the golden bough-第156部分

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on　of　age　or　sex。　The　bear　was　next　skinned　and　disembowelled；　and　the　trunk　severed　from　the　head；　to　which　the　skin　was　left　hanging。　The　blood；　caught　in　cups；　was　eagerly　swallowed　by　the　men。　None　of　the　women　or　children　appeared　to　drink　the　blood；　though　custom　did　not　forbid　them　to　do　so。　The　liver　was　cut　in　small　pieces　and　eaten　raw；　with　salt；　the　women　and　children　getting　their　share。　The　flesh　and　the　rest　of　the　vitals　were　taken　into　the　house　to　be　kept　till　the　next　day　but　one；　and　then　to　be　divided　among　the　persons　who　had　been　present　at　the　feast。　Blood　and　liver　were　offered　to　Dr。　Scheube。　While　the　bear　was　being　disembowelled；　the　women　and　girls　danced　the　same　dance　which　they　had　danced　at　the　beginningnot；　however；　round　the　cage；　but　in　front　of　the　sacred　wands。　At　this　dance　the　old　women；　who　had　been　merry　a　moment　before；　again　shed　tears　freely。　After　the　brain　had　been　extracted　from　the　bear's　head　and　swallowed　with　salt；　the　skull；　detached　from　the　skin；　was　hung　on　a　pole　beside　the　sacred　wands。　The　stick　with　which　the　bear　had　been　gagged　was　also　fastened　to　the　pole；　and　so　were　the　sword　and　quiver　which　had　been　hung　on　the　carcase。　The　latter　were　removed　in　about　an　hour；　but　the　rest　remained　standing。　The　whole　company；　men　and　women；　danced　noisily　before　the　pole；　and　another　drinking…bout；　in　which　the　women　joined；　closed　the　festival。

Perhaps　the　first　published　account　of　the　bear…feast　of　the　Aino　is　one　which　was　given　to　the　world　by　a　Japanese　writer　in　1652。　It　has　been　translated　into　French　and　runs　thus：　When　they　find　a　young　bear；　they　bring　it　home；　and　the　wife　suckles　it。　When　it　is　grown　they　feed　it　with　fish　and　fowl　and　kill　it　in　winter　for　the　sake　of　the　liver；　which　they　esteem　an　antidote　to　poison；　the　worms；　colic；　and　disorders　of　the　stomach。　It　is　of　a　very　bitter　taste；　and　is　good　for　nothing　if　the　bear　has　been　killed　in　summer。　This　butchery　begins　in　the　first　Japanese　month。　For　this　purpose　they　put　the　animal's　head　between　two　long　poles；　which　are　squeezed　together　by　fifty　or　sixty　people；　both　men　and　women。　When　the　bear　is　dead　they　eat　his　flesh；　keep　the　liver　as　a　medicine；　and　sell　the　skin；　which　is　black　and　commonly　six　feet　long；　but　the　longest　measure　twelve　feet。　As　soon　as　he　is　skinned；　the　persons　who　nourished　the　beast　begin　to　bewail　him；　afterwards　they　make　little　cakes　to　regale　those　who　helped　them。

The　Aino　of　Saghalien　rear　bear　cubs　and　kill　them　with　similar　ceremonies。　We　are　told　that　they　do　not　look　upon　the　bear　as　a　god　but　only　as　a　messenger　whom　they　despatch　with　various　commissions　to　the　god　of　the　forest。　The　animal　is　kept　for　about　two　years　in　a　cage；　and　then　killed　at　a　festival；　which　always　takes　place　in　winter　and　at　night。　The　day　before　the　sacrifice　is　devoted　to　lamentation；　old　women　relieving　each　other　in　the　duty　of　weeping　and　groaning　in　front　of　the　bear's　cage。　Then　about　the　middle　of　the　night　or　very　early　in　the　morning　an　orator　makes　a　long　speech　to　the　beast；　reminding　him　how　they　have　taken　care　of　him；　and　fed　him　well；　and　bathed　him　in　the　river；　and　made　him　warm　and　comfortable。　Now；　he　proceeds；　we　are　holding　a　great　festival　in　your　honour。　Be　not　afraid。　We　will　not　hurt　you。　We　will　only　kill　you　and　send　you　to　the　god　of　the　forest　who　loves　you。　We　are　about　to　offer　you　a　good　dinner；　the　best　you　have　ever　eaten　among　us；　and　we　will　all　weep　for　you　together。　The　Aino　who　will　kill　you　is　the　best　shot　among　us。　There　he　is；　he　weeps　and　asks　your　forgiveness；　you　will　feel　almost　nothing；　it　will　be　done　so　quickly。　We　cannot　feed　you　always；　as　you　will　understand。　We　have　done　enough　for　you；　it　is　now　your　turn　to　sacrifice　yourself　for　us。　You　will　ask　God　to　send　us；　for　the　winter；　plenty　of　otters　and　sables；　and　for　the　summer；　seals　and　fish　in　abundance。　Do　not　forget　our　messages；　we　love　you　much；　and　our　children　will　never　forget　you。　When　the　bear　has　partaken　of　his　last　meal　amid　the　general　emotion　of　the　spectators；　the　old　women　weeping　afresh　and　the　men　uttering　stifled　cries；　he　is　strapped；　not　without　difficulty　and　danger；　and　being　let　out　of　the　cage　is　led　on　leash　or　dragged；　according　to　the　state　of　his　temper；　thrice　round　his　cage；　then　round　his　master's　house；　and　lastly　round　the　house　of　the　orator。　Thereupon　he　is　tied　up　to　a　tree；　which　is　decked　with　sacred　whittled　sticks　（inao）　of　the　usual　sort；　and　the　orator　again　addresses　him　in　a　long　harangue；　which　sometimes　lasts　till　the　day　is　beginning　to　break。　Remember；　he　cries；　remember！　I　remind　you　of　your　whole　life　and　of　the　services　we　have　rendered　you。　It　is　now　for　you　to　do　your　duty。　Do　not　forget　what　I　have　asked　of　you。　You　will　tell　the　gods　to　give　us　riches；　that　our　hunters　may　return　from　the　forest　laden　with　rare　furs　and　animals　good　to　eat；　that　our　fishers　may　find　troops　of　seals　on　the　shore　and　in　the　sea；　and　that　their　nets　may　crack　under　the　weight　of　the　fish。　We　have　no　hope　but　in　you。　The　evil　spirits　laugh　at　us；　and　too　often　they　are　unfavourable　and　malignant　to　us；　but　they　will　bow　before　you。　We　have　given　you　food　and　joy　and　health；　now　we　kill　you　in　order　that　you　may　in　return　send　riches　to　us　and　to　our　children。　To　this　discourse　the　bear；　more　and　more　surly　and　agitated；　listens　without　conviction；　round　and　round　the　tree　he　paces　and　howls　lamentably；　till；　just　as　the　first　beams　of　the　rising　sun　light　up　the　scene；　an　archer　speeds　an　arrow　to　his　heart。　No　sooner　has　he　done　so；　than　the　marksman　throws　away　his　bow　and　flings　himself　on　the　ground；　and　the　old　men　and　women　do　the　same；　weeping　and　sobbing。　Then　they　offer　the　dead　beast　a　repast　of　rice　and　wild　potatoes；　and　having　spoken　to　him　in　terms　of　pity　and　thanked　him　for　what　he　has　done　and　suffered；　they　cut　off　his　head　and　paws　and　keep　them　as　sacred　things。　A　banquet　on　the　flesh　and　blood　of　the　bear　follows。　Women　were　formerly　excluded　from　it；　but　now　they　share　with　the　men。　The　blood　is　drunk　warm　by　all　present；　the　flesh　is　boiled；　custom　forbids　it　to　be　roasted。　And　as　the　relics　of　the　bear　may　not　enter　the　house　by　the　door；　and　Aino　houses　in　Saghalien　have　no　windows；　a　man　gets　up　on　the　roof　and　lets　the　flesh；　the　head；　and　the　skin　down　through　the　smoke…hole。　Rice　and　wild　potatoes　are　then　offered　to　the　head；　and　a　pipe；　tobacco；　and　matches　are　considerately　placed　beside　it。　Custom　requires　that　the　guests　should　eat　up　the　whole　animal　before　they　depart；　the　use　of　salt　and　pepper　at　the　meal　is　forbidden；　and　no　morsel　of　the　flesh　may　be　given　to　the　dogs。　When　the　banquet　is　over；　the　head　is　carried　away　into　the　depth　of　the　forest　and　deposited　on　a　heap　of　bears'　skulls；　the　bleached　and　mouldering　relics　of　similar　festivals　in　the　past。

The　Gilyaks；　a　Tunguzian　people　of　Eastern　Siberia；　hold　a　bear…festival　of　the　same　sort　once　a　year　in　January。　The　bear　is　the　object　of　the　most　refined　solicitude　of　an　entire　village　and　plays　the　chief　part　in　their　religious　ceremonies。　An　old　she…bear　is　shot　and　her　cub　is　reared；　but　not　suckled；　in　the　village。　When　the　bear　is　big　enough　he　is　taken　from　his　cage　and　dragged　through　the　village。　But　first　they　lead　him　to　the　bank　of　the　river；　for　this　is　believed　to　ensure　abundance　of　fish　to　each　family。　He　is　then　taken　into　every　house　in　the　village；　where　fish；　brandy；　and　so　forth　are　offered　to　him。　Some　people　prostrate　themselves　before　the　beast。　His　entrance　into　a　house　is　supposed　to　bring　a　blessing；　and　if　he　snuffs　at　the　food　offered　to　him；　this　also　is　a　blessing。　Nevertheless　they　tease　and　worry；　poke　and　tickle　the　animal　continually；　so　that　he　is　surly　and　snappish。　After　being　thus　taken　to　every　house；　he　is　tied　to　a　peg　and　shot　dead　with　arrows。　His　head　is　then　cut　off；　decked　with　shavings；　and　placed　on　the　table　where　the　feast　is　set　out。　Here　they　beg　pardon　of　the　beast　and　worship　him。　Then　his　flesh　is　roasted　and　eaten　in　special　vessels　of　wood　finely　carved。　They　do　not　eat　the　flesh　raw　nor　drink　the　blood；　as　the　Aino　do。　The　brain　and　entrails　are　eaten　last；　and　the　skull；　still　decked　with　shavings；　is　placed　on　a　tree　near　the　house。　Then　the　people　sing　and　both　sexes　dance　in　ranks；　as　bears。

One　of　these　bear…festivals　was　witnessed　by　the　Russian　traveller　L。　von　Schrenck　and　his　companions　at　the　Gilyak　village　of　Tebach　in　January　1856。　From　his　detailed　report　of　the　ceremony　we　may　gather　some　particulars　which　are　not　noticed　in　the　briefer　accounts　which　I　have　just　summarised。　The　bear；　he　tells　us；　plays　a　great　part　in　the　life　of　all　the　peoples　inhabiting　the　region　of　the　Amoor　and　Siberia　as　far　as　Kamtchatka；　but　among　none　of　them　is　his　importance　greater　than　among　the　Gilyaks。　The　immense　size　which　the　animal　attains　in　the　valley　of　the　Amoor；　his　ferocity　whetted　by　hunger；　and　the　frequency　of　his　appearance；　all　combine　to　make　him　the　most　dreaded　beast　of　prey　in　the　country。　No　wonder；　therefore；　that　the　fancy　of　the　Gilyaks　is　busied　with　him　and　surrounds　him；　both　in　life　and　in　death；　with　a　sort　of　halo　of　superstitious　fear。　Thus；　for　example；　it　is　thought　that　if　a　Gilyak　falls　in　combat　with　a　bear；　his　soul　transmigrates　into　the　body　of　the　beast。　Nevertheless　his　flesh　has　an　irresistible　attraction　for　the　Gilyak　palate；　especially　when　the　animal　has　been　kept　in　captivity　for　some　time　and　fattened　on　fish；　which　gives　the　flesh；　in　the　opinion　of　the　Gilyaks；　a　peculiarly　delicious　flavour。　But　in　order　to　enjoy　this　dainty　with　impunity　they　deem　it　needful　to　perform　a　long　series　of　ceremonies；　of　which　the　intention　is　to　delude　the　living　bear　by　a　show　of　respect；　and　to　appease　the　anger　of　the　dead　animal　by　the　homage　paid　to　his　departed　spirit。　The　marks　of　respect　begin　as　soon　as　the　beast　is　captured。　He　is　brought　home　in　triumph　and　kept　in　a　cage；　where　all　the　villagers　take　it　in　turns　to　feed　him。　For　although　he　may　have　been　captured　or　purchased　by　one　man；　he　belongs　in　a　manner　to　the　whole　village。　His　flesh　will　furnish　a　common　feast；　and　hence　all　must　contribute　to　support　him　in　his　life。　The　length　of　time　he　is　kep