the golden bough-第147部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


age　presupposes　a　time　when　each　township　performed　a　similar　ceremony　on　its　own　fields。　In　the　rural　districts　of　Latium　the　villages　may　have　continued　to　observe　the　custom；　each　on　its　own　land；　long　after　the　Roman　hamlets　had　merged　their　separate　harvest…homes　in　the　common　celebration　on　the　king's　lands。　There　is　no　intrinsic　improbability　in　the　supposition　that　the　sacred　grove　of　Aricia；　like　the　Field　of　Mars　at　Rome；　may　have　been　the　scene　of　a　common　harvest　celebration；　at　which　a　horse　was　sacrificed　with　the　same　rude　rites　on　behalf　of　the　neighbouring　villages。　The　horse　would　represent　the　fructifying　spirit　both　of　the　tree　and　of　the　corn；　for　the　two　ideas　melt　into　each　other；　as　we　see　in　customs　like　the　Harvest…May。

Chapter　50。　Eating　the　God。

1。　The　Sacrament　of　First…Fruits

WE　have　now　seen　that　the　corn…spirit　is　represented　sometimes　in　human；　sometimes　in　animal　form；　and　that　in　both　cases　he　is　killed　in　the　person　of　his　representative　and　eaten　sacramentally。　To　find　examples　of　actually　killing　the　human　representative　of　the　corn…spirit　we　had　naturally　to　go　to　savage　races；　but　the　harvest…suppers　of　our　European　peasants　have　furnished　unmistakable　examples　of　the　sacramental　eating　of　animals　as　representatives　of　the　corn…spirit。　But　further；　as　might　have　been　anticipated；　the　new　corn　is　itself　eaten　sacramentally；　that　is；　as　the　body　of　the　corn…spirit。　In　Wermland；　Sweden；　the　farmer's　wife　uses　the　grain　of　the　last　sheaf　to　bake　a　loaf　in　the　shape　of　a　little　girl；　this　loaf　is　divided　amongst　the　whole　household　and　eaten　by　them。　Here　the　loaf　represents　the　corn…spirit　conceived　as　a　maiden；　just　as　in　Scotland　the　corn…spirit　is　similarly　conceived　and　represented　by　the　last　sheaf　made　up　in　the　form　of　a　woman　and　bearing　the　name　of　the　Maiden。　As　usual；　the　corn…spirit　is　believed　to　reside　in　the　last　sheaf；　and　to　eat　a　loaf　made　from　the　last　sheaf　is；　therefore；　to　eat　the　corn…spirit　itself。　Similarly　at　La　Palisse；　in　France；　a　man　made　of　dough　is　hung　upon　the　fir…tree　which　is　carried　on　the　last　harvest…waggon。　The　tree　and　the　dough…man　are　taken　to　the　mayor's　house　and　kept　there　till　the　vintage　is　over。　Then　the　close　of　the　harvest　is　celebrated　by　a　feast　at　which　the　mayor　breaks　the　dough…man　in　pieces　and　gives　the　pieces　to　the　people　to　eat。

In　these　examples　the　corn…spirit　is　represented　and　eaten　in　human　shape。　In　other　cases；　though　the　new　corn　is　not　baked　in　loaves　of　human　shape；　still　the　solemn　ceremonies　with　which　it　is　eaten　suffice　to　indicate　that　it　is　partaken　of　sacramentally；　that　is；　as　the　body　of　the　corn…spirit。　For　example；　the　following　ceremonies　used　to　be　observed　by　Lithuanian　peasants　at　eating　the　new　corn。　About　the　time　of　the　autumn　sowing；　when　all　the　corn　had　been　got　in　and　the　threshing　had　begun；　each　farmer　held　a　festival　called　Sabarios；　that　is；　the　mixing　or　throwing　together。　He　took　nine　good　handfuls　of　each　kind　of　cropwheat；　barley；　oats；　flax；　beans；　lentils；　and　the　rest；　and　each　handful　he　divided　into　three　parts。　The　twentyseven　portions　of　each　grain　were　then　thrown　on　a　heap　and　all　mixed　up　together。　The　grain　used　had　to　be　that　which　was　first　threshed　and　winnowed　and　which　had　been　set　aside　and　kept　for　this　purpose。　A　part　of　the　grain　thus　mixed　was　employed　to　bake　little　loaves；　one　for　each　of　the　household；　the　rest　was　mixed　with　more　barley　or　oats　and　made　into　beer。　The　first　beer　brewed　from　this　mixture　was　for　the　drinking　of　the　farmer；　his　wife；　and　children；　the　second　brew　was　for　the　servants。　The　beer　being　ready；　the　farmer　chose　an　evening　when　no　stranger　was　expected。　Then　he　knelt　down　before　the　barrel　of　beer；　drew　a　jugful　of　the　liquor　and　poured　it　on　the　bung　of　the　barrel；　saying；　O　fruitful　earth；　make　rye　and　barley　and　all　kinds　of　corn　to　flourish。　Next　he　took　the　jug　to　the　parlour；　where　his　wife　and　children　awaited　him。　On　the　floor　of　the　parlour　lay　bound　a　black　or　white　or　speckled　（not　a　red）　cock　and　a　hen　of　the　same　colour　and　of　the　same　brood；　which　must　have　been　hatched　within　the　year。　Then　the　farmer　knelt　down；　with　the　jug　in　his　hand；　and　thanked　God　for　the　harvest　and　prayed　for　a　good　crop　next　year。　Next　all　lifted　up　their　hands　and　said；　O　God；　and　thou；　O　earth；　we　give　you　this　cock　and　hen　as　a　free…will　offering。　With　that　the　farmer　killed　the　fowls　with　the　blows　of　a　wooden　spoon；　for　he　might　not　cut　their　heads　off。　After　the　first　prayer　and　after　killing　each　of　the　birds　he　poured　out　a　third　of　the　beer。　Then　his　wife　boiled　the　fowls　in　a　new　pot　which　had　never　been　used　before。　After　that；　a　bushel　was　set；　bottom　upwards；　on　the　floor；　and　on　it　were　placed　the　little　loaves　mentioned　above　and　the　boiled　fowls。　Next　the　new　beer　was　fetched；　together　with　a　ladle　and　three　mugs；　none　of　which　was　used　except　on　this　occasion。　When　the　farmer　had　ladled　the　beer　into　the　mugs；　the　family　knelt　down　round　the　bushel。　The　father　then　uttered　a　prayer　and　drank　off　the　three　mugs　of　beer。　The　rest　followed　his　example。　Then　the　loaves　and　the　flesh　of　the　fowls　were　eaten；　after　which　the　beer　went　round　again；　till　every　one　had　emptied　each　of　the　three　mugs　nine　times。　None　of　the　food　should　remain　over；　but　if　anything　did　happen　to　be　left；　it　was　consumed　next　morning　with　the　same　ceremonies。　The　bones　were　given　to　the　dog　to　eat；　if　he　did　not　eat　them　all　up；　the　remains　were　buried　under　the　dung　in　the　cattle…stall。　This　ceremony　was　observed　at　the　beginning　of　December。　On　the　day　on　which　it　took　place　no　bad　word　might　be　spoken。

Such　was　the　custom　about　two　hundred　years　or　more　ago。　At　the　present　day　in　Lithuania；　when　new　potatoes　or　loaves　made　from　the　new　corn　are　being　eaten；　all　the　people　at　table　pull　each　other's　hair。　The　meaning　of　this　last　custom　is　obscure；　but　a　similar　custom　was　certainly　observed　by　the　heathen　Lithuanians　at　their　solemn　sacrifices。　Many　of　the　Esthonians　of　the　island　of　Oesel　will　not　eat　bread　baked　of　the　new　corn　till　they　have　first　taken　a　bite　at　a　piece　of　iron。　The　iron　is　here　plainly　a　charm；　intended　to　render　harmless　the　spirit　that　is　in　the　corn。　In　Sutherlandshire　at　the　present　day；　when　the　new　potatoes　are　dug　all　the　family　must　taste　them；　otherwise　the　spirits　in　them　＇the　potatoes＇　take　offence；　and　the　potatoes　would　not　keep。　In　one　part　of　Yorkshire　it　is　still　customary　for　the　clergyman　to　cut　the　first　corn；　and　my　informant　believes　that　the　corn　so　cut　is　used　to　make　the　communion　bread。　If　the　latter　part　of　the　custom　is　correctly　reported　（and　analogy　is　all　in　its　favour）；　it　shows　how　the　Christian　communion　has　absorbed　within　itself　a　sacrament　which　is　doubtless　far　older　than　Christianity。

The　Aino　or　Ainu　of　Japan　are　said　to　distinguish　various　kinds　of　millet　as　male　and　female　respectively；　and　these　kinds；　taken　together；　are　called　the　divine　husband　and　wife　cereal　（Umurek　haru　kamui）。　Therefore　before　millet　is　pounded　and　made　into　cakes　for　general　eating；　the　old　men　have　a　few　made　for　themselves　first　to　worship。　When　they　are　ready　they　pray　to　them　very　earnestly　and　say：　'O　thou　cereal　deity；　we　worship　thee。　Thou　hast　grown　very　well　this　year；　and　thy　flavour　will　be　sweet。　Thou　art　good。　The　goddess　of　fire　will　be　glad；　and　we　also　shall　rejoice　greatly。　O　thou　god；　O　thou　divine　cereal；　do　thou　nourish　the　people。　I　now　partake　of　thee。　I　worship　thee　and　give　thee　thanks。'　After　having　thus　prayed；　they；　the　worshippers；　take　a　cake　and　eat　it；　and　from　this　time　the　people　may　all　partake　of　the　new　millet。　And　so　with　many　gestures　of　homage　and　words　of　prayer　this　kind　of　food　is　dedicated　to　the　well…being　of　the　Ainu。　No　doubt　the　cereal　offering　is　regarded　as　a　tribute　paid　to　a　god；　but　that　god　is　no　other　than　the　seed　itself；　and　it　is　only　a　god　in　so　far　as　it　is　beneficial　to　the　human　body。

At　the　close　of　the　rice　harvest　in　the　East　Indian　island　of　Buru；　each　clan　meets　at　a　common　sacramental　meal；　to　which　every　member　of　the　clan　is　bound　to　contribute　a　little　of　the　new　rice。　This　meal　is　called　eating　the　soul　of　the　rice；　a　name　which　clearly　indicates　the　sacramental　character　of　the　repast。　Some　of　the　rice　is　also　set　apart　and　offered　to　the　spirits。　Amongst　the　Alfoors　of　Minahassa；　in　Celebes；　the　priest　sows　the　first　rice…seed　and　plucks　the　first　ripe　rice　in　each　field。　This　rice　he　roasts　and　grinds　into　meal；　and　gives　some　of　it　to　each　of　the　household。　Shortly　before　the　rice…harvest　in　Boland　Mongondo；　another　district　of　Celebes；　an　offering　is　made　of　a　small　pig　or　a　fowl。　Then　the　priest　plucks　a　little　rice；　first　on　his　own　field　and　next　on　those　of　his　neighbours。　All　the　rice　thus　plucked　by　him　he　dries　along　with　his　own；　and　then　gives　it　back　to　the　respective　owners；　who　have　it　ground　and　boiled。　When　it　is　boiled　the　women　take　it　back；　with　an　egg；　to　the　priest；　who　offers　the　egg　in　sacrifice　and　returns　the　rice　to　the　women。　Of　this　rice　every　member　of　the　family；　down　to　the　youngest　child；　must　partake。　After　this　ceremony　every　one　is　free　to　get　in　his　rice。

Amongst　the　Burghers　or　Badagas；　a　tribe　of　the　Neilgherry　Hills　in　Southern　India；　the　first　handful　of　seed　is　sown　and　the　first　sheaf　reaped　by　a　Curumbar；　a　man　of　a　different　tribe；　the　members　of　which　the　Burghers　regard　as　sorcerers。　The　grain　contained　in　the　first　sheaf　is　that　day　reduced　to　meal；　made　into　cakes；　and；　being　offered　as　a　first…fruit　oblation；　is；　together　with　the　remainder　of　the　sacrificed　animal；　partaken　of　by　the　Burgher　and　the　whole　of　his　family；　as　the　meat　of　a　federal　offering　and　sacrifice。　Among　the　Hindoos　of　Southern　India　the　eating　of　the　new　rice　is　the　occasion　of　a　family　festival　called　Pongol。　The　new　rice　is　boiled　in　a　new　pot　on　a　fire　which　is　kindled　at　noon　on　the　day　when；　according　to　Hindoo　astrologers；　the　sun　enters　the　tropic　of　Capricorn。　The　boiling　of　the　pot　is　watched　with　great　anxiety　by　the　whole　family；　for　as　the　milk　boils；　so　will　the　coming　year　be。　If　the　milk　boils　rapidly；　the　year　will　be　prosperous；　but　it　will　be　the　reverse　if　the　milk　boils　slowly。　Some　of　the　new　boiled　ri