the golden bough-第173节

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ousewife　and　a　few　old　women；　who　might　have　nursed　many　bears；　danced　tearfully；　stretching　out　their　arms　to　the　bear；　and　addressing　it　in　terms　of　endearment。　The　young　folks　were　less　affected；　they　laughed　as　well　as　sang。　Disturbed　by　the　noise；　the　bear　began　to　rush　about　his　cage　and　howl　lamentably。　Next　libations　were　offered　at　the　inao　（inabos）　or　sacred　wands　which　stand　outside　of　an　Aino　hut。　These　wands　are　about　a　couple　of　feet　high；　and　are　whittled　at　the　top　into　spiral　shavings。　Five　new　wands　with　bamboo　leaves　attached　to　them　had　been　set　up　for　the　festival。　This　is　regularly　done　when　a　bear　is　killed；　the　leaves　mean　that　the　animal　may　come　to　life　again。　Then　the　bear　was　let　out　of　his　cage；　a　rope　was　thrown　round　his　neck；　and　he　was　led　about　in　the　neighbourhood　of　the　hut。　While　this　was　being　done　the　men；　headed　by　a　chief；　shot　at　the　beast　with　arrows　tipped　with　wooden　buttons。　Dr。　Scheube　had　to　do　so　also。　Then　the　bear　was　taken　before　the　sacred　wands；　a　stick　was　put　in　his　mouth；　nine　men　knelt　on　him　and　pressed　his　neck　against　a　beam。　In　five　minutes　the　animal　had　expired　without　uttering　a　sound。　Meantime　the　women　and　girls　had　taken　post　behind　the　men；　where　they　danced；　lamenting；　and　beating　the　men　who　were　killing　the　bear。　The　bear's　carcase　was　next　placed　on　the　mat　before　the　sacred　wands；　and　a　sword　and　quiver；　taken　from　the　wands；　were　hung　round　the　beast's　neck。　Being　a　she…bear；　it　was　also　adorned　with　a　necklace　and　ear…rings。　Then　food　and　drink　were　offered　to　it；　in　the　shape　of　millet…broth；　millet…cakes；　and　a　pot　of　sake。　The　men　now　sat　down　on　mats　before　the　dead　bear；　offered　libations　to　it；　and　drank　deep。　Meanwhile　the　women　and　girls　had　laid　aside　all　marks　of　sorrow；　and　danced　merrily；　none　more　merrily　than　the　old　women。　When　the　mirth　was　at　its　height　two　young　Aino；　who　had　let　the　bear　out　of　his　cage；　mounted　the　roof　of　the　hut　and　threw　cakes　of　millet　among　the　company；　who　all　scrambled　for　them　without　distinction　of　age　or　sex。　The　bear　was　next　skinned　and　disembowelled；　and　the　trunk　severed　from　the　head；　to　which　the　skin　was　left　hanging。　The　blood；　caught　in　cups；　was　eagerly　swallowed　by　the　men。　None　of　the　women　or　children　appeared　to　drink　the　blood；　though　custom　did　not　forbid　them　to　do　so。　The　liver　was　cut　in　small　pieces　and　eaten　raw；　with　salt；　the　women　and　children　getting　their　share。　The　flesh　and　the　rest　of　the　vitals　were　taken　into　the　house　to　be　kept　till　the　next　day　but　one；　and　then　to　be　divided　among　the　persons　who　had　been　present　at　the　feast。　Blood　and　liver　were　offered　to　Dr。　Scheube。　While　the　bear　was　being　disembowelled；　the　women　and　girls　danced　the　same　dance　which　they　had　danced　at　the　beginningnot；　however；　round　the　cage；　but　in　front　of　the　sacred　wands。　At　this　dance　the　old　women；　who　had　been　merry　a　moment　before；　again　shed　tears　freely。　After　the　brain　had　been　extracted　from　the　bear's　head　and　swallowed　with　salt；　the　skull；　detached　from　the　skin；　was　hung　on　a　pole　beside　the　sacred　wands。　The　stick　with　which　the　bear　had　been　gagged　was　also　fastened　to　the　pole；　and　so　were　the　sword　and　quiver　which　had　been　hung　on　the　carcase。　The　latter　were　removed　in　about　an　hour；　but　the　rest　remained　standing。　The　whole　company；　men　and　women；　danced　noisily　before　the　pole；　and　another　drinking…bout；　in　which　the　women　joined；　closed　the　festival。

Perhaps　the　first　published　account　of　the　bear…feast　of　the　Aino　is　one　which　was　given　to　the　world　by　a　Japanese　writer　in　1652。　It　has　been　translated　into　French　and　runs　thus：　When　they　find　a　young　bear；　they　bring　it　home；　and　the　wife　suckles　it。　When　it　is　grown　they　feed　it　with　fish　and　fowl　and　kill　it　in　winter　for　the　sake　of　the　liver；　which　they　esteem　an　antidote　to　poison；　the　worms；　colic；　and　disorders　of　the　stomach。　It　is　of　a　very　bitter　taste；　and　is　good　for　nothing　if　the　bear　has　been　killed　in　summer。　This　butchery　begins　in　the　first　Japanese　month。　For　this　purpose　they　put　the　animal's　head　between　two　long　poles；　which　are　squeezed　together　by　fifty　or　sixty　people；　both　men　and　women。　When　the　bear　is　dead　they　eat　his　flesh；　keep　the　liver　as　a　medicine；　and　sell　the　skin；　which　is　black　and　commonly　six　feet　long；　but　the　longest　measure　twelve　feet。　As　soon　as　he　is　skinned；　the　persons　who　nourished　the　beast　begin　to　bewail　him；　afterwards　they　make　little　cakes　to　regale　those　who　helped　them。

The　Aino　of　Saghalien　rear　bear　cubs　and　kill　them　with　similar　ceremonies。　We　are　told　that　they　do　not　look　upon　the　bear　as　a　god　but　only　as　a　messenger　whom　they　despatch　with　various　commissions　to　the　god　of　the　forest。　The　animal　is　kept　for　about　two　years　in　a　cage；　and　then　killed　at　a　festival；　which　always　takes　place　in　winter　and　at　night。　The　day　before　the　sacrifice　is　devoted　to　lamentation；　old　women　relieving　each　other　in　the　duty　of　weeping　and　groaning　in　front　of　the　bear's　cage。　Then　about　the　middle　of　the　night　or　very　early　in　the　morning　an　orator　makes　a　long　speech　to　the　beast；　reminding　him　how　they　have　taken　care　of　him；　and　fed　him　well；　and　bathed　him　in　the　river；　and　made　him　warm　and　comfortable。　Now；　he　proceeds；　we　are　holding　a　great　festival　in　your　honour。　Be　not　afraid。　We　will　not　hurt　you。　We　will　only　kill　you　and　send　you　to　the　god　of　the　forest　who　loves　you。　We　are　about　to　offer　you　a　good　dinner；　the　best　you　have　ever　eaten　among　us；　and　we　will　all　weep　for　you　together。　The　Aino　who　will　kill　you　is　the　best　shot　among　us。　There　he　is；　he　weeps　and　asks　your　forgiveness；　you　will　feel　almost　nothing；　it　will　be　done　so　quickly。　We　cannot　feed　you　always；　as　you　will　understand。　We　have　done　enough　for　you；　it　is　now　your　turn　to　sacrifice　yourself　for　us。　You　will　ask　God　to　send　us；　for　the　winter；　plenty　of　otters　and　sables；　and　for　the　summer；　seals　and　fish　in　abundance。　Do　not　forget　our　messages；　we　love　you　much；　and　our　children　will　never　forget　you。　When　the　bear　has　partaken　of　his　last　meal　amid　the　general　emotion　of　the　spectators；　the　old　women　weeping　afresh　and　the　men　uttering　stifled　cries；　he　is　strapped；　not　without　difficulty　and　danger；　and　being　let　out　of　the　cage　is　led　on　leash　or　dragged；　according　to　the　state　of　his　temper；　thrice　round　his　cage；　then　round　his　master's　house；　and　lastly　round　the　house　of　the　orator。　Thereupon　he　is　tied　up　to　a　tree；　which　is　decked　with　sacred　whittled　sticks　（inao）　of　the　usual　sort；　and　the　orator　again　addresses　him　in　a　long　harangue；　which　sometimes　lasts　till　the　day　is　beginning　to　break。　Remember；　he　cries；　remember！　I　remind　you　of　your　whole　life　and　of　the　services　we　have　rendered　you。　It　is　now　for　you　to　do　your　duty。　Do　not　forget　what　I　have　asked　of　you。　You　will　tell　the　gods　to　give　us　riches；　that　our　hunters　may　return　from　the　forest　laden　with　rare　furs　and　animals　good　to　eat；　that　our　fishers　may　find　troops　of　seals　on　the　shore　and　in　the　sea；　and　that　their　nets　may　crack　under　the　weight　of　the　fish。　We　have　no　hope　but　in　you。　The　evil　spirits　laugh　at　us；　and　too　often　they　are　unfavourable　and　malignant　to　us；　but　they　will　bow　before　you。　We　have　given　you　food　and　joy　and　health；　now　we　kill　you　in　order　that　you　may　in　return　send　riches　to　us　and　to　our　children。　To　this　discourse　the　bear；　more　and　more　surly　and　agitated；　listens　without　conviction；　round　and　round　the　tree　he　paces　and　howls　lamentably；　till；　just　as　the　first　beams　of　the　rising　sun　light　up　the　scene；　an　archer　speeds　an　arrow　to　his　heart。　No　sooner　has　he　done　so；　than　the　marksman　throws　away　his　bow　and　flings　himself　on　the　ground；　and　the　old　men　and　women　do　the　same；　weeping　and　sobbing。　Then　they　offer　the　dead　beast　a　repast　of　rice　and　wild　potatoes；　and　having　spoken　to　him　in　terms　of　pity　and　thanked　him　for　what　he　has　done　and　suffered；　they　cut　off　his　head　and　paws　and　keep　them　as　sacred　things。　A　banquet　on　the　flesh　and　blood　of　the　bear　follows。　Women　were　formerly　excluded　from　it；　but　now　they　share　with　the　men。　The　blood　is　drunk　warm　by　all　present；　the　flesh　is　boiled；　custom　forbids　it　to　be　roasted。　And　as　the　relics　of　the　bear　may　not　enter　the　house　by　the　door；　and　Aino　houses　in　Saghalien　have　no　windows；　a　man　gets　up　on　the　roof　and　lets　the　flesh；　the　head；　and　the　skin　down　through　the　smoke…hole。　Rice　and　wild　potatoes　are　then　offered　to　the　head；　and　a　pipe；　tobacco；　and　matches　are　considerately　placed　beside　it。　Custom　requires　that　the　guests　should　eat　up　the　whole　animal　before　they　depart；　the　use　of　salt　and　pepper　at　the　meal　is　forbidden；　and　no　morsel　of　the　flesh　may　be　given　to　the　dogs。　When　the　banquet　is　over；　the　head　is　carried　away　into　the　depth　of　the　forest　and　deposited　on　a　heap　of　bears'　skulls；　the　bleached　and　mouldering　relics　of　similar　festivals　in　the　past。

The　Gilyaks；　a　Tunguzian　people　of　Eastern　Siberia；　hold　a　bear…festival　of　the　same　sort　once　a　year　in　January。　The　bear　is　the　object　of　the　most　refined　solicitude　of　an　entire　village　and　plays　the　chief　part　in　their　religious　ceremonies。　An　old　she…bear　is　shot　and　her　cub　is　reared；　but　not　suckled；　in　the　village。　When　the　bear　is　big　en