the golden bough-第133部分

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Pennu；　and　were　believed　to　ensure　good　crops　and　immunity　from　all　disease　and　accidents。　In　particular；　they　were　considered　necessary　in　the　cultivation　of　turmeric；　the　Khonds　arguing　that　the　turmeric　could　not　have　a　deep　red　colour　without　the　shedding　of　blood。　The　victim　or　Meriah；　as　he　was　called；　was　acceptable　to　the　goddess　only　if　he　had　been　purchased；　or　had　been　born　a　victimthat　is；　the　son　of　a　victim　father；　or　had　been　devoted　as　a　child　by　his　father　or　guardian。　Khonds　in　distress　often　sold　their　children　for　victims；　considering　the　beatification　of　their　souls　certain；　and　their　death；　for　the　benefit　of　mankind；　the　most　honourable　possible。　A　man　of　the　Panua　tribe　was　once　seen　to　load　a　Khond　with　curses；　and　finally　to　spit　in　his　face；　because　the　Khond　had　sold　for　a　victim　his　own　child；　whom　the　Panua　had　wished　to　marry。　A　party　of　Khonds；　who　saw　this；　immediately　pressed　forward　to　comfort　the　seller　of　his　child；　saying；　Your　child　has　died　that　all　the　world　may　live；　and　the　Earth　Goddess　herself　will　wipe　that　spittle　from　your　face。　The　victims　were　often　kept　for　years　before　they　were　sacrificed。　Being　regarded　as　consecrated　beings；　they　were　treated　with　extreme　affection；　mingled　with　deference；　and　were　welcomed　wherever　they　went。　A　Meriah　youth；　on　attaining　maturity；　was　generally　given　a　wife；　who　was　herself　usually　a　Meriah　or　victim；　and　with　her　he　received　a　portion　of　land　and　farm…stock。　Their　offspring　were　also　victims。　Human　sacrifices　were　offered　to　the　Earth　Goddess　by　tribes；　branches　of　tribes；　or　villages；　both　at　periodical　festivals　and　on　extraordinary　occasions。　The　periodical　sacrifices　were　generally　so　arranged　by　tribes　and　divisions　of　tribes　that　each　head　of　a　family　was　enabled；　at　least　once　a　year；　to　procure　a　shred　of　flesh　for　his　fields；　generally　about　the　time　when　his　chief　crop　was　laid　down。

The　mode　of　performing　these　tribal　sacrifices　was　as　follows。　Ten　or　twelve　days　before　the　sacrifice；　the　victim　was　devoted　by　cutting　off　his　hair；　which；　until　then；　had　been　kept　unshorn。　Crowds　of　men　and　women　assembled　to　witness　the　sacrifice；　none　might　be　excluded；　since　the　sacrifice　was　declared　to　be　for　all　mankind。　It　was　preceded　by　several　days　of　wild　revelry　and　gross　debauchery。　On　the　day　before　the　sacrifice　the　victim；　dressed　in　a　new　garment；　was　led　forth　from　the　village　in　solemn　procession；　with　music　and　dancing；　to　the　Meriah　grove；　a　clump　of　high　forest　trees　standing　a　little　way　from　the　village　and　untouched　by　the　axe。　There　they　tied　him　to　a　post；　which　was　sometimes　placed　between　two　plants　of　the　sankissar　shrub。　He　was　then　anointed　with　oil；　ghee；　and　turmeric；　and　adorned　with　flowers；　and　a　species　of　reverence；　which　it　is　not　easy　to　distinguish　from　adoration；　was　paid　to　him　throughout　the　day。　A　great　struggle　now　arose　to　obtain　the　smallest　relic　from　his　person；　a　particle　of　the　turmeric　paste　with　which　he　was　smeared；　or　a　drop　of　his　spittle；　was　esteemed　of　sovereign　virtue；　especially　by　the　women。　The　crowd　danced　round　the　post　to　music；　and　addressing　the　earth；　said；　O　God；　we　offer　this　sacrifice　to　you；　give　us　good　crops；　seasons；　and　health；　then　speaking　to　the　victim　they　said；　We　bought　you　with　a　price；　and　did　not　seize　you；　now　we　sacrifice　you　according　to　custom；　and　no　sin　rests　with　us。

On　the　last　morning　the　orgies；　which　had　been　scarcely　interrupted　during　the　night；　were　resumed；　and　continued　till　noon；　when　they　ceased；　and　the　assembly　proceeded　to　consummate　the　sacrifice。　The　victim　was　again　anointed　with　oil；　and　each　person　touched　the　anointed　part；　and　wiped　the　oil　on　his　own　head。　In　some　places　they　took　the　victim　in　procession　round　the　village；　from　door　to　door；　where　some　plucked　hair　from　his　head；　and　others　begged　for　a　drop　of　his　spittle；　with　which　they　anointed　their　heads。　As　the　victim　might　not　be　bound　nor　make　any　show　of　resistance；　the　bones　of　his　arms　and；　if　necessary；　his　legs　were　broken；　but　often　this　precaution　was　rendered　unnecessary　by　stupefying　him　with　opium。　The　mode　of　putting　him　to　death　varied　in　different　places。　One　of　the　commonest　modes　seems　to　have　been　strangulation；　or　squeezing　to　death。　The　branch　of　a　green　tree　was　cleft　several　feet　down　the　middle；　the　victim's　neck　（in　other　places；　his　chest）　was　inserted　in　the　cleft；　which　the　priest；　aided　by　his　assistants；　strove　with　all　his　force　to　close。　Then　he　wounded　the　victim　slightly　with　his　axe；　whereupon　the　crowd　rushed　at　the　wretch　and　hewed　the　flesh　from　the　bones；　leaving　the　head　and　bowels　untouched。　Sometimes　he　was　cut　up　alive。　In　Chinna　Kimedy　he　was　dragged　along　the　fields；　surrounded　by　the　crowd；　who；　avoiding　his　head　and　intestines；　hacked　the　flesh　from　his　body　with　their　knives　till　he　died。　Another　very　common　mode　of　sacrifice　in　the　same　district　was　to　fasten　the　victim　to　the　proboscis　of　a　wooden　elephant；　which　revolved　on　a　stout　post；　and；　as　it　whirled　round；　the　crowd　cut　the　flesh　from　the　victim　while　life　remained。　In　some　villages　Major　Campbell　found　as　many　as　fourteen　of　these　wooden　elephants；　which　had　been　used　at　sacrifices。　In　one　district　the　victim　was　put　to　death　slowly　by　fire。　A　low　stage　was　formed；　sloping　on　either　side　like　a　roof；　upon　it　they　laid　the　victim；　his　limbs　wound　round　with　cords　to　confine　his　struggles。　Fires　were　then　lighted　and　hot　brands　applied；　to　make　him　roll　up　and　down　the　slopes　of　the　stage　as　long　as　possible；　for　the　more　tears　he　shed　the　more　abundant　would　be　the　supply　of　rain。　Next　day　the　body　was　cut　to　pieces。

The　flesh　cut　from　the　victim　was　instantly　taken　home　by　the　persons　who　had　been　deputed　by　each　village　to　bring　it。　To　secure　its　rapid　arrival；　it　was　sometimes　forwarded　by　relays　of　men；　and　conveyed　with　postal　fleetness　fifty　or　sixty　miles。　In　each　village　all　who　stayed　at　home　fasted　rigidly　until　the　flesh　arrived。　The　bearer　deposited　it　in　the　place　of　public　assembly；　where　it　was　received　by　the　priest　and　the　heads　of　families。　The　priest　divided　it　into　two　portions；　one　of　which　he　offered　to　the　Earth　Goddess　by　burying　it　in　a　hole　in　the　ground　with　his　back　turned；　and　without　looking。　Then　each　man　added　a　little　earth　to　bury　it；　and　the　priest　poured　water　on　the　spot　from　a　hill　gourd。　The　other　portion　of　flesh　he　divided　into　as　many　shares　as　there　were　heads　of　houses　present。　Each　head　of　a　house　rolled　his　shred　of　flesh　in　leaves；　and　buried　it　in　his　favourite　field；　placing　it　in　the　earth　behind　his　back　without　looking。　In　some　places　each　man　carried　his　portion　of　flesh　to　the　stream　which　watered　his　fields；　and　there　hung　it　on　a　pole。　For　three　days　thereafter　no　house　was　swept；　and；　in　one　district；　strict　silence　was　observed；　no　fire　might　be　given　out；　no　wood　cut；　and　no　strangers　received。　The　remains　of　the　human　victim　（namely；　the　head；　bowels；　and　bones）　were　watched　by　strong　parties　the　night　after　the　sacrifice；　and　next　morning　they　were　burned；　along　with　a　whole　sheep；　on　a　funeral　pile。　The　ashes　were　scattered　over　the　fields；　laid　as　paste　over　the　houses　and　granaries；　or　mixed　with　the　new　corn　to　preserve　it　from　insects。　Sometimes；　however；　the　head　and　bones　were　buried；　not　burnt。　After　the　suppression　of　the　human　sacrifices；　inferior　victims　were　substituted　in　some　places；　for　instance；　in　the　capital　of　Chinna　Kimedy　a　goat　took　the　place　of　the　human　victim。　Others　sacrifice　a　buffalo。　They　tie　it　to　a　wooden　post　in　a　sacred　grove；　dance　wildly　round　it　with　brandished　knives；　then；　falling　on　the　living　animal；　hack　it　to　shreds　and　tatters　in　a　few　minutes；　fighting　and　struggling　with　each　other　for　every　particle　of　flesh。　As　soon　as　a　man　has　secured　a　piece　he　makes　off　with　it　at　full　speed　to　bury　it　in　his　fields；　according　to　ancient　custom；　before　the　sun　has　set；　and　as　some　of　them　have　far　to　go　they　must　run　very　fast。　All　the　women　throw　clods　of　earth　at　the　rapidly　retreating　figures　of　the　men；　some　of　them　taking　very　good　aim。　Soon　the　sacred　grove；　so　lately　a　scene　of　tumult；　is　silent　and　deserted　except　for　a　few　people　who　remain　to　guard　all　that　is　left　of　the　buffalo；　to　wit；　the　head；　the　bones；　and　the　stomach；　which　are　burned　with　ceremony　at　the　foot　of　the　stake。

In　these　Khond　sacrifices　the　Meriahs　are　represented　by　our　authorities　as　victims　offered　to　propitiate　the　Earth　Goddess。　But　from　the　treatment　of　the　victims　both　before　and　after　death　it　appears　that　the　custom　cannot　be　explained　as　merely　a　propitiatory　sacrifice。　A　part　of　the　flesh　certainly　was　offered　to　the　Earth　Goddess；　but　the　rest　was　buried　by　each　householder　in　his　fields；　and　the　ashes　of　the　other　parts　of　the　body　were　scattered　over　the　fields；　laid　as　paste　on　the　granaries；　or　mixed　with　the　new　corn。　These　latter　customs　imply　that　to　the　body　of　the　Meriah　there　was　ascribed　a　direct　or　intrinsic　power　of　making　the　crops　to　grow；　quite　independent　of　the　indirect　efficacy　which　it　might　have　as　an　offering　to　secure　the　good…will　of　the　deity。　In　other　words；　the　flesh　and　ashes　of　the　victim　were　believed　to　be　endowed　with　a　magical　or　physical　power　of　fertilising　the　land。　The　same　intrinsic　power　was　ascribed　to　the　blood　and　tears　of　the　Meriah；　his　blood　causing　the　redness　of　the　turmeric　and　his　tears　producing　rain；　for　it　can　hardly　be　doubted　that；　originally　at　least；　the　tears　were　supposed　to　bring　down　the　rain；　not　merely　to　prognosticate　it。　Similarly　the　custom　of　pouring　water　on　the　buried　flesh　of　the　Meriah　was　no　doubt　a　rain…charm。　Again；　magical　power　as　an　attribute　of　the　Meriah　appears　in　the　sovereign　virtue　believed　to　reside　in　anything　that　came　from　his　person；　as　his　hair　or　spittle。　The　ascription　of　such　power　to　the　Meriah　indicates　that　he　was　much　more　than　a　mere　man　sacrificed　to　propitiate　a　deity。　Once　more；　the　extreme　reverence　paid　him　points　to　the　same　conclusion。　Major　Campbell　speaks　of　the　Meriah　as　being　regarded　as　something　more　than　mortal；　and　Major　Macpherson　says；　A　species　of　reverence；　which　it　is　not　easy　to　distinguish　from　adoration；　is　paid　to　him。　In　short；　the　Meriah　seems　to　have　been　regarde