the golden bough-第158部分

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Rev。　John　Batchelor；　frankly　describes　as　worship　the　ceremonious　respect　which　the　Aino　pay　to　the　bear；　and　he　affirms　that　the　animal　is　undoubtedly　one　of　their　gods。　Certainly　the　Aino　appear　to　apply　their　name　for　god　（kamui）　freely　to　the　bear；　but；　as　Mr。　Batchelor　himself　points　out；　that　word　is　used　with　many　different　shades　of　meaning　and　is　applied　to　a　great　variety　of　objects；　so　that　from　its　application　to　the　bear　we　cannot　safely　argue　that　the　animal　is　actually　regarded　as　a　deity。　Indeed　we　are　expressly　told　that　the　Aino　of　Saghalien　do　not　consider　the　bear　to　be　a　god　but　only　a　messenger　to　the　gods；　and　the　message　with　which　they　charge　the　animal　at　its　death　bears　out　the　statement。　Apparently　the　Gilyaks　also　look　on　the　bear　in　the　light　of　an　envoy　despatched　with　presents　to　the　Lord　of　the　Mountain；　on　whom　the　welfare　of　the　people　depends。　At　the　same　time　they　treat　the　animal　as　a　being　of　a　higher　order　than　man；　in　fact　as　a　minor　deity；　whose　presence　in　the　village；　so　long　as　he　is　kept　and　fed；　diffuses　blessings；　especially　by　keeping　at　bay　the　swarms　of　evil　spirits　who　are　constantly　lying　in　wait　for　people；　stealing　their　goods　and　destroying　their　bodies　by　sickness　and　disease。　Moreover；　by　partaking　of　the　flesh；　blood；　or　broth　of　the　bear；　the　Gilyaks；　the　Aino；　and　the　Goldi　are　all　of　opinion　that　they　acquire　some　portion　of　the　animal's　mighty　powers；　particularly　his　courage　and　strength。　No　wonder；　therefore；　that　they　should　treat　so　great　a　benefactor　with　marks　of　the　highest　respect　and　affection。

Some　light　may　be　thrown　on　the　ambiguous　attitude　of　the　Aino　to　bears　by　comparing　the　similar　treatment　which　they　accord　to　other　creatures。　For　example；　they　regard　the　eagle…owl　as　a　good　deity　who　by　his　hooting　warns　men　of　threatened　evil　and　defends　them　against　it；　hence　he　is　loved；　trusted；　and　devoutly　worshipped　as　a　divine　mediator　between　men　and　the　Creator。　The　various　names　applied　to　him　are　significant　both　of　his　divinity　and　of　his　mediatorship。　Whenever　an　opportunity　offers；　one　of　these　divine　birds　is　captured　and　kept　in　a　cage；　where　he　is　greeted　with　the　endearing　titles　of　Beloved　god　and　Dear　little　divinity。　Nevertheless　the　time　comes　when　the　dear　little　divinity　is　throttled　and　sent　away　in　his　capacity　of　mediator　to　take　a　message　to　the　superior　gods　or　to　the　Creator　himself。　The　following　is　the　form　of　prayer　addressed　to　the　eagle…owl　when　it　is　about　to　be　sacrificed：　Beloved　deity；　we　have　brought　you　up　because　we　loved　you；　and　now　we　are　about　to　send　you　to　your　father。　We　herewith　offer　you　food；　inao；　wine；　and　cakes；　take　them　to　your　parent；　and　he　will　be　very　pleased。　When　you　come　to　him　say；　'I　have　lived　a　long　time　among　the　Ainu；　where　an　Ainu　father　and　an　Ainu　mother　reared　me。　I　now　come　to　thee。　I　have　brought　a　variety　of　good　things。　I　saw　while　living　in　Ainuland　a　great　deal　of　distress。　I　observed　that　some　of　the　people　were　possessed　by　demons；　some　were　wounded　by　wild　animals；　some　were　hurt　by　landslides；　others　suffered　shipwreck；　and　many　were　attacked　by　disease。　The　people　are　in　great　straits。　My　father；　hear　me；　and　hasten　to　look　upon　the　Ainu　and　help　them。'　If　you　do　this；　your　father　will　help　us。

Again；　the　Aino　keep　eagles　in　cages；　worship　them　as　divinities；　and　ask　them　to　defend　the　people　from　evil。　Yet　they　offer　the　bird　in　sacrifice；　and　when　they　are　about　to　do　so　they　pray　to　him；　saying：　O　precious　divinity；　O　thou　divine　bird；　pray　listen　to　my　words。　Thou　dost　not　belong　to　this　world；　for　thy　home　is　with　the　Creator　and　his　golden　eagles。　This　being　so；　I　present　thee　with　these　inao　and　cakes　and　other　precious　things。　Do　thou　ride　upon　the　inao　and　ascend　to　thy　home　in　the　glorious　heavens。　When　thou　arrivest；　assemble　the　deities　of　thy　own　kind　together　and　thank　them　for　us　for　having　governed　the　world。　Do　thou　come　again；　I　beseech　thee；　and　rule　over　us。　O　my　precious　one；　go　thou　quietly。　Once　more；　the　Aino　revere　hawks；　keep　them　in　cages；　and　offer　them　in　sacrifice。　At　the　time　of　killing　one　of　them　the　following　prayer　should　be　addressed　to　the　bird：　O　divine　hawk；　thou　art　an　expert　hunter；　please　cause　thy　cleverness　to　descend　on　me。　If　a　hawk　is　well　treated　in　captivity　and　prayed　to　after　this　fashion　when　he　is　about　to　be　killed；　he　will　surely　send　help　to　the　hunter。

Thus　the　Aino　hopes　to　profit　in　various　ways　by　slaughtering　the　creatures；　which；　nevertheless；　he　treats　as　divine。　He　expects　them　to　carry　messages　for　him　to　their　kindred　or　to　the　gods　in　the　upper　world；　he　hopes　to　partake　of　their　virtues　by　swallowing　parts　of　their　bodies　or　in　other　ways；　and　apparently　he　looks　forward　to　their　bodily　resurrection　in　this　world；　which　will　enable　him　again　to　catch　and　kill　them；　and　again　to　reap　all　the　benefits　which　he　has　already　derived　from　their　slaughter。　For　in　the　prayers　addressed　to　the　worshipful　bear　and　the　worshipful　eagle　before　they　are　knocked　on　the　head　the　creatures　are　invited　to　come　again；　which　seems　clearly　to　point　to　a　faith　in　their　future　resurrection。　If　any　doubt　could　exist　on　this　head；　it　would　be　dispelled　by　the　evidence　of　Mr。　Batchelor；　who　tells　us　that　the　Aino　are　firmly　convinced　that　the　spirits　of　birds　and　animals　killed　in　hunting　or　offered　in　sacrifice　come　and　live　again　upon　the　earth　clothed　with　a　body；　and　they　believe；　further；　that　they　appear　here　for　the　special　benefit　of　men；　particularly　Ainu　hunters。　The　Aino；　Mr。　Batchelor　tells　us；　confessedly　slays　and　eats　the　beast　that　another　may　come　in　its　place　and　be　treated　in　like　manner；　and　at　the　time　of　sacrificing　the　creatures　prayers　are　said　to　them　which　form　a　request　that　they　will　come　again　and　furnish　viands　for　another　feast；　as　if　it　were　an　honour　to　them　to　be　thus　killed　and　eaten；　and　a　pleasure　as　well。　Indeed　such　is　the　people's　idea。　These　last　observations；　as　the　context　shows；　refer　especially　to　the　sacrifice　of　bears。

Thus　among　the　benefits　which　the　Aino　anticipates　from　the　slaughter　of　the　worshipful　animals　not　the　least　substantial　is　that　of　gorging　himself　on　their　flesh　and　blood；　both　on　the　present　and　on　many　a　similar　occasion　hereafter；　and　that　pleasing　prospect　again　is　derived　from　his　firm　faith　in　the　spiritual　immortality　and　bodily　resurrection　of　the　dead　animals。　A　like　faith　is　shared　by　many　savage　hunters　in　many　parts　of　the　world　and　has　given　rise　to　a　variety　of　quaint　customs；　some　of　which　will　be　described　presently。　Meantime　it　is　not　unimportant　to　observe　that　the　solemn　festivals　at　which　the　Aino；　the　Gilyaks；　and　other　tribes　slaughter　the　tame　caged　bears　with　demonstrations　of　respect　and　sorrow；　are　probably　nothing　but　an　extension　or　glorification　of　similar　rites　which　the　hunter　performs　over　any　wild　bear　which　he　chances　to　kill　in　the　forest。　Indeed　with　regard　to　the　Gilyaks　we　are　expressly　informed　that　this　is　the　case。　If　we　would　understand　the　meaning　of　the　Gilyak　ritual；　says　Mr。　Sternberg；　we　must　above　all　remember　that　the　bear…festivals　are　not；　as　is　usually　but　falsely　assumed；　celebrated　only　at　the　killing　of　a　house…bear　but　are　held　on　every　occasion　when　a　Gilyak　succeeds　in　slaughtering　a　bear　in　the　chase。　It　is　true　that　in　such　cases　the　festival　assumes　less　imposing　dimensions；　but　in　its　essence　it　remains　the　same。　When　the　head　and　skin　of　a　bear　killed　in　the　forest　are　brought　into　the　village；　they　are　accorded　a　triumphal　reception　with　music　and　solemn　ceremonial。　The　head　is　laid　on　a　consecrated　scaffold；　fed；　and　treated　with　offerings；　just　as　at　the　killing　of　a　house…bear；　and　the　guests　of　honour　（Narch…en）　are　also　assembled。　So；　too；　dogs　are　sacrificed；　and　the　bones　of　the　bear　are　preserved　in　the　same　place　and　with　the　same　marks　of　respect　as　the　bones　of　a　house…bear。　Hence　the　great　winter　festival　is　only　an　extension　of　the　rite　which　is　observed　at　the　slaughter　of　every　bear。

Thus　the　apparent　contradiction　in　the　practice　of　these　tribes；　who　venerate　and　almost　deify　the　animals　which　they　habitually　hunt；　kill；　and　eat；　is　not　so　flagrant　as　at　first　sight　it　appears　to　us：　the　people　have　reasons；　and　some　very　practical　reasons；　for　acting　as　they　do。　For　the　savage　is　by　no　means　so　illogical　and　unpractical　as　to　superficial　observers　he　is　apt　to　seem；　he　has　thought　deeply　on　the　questions　which　immediately　concern　him；　he　reasons　about　them；　and　though　his　conclusions　often　diverge　very　widely　from　ours；　we　ought　not　to　deny　him　the　credit　of　patient　and　prolonged　meditation　on　some　fundamental　problems　of　human　existence。　In　the　present　case；　if　he　treats　bears　in　general　as　creatures　wholly　subservient　to　human　needs　and　yet　singles　out　certain　individuals　of　the　species　for　homage　which　almost　amounts　to　deification；　we　must　not　hastily　set　him　down　as　irrational　and　inconsistent；　but　must　endeavour　to　place　ourselves　at　his　point　of　view；　to　see　things　as　he　sees　them；　and　to　divest　ourselves　of　the　prepossessions　which　tinge　so　deeply　our　own　views　of　the　world。　If　we　do　so；　we　shall　probably　discover　that；　however　absurd　his　conduct　may　appear　to　us；　the　savage　nevertheless　generally　acts　on　a　train　of　reasoning　which　seems　to　him　in　harmony　with　the　facts　of　his　limited　experience。　This　I　propose　to　illustrate　in　the　following　chapter；　where　I　shall　attempt　to　show　that　the　solemn　ceremonial　of　the　bear…festival　among　the　Ainos　and　other　tribes　of　North…eastern　Asia　is　only　a　particularly　striking　example　of　the　respect　which　on　the　principles　of　his　rude　philosophy　the　savage　habitually　pays　to　the　animals　which　he　kills　and　eats。

Chapter　53。　The　Propitiation　of　Wild　Animals　By　Hunters

THE　EXPLANATION　of　life　by　the　theory　of　an　indwelling　and　practically　immortal　soul　is　one　which　the　savage　does　not　confine　to　human　beings　but　extends　to　the　animate　creation　in　general。　In　so　doing　he　is　more　liberal　and　perhaps　more　logical　than　the　civilised　man；　who　commonly　denies　to　animals　that　privilege　of　immortality　which　he　claims　for　himself。　The　savage　is　not　so　proud；　he　commonly　believes　that　animals　are　endowed　with　feelings　and　intelligence　like　those　of　men；　and