the golden bough-第38部分

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In　Corea　the　souls　of　people　who　die　of　the　plague　or　by　the　roadside；　and　of　women　who　expire　in　childbirth；　invariably　take　up　their　abode　in　trees。　To　such　spirits　offerings　of　cake；　wine；　and　pork　are　made　on　heaps　of　stones　piled　under　the　trees。　In　China　it　has　been　customary　from　time　immemorial　to　plant　trees　on　graves　in　order　thereby　to　strengthen　the　soul　of　the　deceased　and　thus　to　save　his　body　from　corruption；　and　as　the　evergreen　cypress　and　pine　are　deemed　to　be　fuller　of　vitality　than　other　trees；　they　have　been　chosen　by　preference　for　this　purpose。　Hence　the　trees　that　grow　on　graves　are　sometimes　identified　with　the　souls　of　the　departed。　Among　the　Miao…Kia；　an　aboriginal　race　of　Southern　and　Western　China；　a　sacred　tree　stands　at　the　entrance　of　every　village；　and　the　inhabitants　believe　that　it　is　tenanted　by　the　soul　of　their　first　ancestor　and　that　it　rules　their　destiny。　Sometimes　there　is　a　sacred　grove　near　a　village；　where　the　trees　are　suffered　to　rot　and　die　on　the　spot。　Their　fallen　branches　cumber　the　ground；　and　no　one　may　remove　them　unless　he　has　first　asked　leave　of　the　spirit　of　the　tree　and　offered　him　a　sacrifice。　Among　the　Maraves　of　Southern　Africa　the　burial…ground　is　always　regarded　as　a　holy　place　where　neither　a　tree　may　be　felled　nor　a　beast　killed；　because　everything　there　is　supposed　to　be　tenanted　by　the　souls　of　the　dead。

In　most；　if　not　all；　of　these　cases　the　spirit　is　viewed　as　incorporate　in　the　tree；　it　animates　the　tree　and　must　suffer　and　die　with　it。　But；　according　to　another　and　probably　later　opinion；　the　tree　is　not　the　body；　but　merely　the　abode　of　the　tree…spirit；　which　can　quit　it　and　return　to　it　at　pleasure。　The　inhabitants　of　Siaoo；　an　East　Indian　island；　believe　in　certain　sylvan　spirits　who　dwell　in　forests　or　in　great　solitary　trees。　At　full　moon　the　spirit　comes　forth　from　his　lurking…place　and　roams　about。　He　has　a　big　head；　very　long　arms　and　legs；　and　a　ponderous　body。　In　order　to　propitiate　the　wood…spirits　people　bring　offerings　of　food；　fowls；　goats；　and　so　forth　to　the　places　which　they　are　supposed　to　haunt。　The　people　of　Nias　think　that；　when　a　tree　dies；　its　liberated　spirit　becomes　a　demon；　which　can　kill　a　coco…nut　palm　by　merely　lighting　on　its　branches；　and　can　cause　the　death　of　all　the　children　in　a　house　by　perching　on　one　of　the　posts　that　support　it。　Further；　they　are　of　opinion　that　certain　trees　are　at　all　times　inhabited　by　roving　demons　who；　if　the　trees　were　damaged；　would　be　set　free　to　go　about　on　errands　of　mischief。　Hence　the　people　respect　these　trees；　and　are　careful　not　to　cut　them　down。

Not　a　few　ceremonies　observed　at　cutting　down　haunted　trees　are　based　on　the　belief　that　the　spirits　have　it　in　their　power　to　quit　the　trees　at　pleasure　or　in　case　of　need。　Thus　when　the　Pelew　Islanders　are　felling　a　tree；　they　conjure　the　spirit　of　the　tree　to　leave　it　and　settle　on　another。　The　wily　negro　of　the　Slave　Coast；　who　wishes　to　fell　an　ashorin　tree；　but　knows　that　he　cannot　do　it　so　long　as　the　spirit　remains　in　the　tree；　places　a　little　palm…oil　on　the　ground　as　a　bait；　and　then；　when　the　unsuspecting　spirit　has　quitted　the　tree　to　partake　of　this　dainty；　hastens　to　cut　down　its　late　abode。　When　the　Toboongkoos　of　Celebes　are　about　to　clear　a　piece　of　forest　in　order　to　plant　rice；　they　build　a　tiny　house　and　furnish　it　with　tiny　clothes　and　some　food　and　gold。　Then　they　call　together　all　the　spirits　of　the　wood；　offer　them　the　little　house　with　its　contents；　and　beseech　them　to　quit　the　spot。　After　that　they　may　safely　cut　down　the　wood　without　fearing　to　wound　themselves　in　so　doing。　Before　the　Tomori；　another　tribe　of　Celebes；　fell　a　tall　tree　they　lay　a　quid　of　betel　at　its　foot；　and　invite　the　spirit　who　dwells　in　the　tree　to　change　his　lodging；　moreover；　they　set　a　little　ladder　against　the　trunk　to　enable　him　to　descend　with　safety　and　comfort。　The　Mandelings　of　Sumatra　endeavour　to　lay　the　blame　of　all　such　misdeeds　at　the　door　of　the　Dutch　authorities。　Thus　when　a　man　is　cutting　a　road　through　a　forest　and　has　to　fell　a　tall　tree　which　blocks　the　way；　he　will　not　begin　to　ply　his　axe　until　he　has　said：　Spirit　who　lodgest　in　this　tree；　take　it　not　ill　that　I　cut　down　thy　dwelling；　for　it　is　done　at　no　wish　of　mine　but　by　order　of　the　Controller。　And　when　he　wishes　to　clear　a　piece　of　forest…land　for　cultivation；　it　is　necessary　that　he　should　come　to　a　satisfactory　understanding　with　the　woodland　spirits　who　live　there　before　he　lays　low　their　leafy　dwellings。　For　this　purpose　he　goes　to　the　middle　of　the　plot　of　ground；　stoops　down；　and　pretends　to　pick　up　a　letter。　Then　unfolding　a　bit　of　paper　he　reads　aloud　an　imaginary　letter　from　the　Dutch　Government；　in　which　he　is　strictly　enjoined　to　set　about　clearing　the　land　without　delay。　Having　done　so；　he　says：　You　hear　that；　spirits。　I　must　begin　clearing　at　once；　or　I　shall　be　hanged。

Even　when　a　tree　has　been　felled；　sawn　into　planks；　and　used　to　build　a　house；　it　is　possible　that　the　woodland　spirit　may　still　be　lurking　in　the　timber；　and　accordingly　some　people　seek　to　propitiate　him　before　or　after　they　occupy　the　new　house。　Hence；　when　a　new　dwelling　is　ready　the　Toradjas　of　Celebes　kill　a　goat；　a　pig；　or　a　buffalo；　and　smear　all　the　woodwork　with　its　blood。　If　the　building　is　a　lobo　or　spirit…house；　a　fowl　or　a　dog　is　killed　on　the　ridge　of　the　roof；　and　its　blood　allowed　to　flow　down　on　both　sides。　The　ruder　Tonapoo　in　such　a　case　sacrifice　a　human　being　on　the　roof。　This　sacrifice　on　the　roof　of　a　lobo　or　temple　serves　the　same　purpose　as　the　smearing　of　blood　on　the　woodwork　of　an　ordinary　house。　The　intention　is　to　propitiate　the　forest…spirits　who　may　still　be　in　the　timber；　they　are　thus　put　in　good　humour　and　will　do　the　inmates　of　the　house　no　harm。　For　a　like　reason　people　in　Celebes　and　the　Moluccas　are　much　afraid　of　planting　a　post　upside　down　at　the　building　of　a　house；　for　the　forest…spirit；　who　might　still　be　in　the　timber；　would　very　naturally　resent　the　indignity　and　visit　the　inmates　with　sickness。　The　Kayans　of　Borneo　are　of　opinion　that　tree…spirits　stand　very　stiffly　on　the　point　of　honour　and　visit　men　with　their　displeasure　for　any　injury　done　to　them。　Hence　after　building　a　house；　whereby　they　have　been　forced　to　ill…treat　many　trees；　these　people　observe　a　period　of　penance　for　a　year　during　which　they　must　abstain　from　many　things；　such　as　the　killing　of　bears；　tiger…cats；　and　serpents。

2。　Beneficent　Powers　of　Tree…Spirits

WHEN　a　tree　comes　to　be　viewed；　no　longer　as　the　body　of　the　tree…spirit；　but　simply　as　its　abode　which　it　can　quit　at　pleasure；　an　important　advance　has　been　made　in　religious　thought。　Animism　is　passing　into　polytheism。　In　other　words；　instead　of　regarding　each　tree　as　a　living　and　conscious　being；　man　now　sees　in　it　merely　a　lifeless；　inert　mass；　tenanted　for　a　longer　or　shorter　time　by　a　supernatural　being　who；　as　he　can　pass　freely　from　tree　to　tree；　thereby　enjoys　a　certain　right　of　possession　or　lordship　over　the　trees；　and；　ceasing　to　be　a　tree…soul；　becomes　a　forest　god。　As　soon　as　the　tree…spirit　is　thus　in　a　measure　disengaged　from　each　particular　tree；　he　begins　to　change　his　shape　and　assume　the　body　of　a　man；　in　virtue　of　a　general　tendency　of　early　thought　to　clothe　all　abstract　spiritual　beings　in　concrete　human　form。　Hence　in　classical　art　the　sylvan　deities　are　depicted　in　human　shape；　their　woodland　character　being　denoted　by　a　branch　or　some　equally　obvious　symbol。　But　this　change　of　shape　does　not　affect　the　essential　character　of　the　tree…spirit。　The　powers　which　he　exercised　as　a　tree…soul　incorporate　in　a　tree；　he　still　continues　to　wield　as　a　god　of　trees。　This　I　shall　now　attempt　to　prove　in　detail。　I　shall　show；　first；　that　trees　considered　as　animate　beings　are　credited　with　the　power　of　making　the　rain　to　fall；　the　sun　to　shine；　flocks　and　herds　to　multiply；　and　women　to　bring　forth　easily；　and；　second；　that　the　very　same　powers　are　attributed　to　tree…gods　conceived　as　anthropomorphic　beings　or　as　actually　incarnate　in　living　men。

First；　then；　trees　or　tree…spirits　are　believed　to　give　rain　and　sunshine。　When　the　missionary　Jerome　of　Prague　was　persuading　the　heathen　Lithuanians　to　fell　their　sacred　groves；　a　multitude　of　women　besought　the　Prince　of　Lithuania　to　stop　him；　saying　that　with　the　woods　he　was　destroying　the　house　of　god　from　which　they　had　been　wont　to　get　rain　and　sunshine。　The　Mundaris　in　Assam　think　that　if　a　tree　in　the　sacred　grove　is　felled　the　sylvan　gods　evince　their　displeasure　by　withholding　rain。　In　order　to　procure　rain　the　inhabitants　of　Monyo；　a　village　in　the　Sagaing　district　of　Upper　Burma；　chose　the　largest　tamarind…tree　near　the　village　and　named　it　the　haunt　of　the　spirit　（nat）　who　controls　the　rain。　Then　they　offered　bread；　coco…nuts；　plantains；　and　fowls　to　the　guardian　spirit　of　the　village　and　to　the　spirit　who　gives　rain；　and　they　prayed；　O　Lord　nat　have　pity　on　us　poor　mortals；　and　stay　not　the　rain。　Inasmuch　as　our　offering　is　given　ungrudgingly；　let　the　rain　fall　day　and　night。　Afterwards　libations　were　made　in　honour　of　the　spirit　of　the　tamarind…tree；　and　still　later　three　elderly　women；　dressed　in　fine　clothes　and　wearing　necklaces　and　earrings；　sang　the　Rain　Song。

Again；　tree…spirits　make　the　crops　to　grow。　Amongst　the　Mundaris　every　village　has　its　sacred　grove；　and　the　grove　deities　are　held　responsible　for　the　crops；　and　are　especially　honoured　at　all　the　great　agricultural　festivals。　The　negroes　of　the　Gold　Coast　are　in　the　habit　of　sacrificing　at　the　foot　of　certain　tall　trees；　and　they　think　that　if　one　of　these　were　felled　all　the　fruits　of　the　earth　would　perish。　The　Gallas　dance　in　couples　round　sacred　trees；　praying　for　a　good　harvest。　Every　couple　consists　of　a　man　and　woman；　who　are　linked　together　by　a　stick；　of　which　each　holds　one　end。　Under　their　arms　they　carry　green　corn　or　grass。　Swedish　peasants　stick　a　leafy　branch　in　each　furrow　of　their　corn…fields；　believing　that　this　will　ensure　an　abundant　crop。　The　same　idea　comes　out　in　the　German　and　French　custom　of　the　Harvest…May。　This　is　a　large　branch　or　a　whole　tree；　which　is　decked　with　ears　of　corn；　brought　home　on　the　last　waggon　from　the　harvest…field；　and　fastened　on　t