the golden bough-第86部分

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's　head；　and　had　certainly　despatched　him　if　a　large　brass　lamp　which　was　burning　over　his　head　had　not　marred　the　blow；　but；　before　he　could　make　another；　he　was　killed　by　the　guards；　and；　I　believe；　the　same　Samorin　reigns　yet。　I　chanced　to　come　that　time　along　the　coast　and　heard　the　guns　for　two　or　three　days　and　nights　successively。

The　English　traveller；　whose　account　I　have　quoted；　did　not　himself　witness　the　festival　he　describes；　though　he　heard　the　sound　of　the　firing　in　the　distance。　Fortunately；　exact　records　of　these　festivals　and　of　the　number　of　men　who　perished　at　them　have　been　preserved　in　the　archives　of　the　royal　family　at　Calicut。　In　the　latter　part　of　the　nineteenth　century　they　were　examined　by　Mr。　W。　Logan；　with　the　personal　assistance　of　the　reigning　king；　and　from　his　work　it　is　possible　to　gain　an　accurate　conception　both　of　the　tragedy　and　of　the　scene　where　it　was　periodically　enacted　down　to　1743；　when　the　ceremony　took　place　for　the　last　time。

The　festival　at　which　the　king　of　Calicut　staked　his　crown　and　his　life　on　the　issue　of　battle　was　known　as　the　Great　Sacrifice。　It　fell　every　twelfth　year；　when　the　planet　Jupiter　was　in　retrograde　motion　in　the　sign　of　the　Crab；　and　it　lasted　twenty…eight　days；　culminating　at　the　time　of　the　eighth　lunar　asterism　in　the　month　of　Makaram。　As　the　date　of　the　festival　was　determined　by　the　position　of　Jupiter　in　the　sky；　and　the　interval　between　two　festivals　was　twelve　years；　which　is　roughly　Jupiter's　period　of　revolution　round　the　sun；　we　may　conjecture　that　the　splendid　planet　was　supposed　to　be　in　a　special　sense　the　king's　star　and　to　rule　his　destiny；　the　period　of　its　revolution　in　heaven　corresponding　to　the　period　of　his　reign　on　earth。　However　that　may　be；　the　ceremony　was　observed　with　great　pomp　at　the　Tirunavayi　temple；　on　the　north　bank　of　the　Ponnani　River。　The　spot　is　close　to　the　present　railway　line。　As　the　train　rushes　by；　you　can　just　catch　a　glimpse　of　the　temple；　almost　hidden　behind　a　clump　of　trees　on　the　river　bank。　From　the　western　gateway　of　the　temple　a　perfectly　straight　road；　hardly　raised　above　the　level　of　the　surrounding　rice…fields　and　shaded　by　a　fine　avenue；　runs　for　half　a　mile　to　a　high　ridge　with　a　precipitous　bank；　on　which　the　outlines　of　three　or　four　terraces　can　still　be　traced。　On　the　topmost　of　these　terraces　the　king　took　his　stand　on　the　eventful　day。　The　view　which　it　commands　is　a　fine　one。　Across　the　flat　expanse　of　the　rice…fields；　with　the　broad　placid　river　winding　through　them；　the　eye　ranges　eastward　to　high　tablelands；　their　lower　slopes　embowered　in　woods；　while　afar　off　looms　the　great　chain　of　the　western　Ghauts；　and　in　the　furthest　distance　the　Neilgherries　or　Blue　Mountains；　hardly　distinguishable　from　the　azure　of　the　sky　above。

But　it　was　not　to　the　distant　prospect　that　the　king's　eyes　naturally　turned　at　this　crisis　of　his　fate。　His　attention　was　arrested　by　a　spectacle　nearer　at　hand。　For　all　the　plain　below　was　alive　with　troops；　their　banners　waving　gaily　in　the　sun；　the　white　tents　of　their　many　camps　standing　sharply　out　against　the　green　and　gold　of　the　ricefields。　Forty　thousand　fighting　men　or　more　were　gathered　there　to　defend　the　king。　But　if　the　plain　swarmed　with　soldiers；　the　road　that　cuts　across　it　from　the　temple　to　the　king's　stand　was　clear　of　them。　Not　a　soul　was　stirring　on　it。　Each　side　of　the　way　was　barred　by　palisades；　and　from　the　palisades　on　either　hand　a　long　hedge　of　spears；　held　by　strong　arms；　projected　into　the　empty　road；　their　blades　meeting　in　the　middle　and　forming　a　glittering　arch　of　steel。　All　was　now　ready。　The　king　waved　his　sword。　At　the　same　moment　a　great　chain　of　massy　gold；　enriched　with　bosses；　was　placed　on　an　elephant　at　his　side。　That　was　the　signal。　On　the　instant　a　stir　might　be　seen　half　a　mile　away　at　the　gate　of　the　temple。　A　group　of　swordsmen；　decked　with　flowers　and　smeared　with　ashes；　has　stepped　out　from　the　crowd。　They　have　just　partaken　of　their　last　meal　on　earth；　and　they　now　receive　the　last　blessings　and　farewells　of　their　friends。　A　moment　more　and　they　are　coming　down　the　lane　of　spears；　hewing　and　stabbing　right　and　left　at　the　spearmen；　winding　and　turning　and　writhing　among　the　blades　as　if　they　had　no　bones　in　their　bodies。　It　is　all　in　vain。　One　after　the　other　they　fall；　some　nearer　the　king；　some　farther　off；　content　to　die；　not　for　the　shadow　of　a　crown；　but　for　the　mere　sake　of　approving　their　dauntless　valour　and　swordsmanship　to　the　world。　On　the　last　days　of　the　festival　the　same　magnificent　display　of　gallantry；　the　same　useless　sacrifice　of　life　was　repeated　again　and　again。　Yet　perhaps　no　sacrifice　is　wholly　useless　which　proves　that　there　are　men　who　prefer　honour　to　life。

It　is　a　singular　custom　in　Bengal；　says　an　old　native　historian　of　India；　that　there　is　little　of　hereditary　descent　in　succession　to　the　sovereignty　。　Whoever　kills　the　king；　and　succeeds　in　placing　himself　on　that　throne；　is　immediately　acknowledged　as　king；　all　the　amirs；　wazirs；　soldiers；　and　peasants　instantly　obey　and　submit　to　him；　and　consider　him　as　being　as　much　their　sovereign　as　they　did　their　former　prince；　and　obey　his　orders　implicitly。　The　people　of　Bengal　say；　'We　are　faithful　to　the　throne；　whoever　fills　the　throne　we　are　obedient　and　true　to　it。'　A　custom　of　the　same　sort　formerly　prevailed　in　the　little　kingdom　of　Passier；　on　the　northern　coast　of　Sumatra。　The　old　Portuguese　historian　De　Barros；　who　informs　us　of　it；　remarks　with　surprise　that　no　wise　man　would　wish　to　be　king　of　Passier；　since　the　monarch　was　not　allowed　by　his　subjects　to　live　long。　From　time　to　time　a　sort　of　fury　seized　the　people；　and　they　marched　through　the　streets　of　the　city　chanting　with　loud　voices　the　fatal　words；　The　king　must　die！　When　the　king　heard　that　song　of　death　he　knew　that　his　hour　had　come。　The　man　who　struck　the　fatal　blow　was　of　the　royal　lineage；　and　as　soon　as　he　had　done　the　deed　of　blood　and　seated　himself　on　the　throne　he　was　regarded　as　the　legitimate　king；　provided　that　he　contrived　to　maintain　his　seat　peaceably　for　a　single　day。　This；　however；　the　regicide　did　not　always　succeed　in　doing。　When　Fern？o　Peres　d'Andrade；　on　a　voyage　to　China；　put　in　at　Passier　for　a　cargo　of　spices；　two　kings　were　massacred；　and　that　in　the　most　peaceable　and　orderly　manner；　without　the　smallest　sign　of　tumult　or　sedition　in　the　city；　where　everything　went　on　in　its　usual　course；　as　if　the　murder　or　execution　of　a　king　were　a　matter　of　everyday　occurrence。　Indeed；　on　one　occasion　three　kings　were　raised　to　the　dangerous　elevation　and　followed　each　other　in　the　dusty　road　of　death　in　a　single　day。　The　people　defended　the　custom；　which　they　esteemed　very　laudable　and　even　of　divine　institution；　by　saying　that　God　would　never　allow　so　high　and　mighty　a　being　as　a　king；　who　reigned　as　his　vicegerent　on　earth；　to　perish　by　violence　unless　for　his　sins　he　thoroughly　deserved　it。　Far　away　from　the　tropical　island　of　Sumatra　a　rule　of　the　same　sort　appears　to　have　obtained　among　the　old　Slavs。　When　the　captives　Gunn　and　Jarmerik　contrived　to　slay　the　king　and　queen　of　the　Slavs　and　made　their　escape；　they　were　pursued　by　the　barbarians；　who　shouted　after　them　that　if　they　would　only　come　back　they　would　reign　instead　of　the　murdered　monarch；　since　by　a　public　statute　of　the　ancients　the　succession　to　the　throne　fell　to　the　king's　assassin。　But　the　flying　regicides　turned　a　deaf　ear　to　promises　which　they　regarded　as　mere　baits　to　lure　them　back　to　destruction；　they　continued　their　flight；　and　the　shouts　and　clamour　of　the　barbarians　gradually　died　away　in　the　distance。

When　kings　were　bound　to　suffer　death；　whether　at　their　own　hands　or　at　the　hands　of　others；　on　the　expiration　of　a　fixed　term　of　years；　it　was　natural　that　they　should　seek　to　delegate　the　painful　duty；　along　with　some　of　the　privileges　of　sovereignty；　to　a　substitute　who　should　suffer　vicariously　in　their　stead。　This　expedient　appears　to　have　been　resorted　to　by　some　of　the　princes　of　Malabar。　Thus　we　are　informed　by　a　native　authority　on　that　country　that　in　some　places　all　powers　both　executive　and　judicial　were　delegated　for　a　fixed　period　to　natives　by　the　sovereign。　This　institution　was　styled　Thalavettiparothiam　or　authority　obtained　by　decapitation。　It　was　an　office　tenable　for　five　years　during　which　its　bearer　was　invested　with　supreme　despotic　powers　within　his　jurisdiction。　On　the　expiry　of　the　five　years　the　man's　head　was　cut　off　and　thrown　up　in　the　air　amongst　a　large　concourse　of　villagers；　each　of　whom　vied　with　the　other　in　trying　to　catch　it　in　its　course　down。　He　who　succeeded　was　nominated　to　the　post　for　the　next　five　years。

When　once　kings；　who　had　hitherto　been　bound　to　die　a　violent　death　at　the　end　of　a　term　of　years；　conceived　the　happy　thought　of　dying　by　deputy　in　the　persons　of　others；　they　would　very　naturally　put　it　in　practice；　and　accordingly　we　need　not　wonder　at　finding　so　popular　an　expedient；　or　traces　of　it；　in　many　lands。　Scandinavian　traditions　contain　some　hints　that　of　old　the　Swedish　kings　reigned　only　for　periods　of　nine　years；　after　which　they　were　put　to　death　or　had　to　find　a　substitute　to　die　in　their　stead。　Thus　Aun　or　On；　king　of　Sweden；　is　said　to　have　sacrificed　to　Odin　for　length　of　days　and　to　have　been　answered　by　the　god　that　he　should　live　so　long　as　he　sacrificed　one　of　his　sons　every　ninth　year。　He　sacrificed　nine　of　them　in　this　manner；　and　would　have　sacrificed　the　tenth　and　last；　but　the　Swedes　would　not　allow　him。　So　he　died　and　was　buried　in　a　mound　at　Upsala。　Another　indication　of　a　similar　tenure　of　the　crown　occurs　in　a　curious　legend　of　the　deposition　and　banishment　of　Odin。　Offended　at　his　misdeeds；　the　other　gods　outlawed　and　exiled　him；　but　set　up　in　his　place　a　substitute；　Oller　by　name；　a　cunning　wizard；　to　whom　they　accorded　the　symbols　both　of　royalty　and　of　godhead。　The　deputy　bore　the　name　of　Odin；　and　reigned　for　nearly　ten　years；　when　he　was　driven　from　the　throne；　while　the　real　Odin　came　to　his　own　again。　His　discomfited　rival　retired　to　Sweden　and　was　afterwards　slain　in　an　attempt　to　repair　his　shattered　fortunes。　As　gods　are　often　merely　men　who　loom　large　through　the　mists　of　tradition；　we　may　co