the golden bough-第164节

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for　themselves　first　to　worship。　When　they　are　ready　they　pray　to　them　very　earnestly　and　say：　'O　thou　cereal　deity；　we　worship　thee。　Thou　hast　grown　very　well　this　year；　and　thy　flavour　will　be　sweet。　Thou　art　good。　The　goddess　of　fire　will　be　glad；　and　we　also　shall　rejoice　greatly。　O　thou　god；　O　thou　divine　cereal；　do　thou　nourish　the　people。　I　now　partake　of　thee。　I　worship　thee　and　give　thee　thanks。'　After　having　thus　prayed；　they；　the　worshippers；　take　a　cake　and　eat　it；　and　from　this　time　the　people　may　all　partake　of　the　new　millet。　And　so　with　many　gestures　of　homage　and　words　of　prayer　this　kind　of　food　is　dedicated　to　the　well…being　of　the　Ainu。　No　doubt　the　cereal　offering　is　regarded　as　a　tribute　paid　to　a　god；　but　that　god　is　no　other　than　the　seed　itself；　and　it　is　only　a　god　in　so　far　as　it　is　beneficial　to　the　human　body。

At　the　close　of　the　rice　harvest　in　the　East　Indian　island　of　Buru；　each　clan　meets　at　a　common　sacramental　meal；　to　which　every　member　of　the　clan　is　bound　to　contribute　a　little　of　the　new　rice。　This　meal　is　called　eating　the　soul　of　the　rice；　a　name　which　clearly　indicates　the　sacramental　character　of　the　repast。　Some　of　the　rice　is　also　set　apart　and　offered　to　the　spirits。　Amongst　the　Alfoors　of　Minahassa；　in　Celebes；　the　priest　sows　the　first　rice…seed　and　plucks　the　first　ripe　rice　in　each　field。　This　rice　he　roasts　and　grinds　into　meal；　and　gives　some　of　it　to　each　of　the　household。　Shortly　before　the　rice…harvest　in　Boland　Mongondo；　another　district　of　Celebes；　an　offering　is　made　of　a　small　pig　or　a　fowl。　Then　the　priest　plucks　a　little　rice；　first　on　his　own　field　and　next　on　those　of　his　neighbours。　All　the　rice　thus　plucked　by　him　he　dries　along　with　his　own；　and　then　gives　it　back　to　the　respective　owners；　who　have　it　ground　and　boiled。　When　it　is　boiled　the　women　take　it　back；　with　an　egg；　to　the　priest；　who　offers　the　egg　in　sacrifice　and　returns　the　rice　to　the　women。　Of　this　rice　every　member　of　the　family；　down　to　the　youngest　child；　must　partake。　After　this　ceremony　every　one　is　free　to　get　in　his　rice。

Amongst　the　Burghers　or　Badagas；　a　tribe　of　the　Neilgherry　Hills　in　Southern　India；　the　first　handful　of　seed　is　sown　and　the　first　sheaf　reaped　by　a　Curumbar；　a　man　of　a　different　tribe；　the　members　of　which　the　Burghers　regard　as　sorcerers。　The　grain　contained　in　the　first　sheaf　is　that　day　reduced　to　meal；　made　into　cakes；　and；　being　offered　as　a　first…fruit　oblation；　is；　together　with　the　remainder　of　the　sacrificed　animal；　partaken　of　by　the　Burgher　and　the　whole　of　his　family；　as　the　meat　of　a　federal　offering　and　sacrifice。　Among　the　Hindoos　of　Southern　India　the　eating　of　the　new　rice　is　the　occasion　of　a　family　festival　called　Pongol。　The　new　rice　is　boiled　in　a　new　pot　on　a　fire　which　is　kindled　at　noon　on　the　day　when；　according　to　Hindoo　astrologers；　the　sun　enters　the　tropic　of　Capricorn。　The　boiling　of　the　pot　is　watched　with　great　anxiety　by　the　whole　family；　for　as　the　milk　boils；　so　will　the　coming　year　be。　If　the　milk　boils　rapidly；　the　year　will　be　prosperous；　but　it　will　be　the　reverse　if　the　milk　boils　slowly。　Some　of　the　new　boiled　rice　is　offered　to　the　image　of　Ganesa；　then　every　one　partakes　of　it。　In　some　parts　of　Northern　India　the　festival　of　the　new　crop　is　known　as　Navan；　that　is；　new　grain。　When　the　crop　is　ripe；　the　owner　takes　the　omens；　goes　to　the　field；　plucks　five　or　six　ears　of　barley　in　the　spring　crop　and　one　of　the　millets　in　the　autumn　harvest。　This　is　brought　home；　parched；　and　mixed　with　coarse　sugar；　butter；　and　curds。　Some　of　it　is　thrown　on　the　fire　in　the　name　of　the　village　gods　and　deceased　ancestors；　the　rest　is　eaten　by　the　family。

The　ceremony　of　eating　the　new　yams　at　Onitsha；　on　the　Niger；　is　thus　described：　Each　headman　brought　out　six　yams；　and　cut　down　young　branches　of　palm…leaves　and　placed　them　before　his　gate；　roasted　three　of　the　yams；　and　got　some　kola…nuts　and　fish。　After　the　yam　is　roasted；　the　Libia；　or　country　doctor；　takes　the　yam；　scrapes　it　into　a　sort　of　meal；　and　divides　it　into　halves；　he　then　takes　one　piece；　and　places　it　on　the　lips　of　the　person　who　is　going　to　eat　the　new　yam。　The　eater　then　blows　up　the　steam　from　the　hot　yam；　and　afterwards　pokes　the　whole　into　his　mouth；　and　says；　'I　thank　God　for　being　permitted　to　eat　the　new　yam'；　he　then　begins　to　chew　it　heartily；　with　fish　likewise。

Among　the　Nandi　of　British　East　Africa；　when　the　eleusine　grain　is　ripening　in　autumn；　every　woman　who　owns　a　corn…field　goes　out　into　it　with　her　daughters；　and　they　all　pluck　some　of　the　ripe　grain。　Each　of　the　women　then　fixes　one　grain　in　her　necklace　and　chews　another；　which　she　rubs　on　her　forehead；　throat；　and　breast。　No　mark　of　joy　escapes　them；　sorrowfully　they　cut　a　basketful　of　the　new　corn；　and　carrying　it　home　place　it　in　the　loft　to　dry。　As　the　ceiling　is　of　wickerwork；　a　good　deal　of　the　grain　drops　through　the　crevices　and　falls　into　the　fire；　where　it　explodes　with　a　crackling　noise。　The　people　make　no　attempt　to　prevent　this　waste；　for　they　regard　the　crackling　of　the　grain　in　the　fire　as　a　sign　that　the　souls　of　the　dead　are　partaking　of　it。　A　few　days　later　porridge　is　made　from　the　new　grain　and　served　up　with　milk　at　the　evening　meal。　All　the　members　of　the　family　take　some　of　the　porridge　and　dab　it　on　the　walls　and　roofs　of　the　huts；　also　they　put　a　little　in　their　mouths　and　spit　it　out　towards　the　east　and　on　the　outside　of　the　huts。　Then；　holding　up　some　of　the　grain　in　his　hand；　the　head　of　the　family　prays　to　God　for　health　and　strength；　and　likewise　for　milk；　and　everybody　present　repeats　the　words　of　the　prayer　after　him。

Amongst　the　Caffres　of　Natal　and　Zululand；　no　one　may　eat　of　the　new　fruits　till　after　a　festival　which　marks　the　beginning　of　the　Caffre　year　and　falls　at　the　end　of　December　or　the　beginning　of　January。　All　the　people　assemble　at　the　king's　kraal；　where　they　feast　and　dance。　Before　they　separate　the　dedication　of　the　people　takes　place。　Various　fruits　of　the　earth；　as　corn；　mealies；　and　pumpkins；　mixed　with　the　flesh　of　a　sacrificed　animal　and　with　medicine；　are　boiled　in　great　pots；　and　a　little　of　this　food　is　placed　in　each　man's　mouth　by　the　king　himself。　After　thus　partaking　of　the　sanctified　fruits；　a　man　is　himself　sanctified　for　the　whole　year；　and　may　immediately　get　in　his　crops。　It　is　believed　that　if　any　man　were　to　partake　of　the　new　fruits　before　the　festival；　he　would　die；　if　he　were　detected；　he　would　be　put　to　death；　or　at　least　all　his　cattle　would　be　taken　from　him。　The　holiness　of　the　new　fruits　is　well　marked　by　the　rule　that　they　must　be　cooked　in　a　special　pot　which　is　used　only　for　this　purpose；　and　on　a　new　fire　kindled　by　a　magician　through　the　friction　of　two　sticks　which　are　called　husband　and　wife。

Among　the　Bechuanas　it　is　a　rule　that　before　they　partake　of　the　new　crops　they　must　purify　themselves。　The　purification　takes　place　at　the　commencement　of　the　new　year　on　a　day　in　January　which　is　fixed　by　the　chief。　It　begins　in　the　great　kraal　of　the　tribe；　where　all　the　adult　males　assemble。　Each　of　them　takes　in　his　hand　leaves　of　a　gourd　called　by　the　natives　lerotse　（described　as　something　between　a　pumpkin　and　a　vegetable　marrow）；　and　having　crushed　the　leaves　he　anoints　with　the　expressed　juice　his　big　toes　and　his　navel；　many　people　indeed　apply　the　juice　to　all　the　joints　of　their　body；　but　the　better…informed　say　that　this　is　a　vulgar　departure　from　ancient　custom。　After　this　ceremony　in　the　great　kraal　every　man　goes　home　to　his　own　kraal；　assembles　all　the　members　of　his　family；　men；　women；　and　children；　and　smears　them　all　with　the　juice　of　the　lerotse　leaves。　Some　of　the　leaves　are　also　pounded；　mixed　with　milk　in　a　large　wooden　dish；　and　given　to　the　dogs　to　lap　up。　Then　the　porridge　plate　of　each　member　of　the　family　is　rubbed　with　the　lerotse　leaves。　When　this　purification　has　been　completed；　but　not　before；　the　people　are　free　to　eat　of　the　new　crops。

The　Bororo　Indians　of　Brazil　think　that　it　would　be　certain　death　to　eat　the　new　maize　before　it　has　been　blessed　by　the　medicine…man。　The　ceremony　of　blessing　it　is　as　follows。　The　half…ripe　husk　is　washed　and　placed　before　the　medicine…man；　who　by　dancing　and　singing　for　several　hours；　and　by　incessant　smoking；　works　himself　up　into　a　state　of　ecstasy；　whereupon　he　bites　into　the　husk；　trembling　in　every　limb　and　uttering　shrieks　from　time　to　time。　A　similar　ceremony　is　performed　whenever　a　large　animal　or　a　large　fish　is　killed。　The　Bororo　are　firmly　persuaded　that　were　any　man　to　touch　unconsecrated　maize　or　meat；　before　the　ceremony　had　been　completed；　he　and　his　whole　tribe　would　perish。

Amongst　the　Creek　Indians　of　North　America；　the　busk　or　festival　of　first…fruits　was　the　chief　ceremony　of　the　year。　It　was　held　in　July　or　August；　when　the　corn　was　ripe；　and　marked　the　end　of　the　old　year　and　the　beginning　of　the　new　one。　Before　it　took　place；　none　of　the　Indians　would　eat　or　even　handle　any　part　of　the　new　harvest。　Sometimes　each　town　had　its　own　busk；　sometimes　several　towns　united　to　hold　one　in　common。　Before　celebrating　the　busk；　the　people　provided　themselves　with　new　clothes　and　new　household　utensils　and　furniture；　they　collected　their　old　cl