the golden bough-第159部分

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　he　commonly　believes　that　animals　are　endowed　with　feelings　and　intelligence　like　those　of　men；　and　that；　like　men；　they　possess　souls　which　survive　the　death　of　their　bodies　either　to　wander　about　as　disembodied　spirits　or　to　be　born　again　in　animal　form。

Thus　to　the　savage；　who　regards　all　living　creatures　as　practically　on　a　footing　of　equality　with　man；　the　act　of　killing　and　eating　an　animal　must　wear　a　very　different　aspect　from　that　which　the　same　act　presents　to　us；　who　regard　the　intelligence　of　animals　as　far　inferior　to　our　own　and　deny　them　the　possession　of　immortal　souls。　Hence　on　the　principles　of　his　rude　philosophy　the　primitive　hunter　who　slays　an　animal　believes　himself　exposed　to　the　vengeance　either　of　its　disembodied　spirit　or　of　all　the　other　animals　of　the　same　species；　whom　he　considers　as　knit　together；　like　men；　by　the　ties　of　kin　and　the　obligations　of　the　blood　feud；　and　therefore　as　bound　to　resent　the　injury　done　to　one　of　their　number。　Accordingly　the　savage　makes　it　a　rule　to　spare　the　life　of　those　animals　which　he　has　no　pressing　motive　for　killing；　at　least　such　fierce　and　dangerous　animals　as　are　likely　to　exact　a　bloody　vengeance　for　the　slaughter　of　one　of　their　kind。　Crocodiles　are　animals　of　this　sort。　They　are　only　found　in　hot　countries；　where；　as　a　rule；　food　is　abundant　and　primitive　man　has　therefore　little　reason　to　kill　them　for　the　sake　of　their　tough　and　unpalatable　flesh。　Hence　it　is　a　custom　with　some　savages　to　spare　crocodiles；　or　rather　only　to　kill　them　in　obedience　to　the　law　of　blood　feud；　that　is；　as　a　retaliation　for　the　slaughter　of　men　by　crocodiles。　For　example；　the　Dyaks　of　Borneo　will　not　kill　a　crocodile　unless　a　crocodile　has　first　killed　a　man。　For　why；　say　they；　should　they　commit　an　act　of　aggression；　when　he　and　his　kindred　can　so　easily　repay　them？　But　should　the　alligator　take　a　human　life；　revenge　becomes　a　sacred　duty　of　the　living　relatives；　who　will　trap　the　man…eater　in　the　spirit　of　an　officer　of　justice　pursuing　a　criminal。　Others；　even　then；　hang　back；　reluctant　to　embroil　themselves　in　a　quarrel　which　does　not　concern　them。　The　man…eating　alligator　is　supposed　to　be　pursued　by　a　righteous　Nemesis；　and　whenever　one　is　caught　they　have　a　profound　conviction　that　it　must　be　the　guilty　one；　or　his　accomplice。

Like　the　Dyaks；　the　natives　of　Madagascar　never　kill　a　crocodile　except　in　retaliation　for　one　of　their　friends　who　has　been　destroyed　by　a　crocodile。　They　believe　that　the　wanton　destruction　of　one　of　these　reptiles　will　be　followed　by　the　loss　of　human　life；　in　accordance　with　the　principle　of　lex　talionis。　The　people　who　live　near　the　lake　Itasy　in　Madagascar　make　a　yearly　proclamation　to　the　crocodiles；　announcing　that　they　will　revenge　the　death　of　some　of　their　friends　by　killing　as　many　crocodiles　in　return；　and　warning　all　well…disposed　crocodiles　to　keep　out　of　the　way；　as　they　have　no　quarrel　with　them；　but　only　with　their　evil…minded　relations　who　have　taken　human　life。　Various　tribes　of　Madagascar　believe　themselves　to　be　descended　from　crocodiles；　and　accordingly　they　view　the　scaly　reptile　as；　to　all　intents　and　purposes；　a　man　and　a　brother。　If　one　of　the　animals　should　so　far　forget　himself　as　to　devour　one　of　his　human　kinsfolk；　the　chief　of　the　tribe；　or　in　his　absence　an　old　man　familiar　with　the　tribal　customs；　repairs　at　the　head　of　the　people　to　the　edge　of　the　water；　and　summons　the　family　of　the　culprit　to　deliver　him　up　to　the　arm　of　justice。　A　hook　is　then　baited　and　cast　into　the　river　or　lake。　Next　day　the　guilty　brother；　or　one　of　his　family；　is　dragged　ashore；　and　after　his　crime　has　been　clearly　brought　home　to　him　by　a　strict　interrogation；　he　is　sentenced　to　death　and　executed。　The　claims　of　justice　being　thus　satisfied　and　the　majesty　of　the　law　fully　vindicated；　the　deceased　crocodile　is　lamented　and　buried　like　a　kinsman；　a　mound　is　raised　over　his　relics　and　a　stone　marks　the　place　of　his　head。

Again；　the　tiger　is　another　of　those　dangerous　beasts　whom　the　savage　prefers　to　leave　alone；　lest　by　killing　one　of　the　species　he　should　excite　the　hostility　of　the　rest。　No　consideration　will　induce　a　Sumatran　to　catch　or　wound　a　tiger　except　in　self…defence　or　immediately　after　a　tiger　has　destroyed　a　friend　or　relation。　When　a　European　has　set　traps　for　tigers；　the　people　of　the　neighbourhood　have　been　known　to　go　by　night　to　the　place　and　explain　to　the　animals　that　the　traps　are　not　set　by　them　nor　with　their　consent。　The　inhabitants　of　the　hills　near　Rajamahall；　in　Bengal；　are　very　averse　to　killing　a　tiger；　unless　one　of　their　kinsfolk　has　been　carried　off　by　one　of　the　beasts。　In　that　case　they　go　out　for　the　purpose　of　hunting　and　slaying　a　tiger；　and　when　they　have　succeeded　they　lay　their　bows　and　arrows　on　the　carcase　and　invoke　God；　declaring　that　they　slew　the　animal　in　retaliation　for　the　loss　of　a　kinsman。　Vengeance　having　been　thus　taken；　they　swear　not　to　attack　another　tiger　except　under　similar　provocation。


The　Indians　of　Carolina　would　not　molest　snakes　when　they　came　upon　them；　but　would　pass　by　on　the　other　side　of　the　path；　believing　that　if　they　were　to　kill　a　serpent；　the　reptile's　kindred　would　destroy　some　of　their　brethren；　friends；　or　relations　in　return。　So　the　Seminole　Indians　spared　the　rattlesnake；　because　they　feared　that　the　soul　of　the　dead　rattlesnake　would　incite　its　kinsfolk　to　take　vengeance。　The　Cherokee　regard　the　rattlesnake　as　the　chief　of　the　snake　tribe　and　fear　and　respect　him　accordingly。　Few　Cherokee　will　venture　to　kill　a　rattlesnake；　unless　they　cannot　help　it；　and　even　then　they　must　atone　for　the　crime　by　craving　pardon　of　the　snake's　ghost　either　in　their　own　person　or　through　the　mediation　of　a　priest；　according　to　a　set　formula。　If　these　precautions　are　neglected；　the　kinsfolk　of　the　dead　snake　will　send　one　of　their　number　as　an　avenger　of　blood；　who　will　track　down　the　murderer　and　sting　him　to　death。　No　ordinary　Cherokee　dares　to　kill　a　wolf；　if　he　can　possibly　help　it；　for　he　believes　that　the　kindred　of　the　slain　beast　would　surely　avenge　its　death；　and　that　the　weapon　with　which　the　deed　had　been　done　would　be　quite　useless　for　the　future；　unless　it　were　cleaned　and　exorcised　by　a　medicine…man。　However；　certain　persons　who　know　the　proper　rites　of　atonement　for　such　a　crime　can　kill　wolves　with　impunity；　and　they　are　sometimes　hired　to　do　so　by　people　who　have　suffered　from　the　raids　of　the　wolves　on　their　cattle　or　fish…traps。　In　Jebel…Nuba；　a　district　of　the　Eastern　Sudan；　it　is　forbidden　to　touch　the　nests　or　remove　the　young　of　a　species　of　black　birds；　resembling　our　blackbirds；　because　the　people　believe　that　the　parent　birds　would　avenge　the　wrong　by　causing　a　stormy　wind　to　blow；　which　would　destroy　the　harvest。

But　the　savage　clearly　cannot　afford　to　spare　all　animals。　He　must　either　eat　some　of　them　or　starve；　and　when　the　question　thus　comes　to　be　whether　he　or　the　animal　must　perish；　he　is　forced　to　overcome　his　superstitious　scruples　and　take　the　life　of　the　beast。　At　the　same　time　he　does　all　he　can　to　appease　his　victims　and　their　kinsfolk。　Even　in　the　act　of　killing　them　he　testifies　his　respect　for　them；　endeavours　to　excuse　or　even　conceal　his　share　in　procuring　their　death；　and　promises　that　their　remains　will　be　honourably　treated。　By　thus　robbing　death　of　its　terrors；　he　hopes　to　reconcile　his　victims　to　their　fate　and　to　induce　their　fellows　to　come　and　be　killed　also。　For　example；　it　was　a　principle　with　the　Kamtchatkans　never　to　kill　a　land　or　sea　animal　without　first　making　excuses　to　it　and　begging　that　the　animal　would　not　take　it　ill。　Also　they　offered　it　cedarnuts　and　so　forth；　to　make　it　think　that　it　was　not　a　victim　but　a　guest　at　a　feast。　They　believed　that　this　hindered　other　animals　of　the　same　species　from　growing　shy。　For　instance；　after　they　had　killed　a　bear　and　feasted　on　its　flesh；　the　host　would　bring　the　bear's　head　before　the　company；　wrap　it　in　grass；　and　present　it　with　a　variety　of　trifles。　Then　he　would　lay　the　blame　of　the　bear's　death　on　the　Russians；　and　bid　the　beast　wreak　his　wrath　upon　them。　Also　he　would　ask　the　bear　to　inform　the　other　bears　how　well　he　had　been　treated；　that　they　too　might　come　without　fear。　Seals；　sea…lions；　and　other　animals　were　treated　by　the　Kamtchatkans　with　the　same　ceremonious　respect。　Moreover；　they　used　to　insert　sprigs　of　a　plant　resembling　bear's　wort　in　the　mouths　of　the　animals　they　killed；　after　which　they　would　exhort　the　grinning　skulls　to　have　no　fear　but　to　go　and　tell　it　to　their　fellows；　that　they　also　might　come　and　be　caught　and　so　partake　of　this　splendid　hospitality。　When　the　Ostiaks　have　hunted　and　killed　a　bear；　they　cut　off　its　head　and　hang　it　on　a　tree。　Then　they　gather　round　in　a　circle　and　pay　it　divine　honours。　Next　they　run　towards　the　carcase　uttering　lamentations　and　saying；　Who　killed　you？　It　was　the　Russians。　Who　cut　off　your　head？　It　was　a　Russian　axe。　Who　skinned　you？　It　was　a　knife　made　by　a　Russian。　They　explain；　too；　that　the　feathers　which　sped　the　arrow　on　its　flight　came　from　the　wing　of　a　strange　bird；　and　that　they　did　nothing　but　let　the　arrow　go。　They　do　all　this　because　they　believe　that　the　wandering　ghost　of　the　slain　bear　would　attack　them　on　the　first　opportunity；　if　they　did　not　thus　appease　it。　Or　they　stuff　the　skin　of　the　slain　bear　with　hay；　and　after　celebrating　their　victory　with　songs　of　mockery　and　insult；　after　spitting　on　and　kicking　it；　they　set　it　up　on　its　hind　legs；　and　then；　for　a　considerable　time；　they　bestow　on　it　all　the　veneration　due　to　a　guardian　god。　When　a　party　of　Koryak　have　killed　a　bear　or　a　wolf；　they　skin　the　beast　and　dress　one　of　themselves　in　the　skin。　Then　they　dance　round　the　skin…clad　man；　saying　that　it　was　not　they　who　killed　the　animal；　but　some　one　else；　generally　a　Russian。　When　they　kill　a　fox　they　skin　it；　wrap　the　body　in　grass；　and　bid　him　go　tell　his　companions　how　hospitably　he　has　been　received；　and　how　he　has　received　a　new　cloak　instead　of　his　old　one。　A　fuller　account　of　the　Koryak　ceremonies　is　given　by　a　more　recent　writer。　He　tells　us　that　when　a　dead　bear　is　brought　to　the　house；　the　women　come　out　to　meet　it；　dancing　with　firebrands。　The　bear…skin　is　taken　off　along　with