the golden bough-第70部分

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the　instances　of　it　which　have　been　cited　render　it　probable　that　the　rule　is　always　based　on　a　superstition　rather　than　on　a　consideration　of　the　temporary　weakness　which　a　breach　of　the　custom　may　entail　on　the　hunter　or　fisherman。　In　general　it　appears　to　be　supposed　that　the　evil　effect　of　incontinence　is　not　so　much　that　it　weakens　him；　as　that；　for　some　reason　or　other；　it　offends　the　animals；　who　in　consequence　will　not　suffer　themselves　to　be　caught。　A　Carrier　Indian　of　British　Columbia　used　to　separate　from　his　wife　for　a　full　month　before　he　set　traps　for　bears；　and　during　this　time　he　might　not　drink　from　the　same　vessel　as　his　wife；　but　had　to　use　a　special　cup　made　of　birch　bark。　The　neglect　of　these　precautions　would　cause　the　game　to　escape　after　it　had　been　snared。　But　when　he　was　about　to　snare　martens；　the　period　of　continence　was　cut　down　to　ten　days。

An　examination　of　all　the　many　cases　in　which　the　savage　bridles　his　passions　and　remains　chaste　from　motives　of　superstition；　would　be　instructive；　but　I　cannot　attempt　it　now。　I　will　only　add　a　few　miscellaneous　examples　of　the　custom　before　passing　to　the　ceremonies　of　purification　which　are　observed　by　the　hunter　and　fisherman　after　the　chase　and　the　fishing　are　over。　The　workers　in　the　salt…pans　near　Siphoum；　in　Laos；　must　abstain　from　all　sexual　relations　at　the　place　where　they　are　at　work；　and　they　may　not　cover　their　heads　nor　shelter　themselves　under　an　umbrella　from　the　burning　rays　of　the　sun。　Among　the　Kachins　of　Burma　the　ferment　used　in　making　beer　is　prepared　by　two　women；　chosen　by　lot；　who　during　the　three　days　that　the　process　lasts　may　eat　nothing　acid　and　may　have　no　conjugal　relations　with　their　husbands；　otherwise　it　is　supposed　that　the　beer　would　be　sour。　Among　the　Masai　honey…wine　is　brewed　by　a　man　and　a　woman　who　live　in　a　hut　set　apart　for　them　till　the　wine　is　ready　for　drinking。　But　they　are　strictly　forbidden　to　have　sexual　intercourse　with　each　other　during　this　time；　it　is　deemed　essential　that　they　should　be　chaste　for　two　days　before　they　begin　to　brew　and　for　the　whole　of　the　six　days　that　the　brewing　lasts。　The　Masai　believe　that　were　the　couple　to　commit　a　breach　of　chastity；　not　only　would　the　wine　be　undrinkable　but　the　bees　which　made　the　honey　would　fly　away。　Similarly　they　require　that　a　man　who　is　making　poison　should　sleep　alone　and　observe　other　taboos　which　render　him　almost　an　outcast。　The　Wandorobbo；　a　tribe　of　the　same　region　as　the　Masai；　believe　that　the　mere　presence　of　a　woman　in　the　neighbourhood　of　a　man　who　is　brewing　poison　would　deprive　the　poison　of　its　venom；　and　that　the　same　thing　would　happen　if　the　wife　of　the　poison…maker　were　to　commit　adultery　while　her　husband　was　brewing　the　poison。　In　this　last　case　it　is　obvious　that　a　rationalistic　explanation　of　the　taboo　is　impossible。　How　could　the　loss　of　virtue　in　the　poison　be　a　physical　consequence　of　the　loss　of　virtue　in　the　poison…maker's　wife？　Clearly　the　effect　which　the　wife's　adultery　is　supposed　to　have　on　the　poison　is　a　case　of　sympathetic　magic；　her　misconduct　sympathetically　affects　her　husband　and　his　work　at　a　distance。　We　may；　accordingly；　infer　with　some　confidence　that　the　rule　of　continence　imposed　on　the　poison…maker　himself　is　also　a　simple　case　of　sympathetic　magic；　and　not；　as　a　civilised　reader　might　be　disposed　to　conjecture；　a　wise　precaution　designed　to　prevent　him　from　accidentally　poisoning　his　wife。

Among　the　Ba…Pedi　and　Ba…Thonga　tribes　of　South　Africa；　when　the　site　of　a　new　village　has　been　chosen　and　the　houses　are　building；　all　the　married　people　are　forbidden　to　have　conjugal　relations　with　each　other。　If　it　were　discovered　that　any　couple　had　broken　this　rule；　the　work　of　building　would　immediately　be　stopped；　and　another　site　chosen　for　the　village。　For　they　think　that　a　breach　of　chastity　would　spoil　the　village　which　was　growing　up；　that　the　chief　would　grow　lean　and　perhaps　die；　and　that　the　guilty　woman　would　never　bear　another　child。　Among　the　Chams　of　Cochin…China；　when　a　dam　is　made　or　repaired　on　a　river　for　the　sake　of　irrigation；　the　chief　who　offers　the　traditional　sacrifices　and　implores　the　protection　of　the　deities　on　the　work　has　to　stay　all　the　time　in　a　wretched　hovel　of　straw；　taking　no　part　in　the　labour；　and　observing　the　strictest　continence；　for　the　people　believe　that　a　breach　of　his　chastity　would　entail　a　breach　of　the　dam。　Here；　it　is　plain；　there　can　be　no　idea　of　maintaining　the　mere　bodily　vigour　of　the　chief　for　the　accomplishment　of　a　task　in　which　he　does　not　even　bear　a　hand。

If　the　taboos　or　abstinences　observed　by　hunters　and　fishermen　before　and　during　the　chase　are　dictated；　as　we　have　seen　reason　to　believe；　by　superstitious　motives；　and　chiefly　by　a　dread　of　offending　or　frightening　the　spirits　of　the　creatures　whom　it　is　proposed　to　kill；　we　may　expect　that　the　restraints　imposed　after　the　slaughter　has　been　perpetrated　will　be　at　least　as　stringent；　the　slayer　and　his　friends　having　now　the　added　fear　of　the　angry　ghosts　of　his　victims　before　their　eyes。　Whereas　on　the　hypothesis　that　the　abstinences　in　question；　including　those　from　food；　drink；　and　sleep；　are　merely　salutary　precautions　for　maintaining　the　men　in　health　and　strength　to　do　their　work；　it　is　obvious　that　the　observance　of　these　abstinences　or　taboos　after　the　work　is　done；　that　is；　when　the　game　is　killed　and　the　fish　caught；　must　be　wholly　superfluous；　absurd；　and　inexplicable。　But　as　I　shall　now　show；　these　taboos　often　continue　to　be　enforced　or　even　increased　in　stringency　after　the　death　of　the　animals；　in　other　words；　after　the　hunter　or　fisher　has　accomplished　his　object　by　making　his　bag　or　landing　his　fish。　The　rationalistic　theory　of　them　therefore　breaks　down　entirely；　the　hypothesis　of　superstition　is　clearly　the　only　one　open　to　us。

Among　the　Inuit　or　Esquimaux　of　Bering　Strait　the　dead　bodies　of　various　animals　must　be　treated　very　carefully　by　the　hunter　who　obtains　them；　so　that　their　shades　may　not　be　offended　and　bring　bad　luck　or　even　death　upon　him　or　his　people。　Hence　the　Unalit　hunter　who　has　had　a　hand　in　the　killing　of　a　white　whale；　or　even　has　helped　to　take　one　from　the　net；　is　not　allowed　to　do　any　work　for　the　next　four　days；　that　being　the　time　during　which　the　shade　or　ghost　of　the　whale　is　supposed　to　stay　with　its　body。　At　the　same　time　no　one　in　the　village　may　use　any　sharp　or　pointed　instrument　for　fear　of　wounding　the　whale's　shade；　which　is　believed　to　be　hovering　invisible　in　the　neighbourhood；　and　no　loud　noise　may　be　made　lest　it　should　frighten　or　offend　the　ghost。　Whoever　cuts　a　whale's　body　with　an　iron　axe　will　die。　Indeed　the　use　of　all　iron　instruments　is　forbidden　in　the　village　during　these　four　days。

These　same　Esquimaux　celebrate　a　great　annual　festival　in　December　when　the　bladders　of　all　the　seals；　whales；　walrus；　and　white　bears　that　have　been　killed　in　the　year　are　taken　into　the　assembly…house　of　the　village。　They　remain　there　for　several　days；　and　so　long　as　they　do　so　the　hunters　avoid　all　intercourse　with　women；　saying　that　if　they　failed　in　that　respect　the　shades　of　the　dead　animals　would　be　offended。　Similarly　among　the　Aleuts　of　Alaska　the　hunter　who　had　struck　a　whale　with　a　charmed　spear　would　not　throw　again；　but　returned　at　once　to　his　home　and　separated　himself　from　his　people　in　a　hut　specially　constructed　for　the　purpose；　where　he　stayed　for　three　days　without　food　or　drink；　and　without　touching　or　looking　upon　a　woman。　During　this　time　of　seclusion　he　snorted　occasionally　in　imitation　of　the　wounded　and　dying　whale；　in　order　to　prevent　the　whale　which　he　had　struck　from　leaving　the　coast。　On　the　fourth　day　he　emerged　from　his　seclusion　and　bathed　in　the　sea；　shrieking　in　a　hoarse　voice　and　beating　the　water　with　his　hands。　Then；　taking　with　him　a　companion；　he　repaired　to　that　part　of　the　shore　where　he　expected　to　find　the　whale　stranded。　If　the　beast　was　dead；　he　at　once　cut　out　the　place　where　the　death…wound　had　been　inflicted。　If　the　whale　was　not　dead；　he　again　returned　to　his　home　and　continued　washing　himself　until　the　whale　died。　Here　the　hunter's　imitation　of　the　wounded　whale　is　probably　intended　by　means　of　homoeopathic　magic　to　make　the　beast　die　in　earnest。　Once　more　the　soul　of　the　grim　polar　bear　is　offended　if　the　taboos　which　concern　him　are　not　observed。　His　soul　tarries　for　three　days　near　the　spot　where　it　left　his　body；　and　during　these　days　the　Esquimaux　are　particularly　careful　to　conform　rigidly　to　the　laws　of　taboo；　because　they　believe　that　punishment　overtakes　the　transgressor　who　sins　against　the　soul　of　a　bear　far　more　speedily　than　him　who　sins　against　the　souls　of　the　sea…beasts。

When　the　Kayans　have　shot　one　of　the　dreaded　Bornean　panthers；　they　are　very　anxious　about　the　safety　of　their　souls；　for　they　think　that　the　soul　of　a　panther　is　almost　more　powerful　than　their　own。　Hence　they　step　eight　times　over　the　carcase　of　the　dead　beast　reciting　the　spell；　Panther；　thy　soul　under　my　soul。　On　returning　home　they　smear　themselves；　their　dogs；　and　their　weapons　with　the　blood　of　fowls　in　order　to　calm　their　souls　and　hinder　them　from　fleeing　away；　for；　being　themselves　fond　of　the　flesh　of　fowls；　they　ascribe　the　same　taste　to　their　souls。　For　eight　days　afterwards　they　must　bathe　by　day　and　by　night　before　going　out　again　to　the　chase。　Among　the　Hottentots；　when　a　man　has　killed　a　lion；　leopard；　elephant；　or　rhinoceros；　he　is　esteemed　a　great　hero；　but　he　has　to　remain　at　home　quite　idle　for　three　days；　during　which　his　wife　may　not　come　near　him；　she　is　also　enjoined　to　restrict　herself　to　a　poor　diet　and　to　eat　no　more　than　is　barely　necessary　to　keep　her　in　health。　Similarly　the　Lapps　deem　it　the　height　of　glory　to　kill　a　bear；　which　they　consider　the　king　of　beasts。　Nevertheless；　all　the　men　who　take　part　in　the　slaughter　are　regarded　as　unclean；　and　must　live　by　themselves　for　three　days　in　a　hut　or　tent　made　specially　for　them；　where　they　cut　up　and　cook　the　bear's　carcase。　The　reindeer　which　brought　in　the　carcase　on　a　sledge　may　not　be　driven　by　a　woman　for　a　whole　year；　indeed；　according　to　one　account；　it　may　not　be　used　by　anybody　for　that　period。　Before　the　men　go　into　the　tent　where　they　ar