the　corn　was　supposed　to　enhance　the　efficacy　of　the　sacrifice。

The　Pawnees　annually　sacrificed　a　human　victim　in　spring　when　they　sowed　their　fields。　The　sacrifice　was　believed　to　have　been　enjoined　on　them　by　the　Morning　Star；　or　by　a　certain　bird　which　the　Morning　Star　had　sent　to　them　as　its　messenger。　The　bird　was　stuffed　and　preserved　as　a　powerful　talisman。　They　thought　that　an　omission　of　this　sacrifice　would　be　followed　by　the　total　failure　of　the　crops　of　maize；　beans；　and　pumpkins。　The　victim　was　a　captive　of　either　sex。　He　was　clad　in　the　gayest　and　most　costly　attire；　was　fattened　on　the　choicest　food；　and　carefully　kept　in　ignorance　of　his　doom。　When　he　was　fat　enough；　they　bound　him　to　a　cross　in　the　presence　of　the　multitude；　danced　a　solemn　dance；　then　cleft　his　head　with　a　tomahawk　and　shot　him　with　arrows。　According　to　one　trader；　the　squaws　then　cut　pieces　of　flesh　from　the　victim's　body；　with　which　they　greased　their　hoes；　but　this　was　denied　by　another　trader　who　had　been　present　at　the　ceremony。　Immediately　after　the　sacrifice　the　people　proceeded　to　plant　their　fields。　A　particular　account　has　been　preserved　of　the　sacrifice　of　a　Sioux　girl　by　the　Pawnees　in　April　1837　or　1838。　The　girl　was　fourteen　or　fifteen　years　old　and　had　been　kept　for　six　months　and　well　treated。　Two　days　before　the　sacrifice　she　was　led　from　wigwam　to　wigwam；　accompanied　by　the　whole　council　of　chiefs　and　warriors。　At　each　lodge　she　received　a　small　billet　of　wood　and　a　little　paint；　which　she　handed　to　the　warrior　next　to　her。　In　this　way　she　called　at　every　wigwam；　receiving　at　each　the　same　present　of　wood　and　paint。　On　the　twenty…second　of　April　she　was　taken　out　to　be　sacrificed；　attended　by　the　warriors；　each　of　whom　carried　two　pieces　of　wood　which　he　had　received　from　her　hands。　Her　body　having　been　painted　half　red　and　half　black；　she　was　attached　to　a　sort　of　gibbet　and　roasted　for　some　time　over　a　slow　fire；　then　shot　to　death　with　arrows。　The　chief　sacrificer　next　tore　out　her　heart　and　devoured　it。　While　her　flesh　was　still　warm　it　was　cut　in　small　pieces　from　the　bones；　put　in　little　baskets；　and　taken　to　a　neighbouring　corn…field。　There　the　head　chief　took　a　piece　of　the　flesh　from　a　basket　and　squeezed　a　drop　of　blood　upon　the　newly…deposited　grains　of　corn。　His　example　was　followed　by　the　rest；　till　all　the　seed　had　been　sprinkled　with　the　blood；　it　was　then　covered　up　with　earth。　According　to　one　account　the　body　of　the　victim　was　reduced　to　a　kind　of　paste；　which　was　rubbed　or　sprinkled　not　only　on　the　maize　but　also　on　the　potatoes；　the　beans；　and　other　seeds　to　fertilise　them。　By　this　sacrifice　they　hoped　to　obtain　plentiful　crops。

A　West　African　queen　used　to　sacrifice　a　man　and　woman　in　the　month　of　March。　They　were　killed　with　spades　and　hoes；　and　their　bodies　buried　in　the　middle　of　a　field　which　had　just　been　tilled。　At　Lagos　in　Guinea　it　was　the　custom　annually　to　impale　a　young　girl　alive　soon　after　the　spring　equinox　in　order　to　secure　good　crops。　Along　with　her　were　sacrificed　sheep　and　goats；　which；　with　yams；　heads　of　maize；　and　plantains；　were　hung　on　stakes　on　each　side　of　her。　The　victims　were　bred　up　for　the　purpose　in　the　king's　seraglio；　and　their　minds　had　been　so　powerfully　wrought　upon　by　the　fetish　men　that　they　went　cheerfully　to　their　fate。　A　similar　sacrifice　used　to　be　annually　offered　at　Benin；　in　Guinea。　The　Marimos；　a　Bechuana　tribe；　sacrifice　a　human　being　for　the　crops。　The　victim　chosen　is　generally　a　short；　stout　man。　He　is　seized　by　violence　or　intoxicated　and　taken　to　the　fields；　where　he　is　killed　amongst　the　wheat　to　serve　as　seed　（so　they　phrase　it）。　After　his　blood　has　coagulated　in　the　sun；　it　is　burned　along　with　the　frontal　bone；　the　flesh　attached　to　it；　and　the　brain；　the　ashes　are　then　scattered　over　the　ground　to　fertilise　it。　The　rest　of　the　body　is　eaten。

The　Bagobos　of　Mindanao；　one　of　the　Philippine　Islands；　offer　a　human　sacrifice　before　they　sow　their　rice。　The　victim　is　a　slave；　who　is　hewn　to　pieces　in　the　forest。　The　natives　of　Bontoc　in　the　interior　of　Luzon；　one　of　the　Philippine　Islands；　are　passionate　head…hunters。　Their　principal　seasons　for　head…hunting　are　the　times　of　planting　and　reaping　the　rice。　In　order　that　the　crop　may　turn　out　well；　every　farm　must　get　at　least　one　human　head　at　planting　and　one　at　sowing。　The　head…hunters　go　out　in　twos　or　threes；　lie　in　wait　for　the　victim；　whether　man　or　woman；　cut　off　his　or　her　head；　hands；　and　feet；　and　bring　them　back　in　haste　to　the　village；　where　they　are　received　with　great　rejoicings。　The　skulls　are　at　first　exposed　on　the　branches　of　two　or　three　dead　trees　which　stand　in　an　open　space　of　every　village　surrounded　by　large　stones　which　serve　as　seats。　The　people　then　dance　round　them　and　feast　and　get　drunk。　When　the　flesh　has　decayed　from　the　head；　the　man　who　cut　it　off　takes　it　home　and　preserves　it　as　a　relic；　while　his　companions　do　the　same　with　the　hands　and　the　feet。　Similar　customs　are　observed　by　the　Apoyaos；　another　tribe　in　the　interior　of　Luzon。

Among　the　Lhota　Naga；　one　of　the　many　savage　tribes　who　inhabit　the　deep　rugged　labyrinthine　glens　which　wind　into　the　mountains　from　the　rich　valley　of　Brahmapootra；　it　used　to　be　a　common　custom　to　chop　off　the　heads；　hands；　and　feet　of　people　they　met　with；　and　then　to　stick　up　the　severed　extremities　in　their　fields　to　ensure　a　good　crop　of　grain。　They　bore　no　ill…will　whatever　to　the　persons　upon　whom　they　operated　in　this　unceremonious　fashion。　Once　they　flayed　a　boy　alive；　carved　him　in　pieces；　and　distributed　the　flesh　among　all　the　villagers；　who　put　it　into　their　corn…bins　to　avert　bad　luck　and　ensure　plentiful　crops　of　grain。　The　Gonds　of　India；　a　Dravidian　race；　kidnapped　Brahman　boys；　and　kept　them　as　victims　to　be　sacrificed　on　various　occasions。　At　sowing　and　reaping；　after　a　triumphal　procession；　one　of　the　lads　was　slain　by　being　punctured　with　a　poisoned　arrow。　His　blood　was　then　sprinkled　over　the　ploughed　field　or　the　ripe　crop；　and　his　flesh　was　devoured。　The　Oraons　or　Uraons　of　Chota　Nagpur　worship　a　goddess　called　Anna　Kuari；　who　can　give　good　crops　and　make　a　man　rich；　but　to　induce　her　to　do　so　it　is　necessary　to　offer　human　sacrifices。　In　spite　of　the　vigilance　of　the　British　Government　these　sacrifices　are　said　to　be　still　secretly　perpetrated。　The　victims　are　poor　waifs　and　strays　whose　disappearance　attracts　no　notice。　April　and　May　are　the　months　when　the　catchpoles　are　out　on　the　prowl。　At　that　time　strangers　will　not　go　about　the　country　alone；　and　parents　will　not　let　their　children　enter　the　jungle　or　herd　the　cattle。　When　a　catchpole　has　found　a　victim；　he　cuts　his　throat　and　carries　away　the　upper　part　of　the　ring　finger　and　the　nose。　The　goddess　takes　up　her　abode　in　the　house　of　any　man　who　has　offered　her　a　sacrifice；　and　from　that　time　his　fields　yield　a　double　harvest。　The　form　she　assumes　in　the　house　is　that　of　a　small　child。　When　the　householder　brings　in　his　unhusked　rice；　he　takes　the　goddess　and　rolls　her　over　the　heap　to　double　its　size。　But　she　soon　grows　restless　and　can　only　be　pacified　with　the　blood　of　fresh　human　victims。

But　the　best　known　case　of　human　sacrifices；　systematically　offered　to　ensure　good　crops；　is　supplied　by　the　Khonds　or　Kandhs；　another　Dravidian　race　in　Bengal。　Our　knowledge　of　them　is　derived　from　the　accounts　written　by　British　officers　who；　about　the　middle　of　the　nineteenth　century；　were　engaged　in　putting　them　down。　The　sacrifices　were　offered　to　the　Earth　Goddess。　Tari　Pennu　or　Bera　Penn