the golden bough-第165节

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ed　themselves　with　new　clothes　and　new　household　utensils　and　furniture；　they　collected　their　old　clothes　and　rubbish；　together　with　all　the　remaining　grain　and　other　old　provisions；　cast　them　together　in　one　common　heap；　and　consumed　them　with　fire。　As　a　preparation　for　the　ceremony；　all　the　fires　in　the　village　were　extinguished；　and　the　ashes　swept　clean　away。　In　particular；　the　hearth　or　altar　of　the　temple　was　dug　up　and　the　ashes　carried　out。　Then　the　chief　priest　put　some　roots　of　the　button…snake　plant；　with　some　green　tobacco　leaves　and　a　little　of　the　new　fruits；　at　the　bottom　of　the　fireplace；　which　he　afterwards　commanded　to　be　covered　up　with　white　clay；　and　wetted　over　with　clean　water。　A　thick　arbour　of　green　branches　of　young　trees　was　then　made　over　the　altar。　Meanwhile　the　women　at　home　were　cleaning　out　their　houses；　renewing　the　old　hearths；　and　scouring　all　the　cooking　vessels　that　they　might　be　ready　to　receive　the　new　fire　and　the　new　fruits。　The　public　or　sacred　square　was　carefully　swept　of　even　the　smallest　crumbs　of　previous　feasts；　for　fear　of　polluting　the　first…fruit　offerings。　Also　every　vessel　that　had　contained　or　had　been　used　about　any　food　during　the　expiring　year　was　removed　from　the　temple　before　sunset。　Then　all　the　men　who　were　not　known　to　have　violated　the　law　of　the　first…fruit　offering　and　that　of　marriage　during　the　year　were　summoned　by　a　crier　to　enter　the　holy　square　and　observe　a　solemn　fast。　But　the　women　（except　six　old　ones）；　the　children；　and　all　who　had　not　attained　the　rank　of　warriors　were　forbidden　to　enter　the　square。　Sentinels　were　also　posted　at　the　corners　of　the　square　to　keep　out　all　persons　deemed　impure　and　all　animals。　A　strict　fast　was　then　observed　for　two　nights　and　a　day；　the　devotees　drinking　a　bitter　decoction　of　button…snake　root　in　order　to　vomit　and　purge　their　sinful　bodies。　That　the　people　outside　the　square　might　also　be　purified；　one　of　the　old　men　laid　down　a　quantity　of　green　tobacco　at　a　corner　of　the　square；　this　was　carried　off　by　an　old　woman　and　distributed　to　the　people　without；　who　chewed　and　swallowed　it　in　order　to　afflict　their　souls。　During　this　general　fast；　the　women；　children；　and　men　of　weak　constitution　were　allowed　to　eat　after　mid…day；　but　not　before。　On　the　morning　when　the　fast　ended；　the　women　brought　a　quantity　of　the　old　year's　food　to　the　outside　of　the　sacred　square。　These　provisions　were　then　fetched　in　and　set　before　the　famished　multitude；　but　all　traces　of　them　had　to　be　removed　before　noon。　When　the　sun　was　declining　from　the　meridian；　all　the　people　were　commanded　by　the　voice　of　a　crier　to　stay　within　doors；　to　do　no　bad　act；　and　to　be　sure　to　extinguish　and　throw　away　every　spark　of　the　old　fire。　Universal　silence　now　reigned。　Then　the　high　priest　made　the　new　fire　by　the　friction　of　two　pieces　of　wood；　and　placed　it　on　the　altar　under　the　green　arbour。　This　new　fire　was　believed　to　atone　for　all　past　crimes　except　murder。　Next　a　basket　of　new　fruits　was　brought；　the　high　priest　took　out　a　little　of　each　sort　of　fruit；　rubbed　it　with　bear's　oil；　and　offered　it；　together　with　some　flesh；　to　the　bountiful　holy　spirit　of　fire；　as　a　first…fruit　offering；　and　an　annual　oblation　for　sin。　He　also　consecrated　the　sacred　emetics　（the　button…snake　root　and　the　cassina　or　black…drink）　by　pouring　a　little　of　them　into　the　fire。　The　persons　who　had　remained　outside　now　approached；　without　entering；　the　sacred　square；　and　the　chief　priest　thereupon　made　a　speech；　exhorting　the　people　to　observe　their　old　rites　and　customs；　announcing　that　the　new　divine　fire　had　purged　away　the　sins　of　the　past　year；　and　earnestly　warning　the　women　that；　if　any　of　them　had　not　extinguished　the　old　fire；　or　had　contracted　any　impurity；　they　must　forthwith　depart；　lest　the　divine　fire　should　spoil　both　them　and　the　people。　Some　of　the　new　fire　was　then　set　down　outside　the　holy　square；　the　women　carried　it　home　joyfully；　and　laid　it　on　their　unpolluted　hearths。　When　several　towns　had　united　to　celebrate　the　festival；　the　new　fire　might　thus　be　carried　for　several　miles。　The　new　fruits　were　then　dressed　on　the　new　fires　and　eaten　with　bear's　oil；　which　was　deemed　indispensable。　At　one　point　of　the　festival　the　men　rubbed　the　new　corn　between　their　hands；　then　on　their　faces　and　breasts。　During　the　festival　which　followed；　the　warriors；　dressed　in　their　wild　martial　array；　their　heads　covered　with　white　down　and　carrying　white　feathers　in　their　hands；　danced　round　the　sacred　arbour；　under　which　burned　the　new　fire。　The　ceremonies　lasted　eight　days；　during　which　the　strictest　continence　was　practised。　Towards　the　conclusion　of　the　festival　the　warriors　fought　a　mock　battle；　then　the　men　and　women　together；　in　three　circles；　danced　round　the　sacred　fire。　Lastly；　all　the　people　smeared　themselves　with　white　clay　and　bathed　in　running　water。　They　came　out　of　the　water　believing　that　no　evil　could　now　befall　them　for　what　they　had　done　amiss　in　the　past。　So　they　departed　in　joy　and　peace。

To　this　day；　also；　the　remnant　of　the　Seminole　Indians　of　Florida；　a　people　of　the　same　stock　as　the　Creeks；　hold　an　annual　purification　and　festival　called　the　Green　Corn　Dance；　at　which　the　new　corn　is　eaten。　On　the　evening　of　the　first　day　of　the　festival　they　quaff　a　nauseous　Black　Drink；　as　it　is　called；　which　acts　both　as　an　emetic　and　a　purgative；　they　believe　that　he　who　does　not　drink　of　this　liquor　cannot　safely　eat　the　new　green　corn；　and　besides　that　he　will　be　sick　at　some　time　in　the　year。　While　the　liquor　is　being　drunk；　the　dancing　begins；　and　the　medicine…men　join　in　it。　Next　day　they　eat　of　the　green　corn；　the　following　day　they　fast；　probably　from　fear　of　polluting　the　sacred　food　in　their　stomachs　by　contact　with　common　food；　but　the　third　day　they　hold　a　great　feast。

Even　tribes　which　do　not　till　the　ground　sometimes　observe　analogous　ceremonies　when　they　gather　the　first　wild　fruits　or　dig　the　first　roots　of　the　season。　Thus　among　the　Salish　and　Tinneh　Indians　of　North…West　America；　before　the　young　people　eat　the　first　berries　or　roots　of　the　season；　they　always　addressed　the　fruit　or　plant；　and　begged　for　its　favour　and　aid。　In　some　tribes　regular　First…fruit　ceremonies　were　annually　held　at　the　time　of　picking　the　wild　fruit　or　gathering　the　roots；　and　also　among　the　salmon…eating　tribes　when　the　run　of　the　'sockeye'　salmon　began。　These　ceremonies　were　not　so　much　thanksgivings；　as　performances　to　ensure　a　plentiful　crop　or　supply　of　the　particular　object　desired；　for　if　they　were　not　properly　and　reverently　carried　out　there　was　danger　of　giving　offence　to　the　'spirits'　of　the　objects；　and　being　deprived　of　them。　For　example；　these　Indians　are　fond　of　the　young　shoots　or　suckers　of　the　wild　raspberry；　and　they　observe　a　solemn　ceremony　at　eating　the　first　of　them　in　season。　The　shoots　are　cooked　in　a　new　pot：　the　people　assemble　and　stand　in　a　great　circle　with　closed　eyes；　while　the　presiding　chief　or　medicine…man　invokes　the　spirit　of　the　plant；　begging　that　it　will　be　propitious　to　them　and　grant　them　a　good　supply　of　suckers。　After　this　part　of　the　ceremony　is　over　the　cooked　suckers　are　handed　to　the　presiding　officer　in　a　newly　carved　dish；　and　a　small　portion　is　given　to　each　person　present；　who　reverently　and　decorously　eats　it。

The　Thompson　Indians　of　British　Columbia　cook　and　eat　the　sunflower　root　（Balsamorrhiza　sagittata；　Nutt。）；　but　they　used　to　regard　it　as　a　mysterious　being；　and　observed　a　number　of　taboos　in　connexion　with　it；　for　example；　women　who　were　engaged　in　digging　or　cooking　the　root　must　practice　continence；　and　no　man　might　come　near　the　oven　where　the　women　were　baking　the　root。　When　young　people　ate　the　first　berries；　roots；　or　other　products　of　the　season；　they　addressed　a　prayer　to　the　Sunflower…Root　as　follows：　I　inform　thee　that　I　intend　to　eat　thee。　Mayest　thou　always　help　me　to　ascend；　so　that　I　may　always　be　able　to　reach　the　tops　of　mountains；　and　may　I　never　be　clumsy！　I　ask　this　from　thee；　Sunflower…Root。　Thou　art　the　greatest　of　all　in　mystery。　To　omit　this　prayer　would　make　the　eater　lazy　and　cause　him　to　sleep　long　in　the　morning。

These　customs　of　the　Thompson　and　other　Indian　tribes　of　North…West　America　are　instructive；　because　they　clearly　indicate　the　motive；　or　at　least　one　of　the　motives；　which　underlies　the　ceremonies　observed　at　eating　the　first　fruits　of　the　season。　That　motive　in　the　case　of　these　Indians　is　simply　a　belief　that　the　plant　itself　is　animated　by　a　conscious　and　more　or　less　powerful　spirit；　who　must　be　propitiated　before　the　people　can　safely　partake　of　the　fruits　or　roots　which　are　supposed　to　be　part　of　his　body。　Now　if　this　is　true　of　wild　fruits　and　roots；　we　may　infer　with　some　probability　that　it　is　also　true　of　cultivated　fruits　and　roots；　such　as　yams；　and　in　particular　that　it　holds　good　of　the　cereals；　such　as　wheat；　barley；　oats；　rice；　and　maize。　In　all　cases　it　seems　reasonable　to　infer　that　the　scruples　which　savages　manifest　at　eating　the　first　fruits　of　any　crop；　and　the　ceremonies　which　they　observe　before　they　overcome　their　scruples；　are　due　at　least　in　large　measure　to　a　notion　that　the　plant　or　tree　is　animated　by　a　spirit　or　even　a　deity；　whose　leave　must　b