the golden bough-第94部分

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ably　increased。　This　I　shall　attempt　to　do　in　the　sequel；　and　in　the　course　of　the　discussion　I　hope　to　clear　up　some　obscurities　which　still　remain；　and　to　answer　some　objections　which　may　have　suggested　themselves　to　the　reader。

We　start　from　the　point　at　which　we　left　offthe　spring　customs　of　European　peasantry。　Besides　the　ceremonies　already　described　there　are　two　kindred　sets　of　observances　in　which　the　simulated　death　of　a　divine　or　supernatural　being　is　a　conspicuous　feature。　In　one　of　them　the　being　whose　death　is　dramatically　represented　is　a　personification　of　the　Carnival；　in　the　other　it　is　Death　himself。　The　former　ceremony　falls　naturally　at　the　end　of　the　Carnival；　either　on　the　last　day　of　that　merry　season；　namely　Shrove　Tuesday；　or　on　the　first　day　of　Lent；　namely　Ash　Wednesday。　The　date　of　the　other　ceremonythe　Carrying　or　Driving　out　of　Death；　as　it　is　commonly　calledis　not　so　uniformly　fixed。　Generally　it　is　the　fourth　Sunday　in　Lent；　which　hence　goes　by　the　name　of　Dead　Sunday；　but　in　some　places　the　celebration　falls　a　week　earlier；　in　others；　as　among　the　Czechs　of　Bohemia；　a　week　later；　while　in　certain　German　villages　of　Moravia　it　is　held　on　the　first　Sunday　after　Easter。　Perhaps；　as　has　been　suggested；　the　date　may　originally　have　been　variable；　depending　on　the　appearance　of　the　first　swallow　or　some　other　herald　of　the　spring。　Some　writers　regard　the　ceremony　as　Slavonic　in　its　origin。　Grimm　thought　it　was　a　festival　of　the　New　Year　with　the　old　Slavs；　who　began　their　year　in　March。　We　shall　first　take　examples；　of　the　mimic　death　of　the　Carnival；　which　always　falls　before　the　other　in　the　calendar。

At　Frosinone；　in　Latium；　about　half…way　between　Rome　and　Naples；　the　dull　monotony　of　life　in　a　provincial　Italian　town　is　agreeably　broken　on　the　last　day　of　the　Carnival　by　the　ancient　festival　known　as　the　Radica。　About　four　o'clock　in　the　afternoon　the　town　band；　playing　lively　tunes　and　followed　by　a　great　crowd；　proceeds　to　the　Piazza　del　Plebiscito；　where　is　the　Sub…Prefecture　as　well　as　the　rest　of　the　Government　buildings。　Here；　in　the　middle　of　the　square；　the　eyes　of　the　expectant　multitude　are　greeted　by　the　sight　of　an　immense　car　decked　with　many…coloured　festoons　and　drawn　by　four　horses。　Mounted　on　the　car　is　a　huge　chair；　on　which　sits　enthroned　the　majestic　figure　of　the　Carnival；　a　man　of　stucco　about　nine　feet　high　with　a　rubicund　and　smiling　countenance。　Enormous　boots；　a　tin　helmet　like　those　which　grace　the　heads　of　officers　of　the　Italian　marine；　and　a　coat　of　many　colours　embellished　with　strange　devices；　adorn　the　outward　man　of　this　stately　personage。　His　left　hand　rests　on　the　arm　of　the　chair；　while　with　his　right　he　gracefully　salutes　the　crowd；　being　moved　to　this　act　of　civility　by　a　string　which　is　pulled　by　a　man　who　modestly　shrinks　from　publicity　under　the　mercy…seat。　And　now　the　crowd；　surging　excitedly　round　the　car；　gives　vent　to　its　feelings　in　wild　cries　of　joy；　gentle　and　simple　being　mixed　up　together　and　all　dancing　furiously　the　Saltarello。　A　special　feature　of　the　festival　is　that　every　one　must　carry　in　his　hand　what　is　called　a　radica　（　root）；　by　which　is　meant　a　huge　leaf　of　the　aloe　or　rather　the　agave。　Any　one　who　ventured　into　the　crowd　without　such　a　leaf　would　be　unceremoniously　hustled　out　of　it；　unless　indeed　he　bore　as　a　substitute　a　large　cabbage　at　the　end　of　a　long　stick　or　a　bunch　of　grass　curiously　plaited。　When　the　multitude；　after　a　short　turn；　has　escorted　the　slow…moving　car　to　the　gate　of　the　Sub…Prefecture；　they　halt；　and　the　car；　jolting　over　the　uneven　ground；　rumbles　into　the　courtyard。　A　hush　now　falls　on　the　crowd；　their　subdued　voices　sounding；　according　to　the　description　of　one　who　has　heard　them；　like　the　murmur　of　a　troubled　sea。　All　eyes　are　turned　anxiously　to　the　door　from　which　the　Sub…Prefect　himself　and　the　other　representatives　of　the　majesty　of　the　law　are　expected　to　issue　and　pay　their　homage　to　the　hero　of　the　hour。　A　few　moments　of　suspense　and　then　a　storm　of　cheers　and　hand…clapping　salutes　the　appearance　of　the　dignitaries；　as　they　file　out　and；　descending　the　staircase；　take　their　place　in　the　procession。　The　hymn　of　the　Carnival　is　now　thundered　out；　after　which；　amid　a　deafening　roar；　aloe　leaves　and　cabbages　are　whirled　aloft　and　descend　impartially　on　the　heads　of　the　just　and　the　unjust；　who　lend　fresh　zest　to　the　proceedings　by　engaging　in　a　free　fight。　When　these　preliminaries　have　been　concluded　to　the　satisfaction　of　all　concerned；　the　procession　gets　under　weigh。　The　rear　is　brought　up　by　a　cart　laden　with　barrels　of　wine　and　policemen；　the　latter　engaged　in　the　congenial　task　of　serving　out　wine　to　all　who　ask　for　it；　while　a　most　internecine　struggle；　accompanied　by　a　copious　discharge　of　yells；　blows；　and　blasphemy；　goes　on　among　the　surging　crowd　at　the　cart's　tail　in　their　anxiety　not　to　miss　the　glorious　opportunity　of　intoxicating　themselves　at　the　public　expense。　Finally；　after　the　procession　has　paraded　the　principal　streets　in　this　majestic　manner；　the　effigy　of　Carnival　is　taken　to　the　middle　of　a　public　square；　stripped　of　his　finery；　laid　on　a　pile　of　wood；　and　burnt　amid　the　cries　of　the　multitude；　who　thundering　out　once　more　the　song　of　the　Carnival　fling　their　so…called　roots　on　the　pyre　and　give　themselves　up　without　restraint　to　the　pleasures　of　the　dance。

In　the　Abruzzi　a　pasteboard　figure　of　the　Carnival　is　carried　by　four　grave…diggers　with　pipes　in　their　mouths　and　bottles　of　wine　slung　at　their　shoulder…belts。　In　front　walks　the　wife　of　the　Carnival；　dressed　in　mourning　and　dissolved　in　tears。　From　time　to　time　the　company　halts；　and　while　the　wife　addresses　the　sympathising　public；　the　grave…diggers　refresh　the　inner　man　with　a　pull　at　the　bottle。　In　the　open　square　the　mimic　corpse　is　laid　on　a　pyre；　and　to　the　roll　of　drums；　the　shrill　screams　of　the　women；　and　the　gruffer　cries　of　the　men　a　light　is　set　to　it。　While　the　figure　burns；　chestnuts　are　thrown　about　among　the　crowd。　Sometimes　the　Carnival　is　represented　by　a　straw…man　at　the　top　of　a　pole　which　is　borne　through　the　town　by　a　troop　of　mummers　in　the　course　of　the　afternoon。　When　evening　comes　on；　four　of　the　mummers　hold　out　a　quilt　or　sheet　by　the　corners；　and　the　figure　of　the　Carnival　is　made　to　tumble　into　it。　The　procession　is　then　resumed；　the　performers　weeping　crocodile　tears　and　emphasising　the　poignancy　of　their　grief　by　the　help　of　saucepans　and　dinner　bells。　Sometimes；　again；　in　the　Abruzzi　the　dead　Carnival　is　personified　by　a　living　man　who　lies　in　a　coffin；　attended　by　another　who　acts　the　priest　and　dispenses　holy　water　in　great　profusion　from　a　bathing　tub。

At　Lerida；　in　Catalonia；　the　funeral　of　the　Carnival　was　witnessed　by　an　English　traveller　in　1877。　On　the　last　Sunday　of　the　Carnival　a　grand　procession　of　infantry；　cavalry；　and　maskers　of　many　sorts；　some　on　horseback　and　some　in　carriages；　escorted　the　grand　car　of　His　Grace　Pau　Pi；　as　the　effigy　was　called；　in　triumph　through　the　principal　streets。　For　three　days　the　revelry　ran　high；　and　then　at　midnight　on　the　last　day　of　the　Carnival　the　same　procession　again　wound　through　the　streets；　but　under　a　different　aspect　and　for　a　different　end。　The　triumphal　car　was　exchanged　for　a　hearse；　in　which　reposed　the　effigy　of　his　dead　Grace：　a　troop　of　maskers；　who　in　the　first　procession　had　played　the　part　of　Students　of　Folly　with　many　a　merry　quip　and　jest；　now；　robed　as　priests　and　bishops；　paced　slowly　along　holding　aloft　huge　lighted　tapers　and　singing　a　dirge。　All　the　mummers　wore　crape；　and　all　the　horsemen　carried　blazing　flambeaux。　Down　the　high　street；　between　the　lofty；　many…storeyed　and　balconied　houses；　where　every　window；　every　balcony；　every　housetop　was　crammed　with　a　dense　mass　of　spectators；　all　dressed　and　masked　in　fantastic　gorgeousness；　the　procession　took　its　melancholy　way。　Over　the　scene　flashed　and　played　the　shifting　cross…lights　and　shadows　from　the　moving　torches：　red　and　blue　Bengal　lights　flared　up　and　died　out　again；　and　above　the　trampling　of　the　horses　and　the　measured　tread　of　the　marching　multitude　rose　the　voices　of　the　priests　chanting　the　requiem；　while　the　military　bands　struck　in　with　the　solemn　roll　of　the　muffled　drums。　On　reaching　the　principal　square　the　procession　halted；　a　burlesque　funeral　oration　was　pronounced　over　the　defunct　Pau　Pi；　and　the　lights　were　extinguished。　Immediately　the　devil　and　his　angels　darted　from　the　crowd；　seized　the　body　and　fled　away　with　it；　hotly　pursued　by　the　whole　multitude；　yelling；　screaming；　and　cheering。　Naturally　the　fiends　were　overtaken　and　dispersed；　and　the　sham　corpse；　rescued　from　their　clutches；　was　laid　in　a　grave　that　had　been　made　ready　for　its　reception。　Thus　the　Carnival　of　1877　at　Lerida　died　and　was　buried。

A　ceremony　of　the　same　sort　is　observed　in　Provence　on　Ash　Wednesday。　An　effigy　called　Caramantran；　whimsically　attired；　is　drawn　in　a　chariot　or　borne　on　a　litter；　accompanied　by　the　populace　in　grotesque　costumes；　who　carry　gourds　full　of　wine　and　drain　them　with　all　the　marks；　real　or　affected；　of　intoxication。　At　the　head　of　the　procession　are　some　men　disguised　as　judges　and　barristers；　and　a　tall　gaunt　personage　who　masquerades　as　Lent；　behind　them　follow　young　people　mounted　on　miserable　hacks　and　attired　as　mourners　who　pretend　to　bewail　the　fate　that　is　in　store　for　Caramantran。　In　the　principal　square　the　procession　halts；　the　tribunal　is　constituted；　and　Caramantran　placed　at　the　bar。　After　a　formal　trial　he　is　sentenced　to　death　amid　the　groans　of　the　mob：　the　barrister　who　defended　him　embraces　his　client　for　the　last　time：　the　officers　of　justice　do　their　duty：　the　condemned　is　set　with　his　back　to　a　wall　and　hurried　into　eternity　under　a　shower　of　stones。　The　sea　or　a　river　receives　his　mangled　remains。　Throughout　nearly　the　whole　of　the　Ardennes　it　was　and　still　is　customary　on　Ash　Wednesday　to　burn　an　effigy　which　is　supposed　to　represent　the　Carnival；　while　appropriate　verses　are　sung　round　about　the　blazing　figure。　Very　often　an　attempt　is　made　to　fashion　the　effigy　in　the　likeness　of　the　husband　who　is　reputed　to　be　least　faithful　to　his　wife　of　any　in　the　village。　As　might　perhaps　have　been　anticipated；　the　distinction　of　bein