the golden bough-第204节

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　is　fed　by　one　or　two　old　women；　her　maternal　aunts；　who　are　especially　appointed　to　look　after　her。　One　of　these　women　cooks　food　for　her　at　a　special　fire　in　the　forest。　The　girl　is　forbidden　to　eat　turtle　or　turtle　eggs　during　the　season　when　the　turtles　are　breeding；　but　no　vegetable　food　is　refused　her。　No　man；　not　even　her　own　father；　may　come　into　the　house　while　her　seclusion　lasts；　for　if　her　father　saw　her　at　this　time　he　would　certainly　have　bad　luck　in　his　fishing；　and　would　probably　smash　his　canoe　the　very　next　time　he　went　out　in　it。　At　the　end　of　the　three　months　she　is　carried　down　to　a　freshwater　creek　by　her　attendants；　hanging　on　to　their　shoulders　in　such　a　way　that　her　feet　do　not　touch　the　ground；　while　the　women　of　the　tribe　form　a　ring　round　her；　and　thus　escort　her　to　the　beach。　Arrived　at　the　shore；　she　is　stripped　of　her　ornaments；　and　the　bearers　stagger　with　her　into　the　creek；　where　they　immerse　her；　and　all　the　other　women　join　in　splashing　water　over　both　the　girl　and　her　bearers。　When　they　come　out　of　the　water　one　of　the　two　attendants　makes　a　heap　of　grass　for　her　charge　to　squat　upon。　The　other　runs　to　the　reef；　catches　a　small　crab；　tears　off　its　claws；　and　hastens　back　with　them　to　the　creek。　Here　in　the　meantime　a　fire　has　been　kindled；　and　the　claws　are　roasted　at　it。　The　girl　is　then　fed　by　her　attendants　with　the　roasted　claws。　After　that　she　is　freshly　decorated；　and　the　whole　party　marches　back　to　the　village　in　a　single　rank；　the　girl　walking　in　the　centre　between　her　two　old　aunts；　who　hold　her　by　the　wrists。　The　husbands　of　her　aunts　now　receive　her　and　lead　her　into　the　house　of　one　of　them；　where　all　partake　of　food；　and　the　girl　is　allowed　once　more　to　feed　herself　in　the　usual　manner。　A　dance　follows；　in　which　the　girl　takes　a　prominent　part；　dancing　between　the　husbands　of　the　two　aunts　who　had　charge　of　her　in　her　retirement。

Among　the　Yaraikanna　tribe　of　Cape　York　Peninsula；　in　Northern　Queensland；　a　girl　at　puberty　is　said　to　live　by　herself　for　a　month　or　six　weeks；　no　man　may　see　her；　though　any　woman　may。　She　stays　in　a　hut　or　shelter　specially　made　for　her；　on　the　floor　of　which　she　lies　supine。　She　may　not　see　the　sun；　and　towards　sunset　she　must　keep　her　eyes　shut　until　the　sun　has　gone　down；　otherwise　it　is　thought　that　her　nose　will　be　diseased。　During　her　seclusion　she　may　eat　nothing　that　lives　in　salt　water；　or　a　snake　would　kill　her。　An　old　woman　waits　upon　her　and　supplies　her　with　roots；　yams；　and　water。　Some　Australian　tribes　are　wont　to　bury　their　girls　at　such　seasons　more　or　less　deeply　in　the　ground；　perhaps　in　order　to　hide　them　from　the　light　of　the　sun。

Among　the　Indians　of　California　a　girl　at　her　first　menstruation　was　thought　to　be　possessed　of　a　particular　degree　of　supernatural　power；　and　this　was　not　always　regarded　as　entirely　defiling　or　malevolent。　Often；　however；　there　was　a　strong　feeling　of　the　power　of　evil　inherent　in　her　condition。　Not　only　was　she　secluded　from　her　family　and　the　community；　but　an　attempt　was　made　to　seclude　the　world　from　her。　One　of　the　injunctions　most　strongly　laid　upon　her　was　not　to　look　about　her。　She　kept　her　head　bowed　and　was　forbidden　to　see　the　world　and　the　sun。　Some　tribes　covered　her　with　a　blanket。　Many　of　the　customs　in　this　connection　resembled　those　of　the　North　Pacific　Coast　most　strongly；　such　as　the　prohibition　to　the　girl　to　touch　or　scratch　her　head　with　her　hand；　a　special　implement　being　furnished　her　for　the　purpose。　Sometimes　she　could　eat　only　when　fed　and　in　other　cases　fasted　altogether。

Among　the　Chinook　Indians　who　inhabited　the　coast　of　Washington　State；　when　a　chief's　daughter　attained　to　puberty；　she　was　hidden　for　five　days　from　the　view　of　the　people；　she　might　not　look　at　them　nor　at　the　sky；　nor　might　she　pick　berries。　It　was　believed　that　if　she　were　to　look　at　the　sky；　the　weather　would　be　bad；　that　if　she　picked　berries；　it　would　rain；　and　that　when　she　hung　her　towel　of　cedar…bark　on　a　spruce…tree；　the　tree　withered　up　at　once。　She　went　out　of　the　house　by　a　separate　door　and　bathed　in　a　creek　far　from　the　village。　She　fasted　for　some　days；　and　for　many　days　more　she　might　not　eat　fresh　food。

Amongst　the　Aht　or　Nootka　Indians　of　Vancouver　Island；　when　girls　reach　puberty　they　are　placed　in　a　sort　of　gallery　in　the　house　and　are　there　surrounded　completely　with　mats；　so　that　neither　the　sun　nor　any　fire　can　be　seen。　In　this　cage　they　remain　for　several　days。　Water　is　given　them；　but　no　food。　The　longer　a　girl　remains　in　this　retirement　the　greater　honour　is　it　to　the　parents；　but　she　is　disgraced　for　life　if　it　is　known　that　she　has　seen　fire　or　the　sun　during　this　initiatory　ordeal。　Pictures　of　the　mythical　thunder…bird　are　painted　on　the　screens　behind　which　she　hides。　During　her　seclusion　she　may　neither　move　nor　lie　down；　but　must　always　sit　in　a　squatting　posture。　She　may　not　touch　her　hair　with　her　hands；　but　is　allowed　to　scratch　her　head　with　a　comb　or　a　piece　of　bone　provided　for　the　purpose。　To　scratch　her　body　is　also　forbidden；　as　it　is　believed　that　every　scratch　would　leave　a　scar。　For　eight　months　after　reaching　maturity　she　may　not　eat　any　fresh　food；　particularly　salmon；　moreover；　she　must　eat　by　herself；　and　use　a　cup　and　dish　of　her　own。

In　the　Tsetsaut　tribe　of　British　Columbia　a　girl　at　puberty　wears　a　large　hat　of　skin　which　comes　down　over　her　face　and　screens　it　from　the　sun。　It　is　believed　that　if　she　were　to　expose　her　face　to　the　sun　or　to　the　sky；　rain　would　fall。　The　hat　protects　her　face　also　against　the　fire；　which　ought　not　to　strike　her　skin；　to　shield　her　hands　she　wears　mittens。　In　her　mouth　she　carries　the　tooth　of　an　animal　to　prevent　her　own　teeth　from　becoming　hollow。　For　a　whole　year　she　may　not　see　blood　unless　her　face　is　blackened；　otherwise　she　would　grow　blind。　For　two　years　she　wears　the　hat　and　lives　in　a　hut　by　herself；　although　she　is　allowed　to　see　other　people。　At　the　end　of　two　years　a　man　takes　the　hat　from　her　head　and　throws　it　away。　In　the　Bilqula　or　Bella　Coola　tribe　of　British　Columbia；　when　a　girl　attains　puberty　she　must　stay　in　the　shed　which　serves　as　her　bedroom；　where　she　has　a　separate　fireplace。　She　is　not　allowed　to　descend　to　the　main　part　of　the　house；　and　may　not　sit　by　the　fire　of　the　family。　For　four　days　she　is　bound　to　remain　motionless　in　a　sitting　posture。　She　fasts　during　the　day；　but　is　allowed　a　little　food　and　drink　very　early　in　the　morning。　After　the　four　days'　seclusion　she　may　leave　her　room；　but　only　through　a　separate　opening　cut　in　the　floor；　for　the　houses　are　raised　on　piles。　She　may　not　yet　come　into　the　chief　room。　In　leaving　the　house　she　wears　a　large　hat　which　protects　her　face　against　the　rays　of　the　sun。　It　is　believed　that　if　the　sun　were　to　shine　on　her　face　her　eyes　would　suffer。　She　may　pick　berries　on　the　hills；　but　may　not　come　near　the　river　or　sea　for　a　whole　year。　Were　she　to　eat　fresh　salmon　she　would　lose　her　senses；　or　her　mouth　would　be　changed　into　a　long　beak。

Amongst　the　Tlingit　（Thlinkeet）　or　Kolosh　Indians　of　Alaska；　when　a　girl　showed　signs　of　womanhood　she　used　to　be　confined　to　a　little　hut　or　cage；　which　was　completely　blocked　up　with　the　exception　of　a　small　air…hole。　In　this　dark　and　filthy　abode　she　had　to　remain　a　year；　without　fire；　exercise；　or　associates。　Only　her　mother　and　a　female　slave　might　supply　her　with　nourishment。　Her　food　was　put　in　at　the　little　window；　she　had　to　drink　out　of　the　wing…bone　of　a　white…headed　eagle。　The　time　of　her　seclusion　was　afterwards　reduced　in　some　places　to　six　or　three　months　or　even　less。　She　had　to　wear　a　sort　of　hat　with　long　flaps；　that　her　gaze　might　not　pollute　the　sky；　for　she　was　thought　unfit　for　the　sun　to　shine　upon；　and　it　was　imagined　that　her　look　would　destroy　the　luck　of　a　hunter；　fisher；　or　gambler；　turn　things　to　stone；　and　do　other　mischief。　At　the　end　of　her　confinement　her　old　clothes　were　burnt；　new　ones　were　made；　and　a　feast　was　given；　at　which　a　slit　was　cut　in　her　under　lip　parallel　to　the　mouth；　and　a　piece　of　wood　or　shell　was　inserted　to　keep　the　aperture　open。　Among　the　Koniags；　an　Esquimau　people　of　Alaska；　a　girl　at　puberty　was　placed　in　a　small　hut　in　which　she　had　to　remain　on　her　hands　and　feet　for　six　months；　then　the　hut　was　enlarged　a　little　so　as　to　allow　her　to　straighten　her　back；　but　in　this　posture　she　had　to　remain　for　six　months　more。　All　this　time　she　was　regarded　as　an　unclean　being　with　whom　no　one　might　hold　intercourse。

When　symptoms　of　puberty　appeared　on　a　girl　for　the　first　time；　the　Guaranis　of　Southern　Brazil；　on　the　borders　of　Paraguay；　used　to　sew　her　up　in　her　hammock；　leaving　only　a　small　opening　in　it　to　allow　her　to　breathe。　In　this　condition；　wrapt　up　and　shrouded　like　a　corpse；　she　was　kept　for　two　or　three　days　or　so　long　as　the　symptoms　lasted；　and　during　this　time　she　had　to　observe　a　most　rigorous　fast。　After　that　she　was　entrusted　to　a　matron；　who　cut　the　girl's　hair　and　enjoined　her　to　abstain　most　strictly　from　eating　flesh　of　any　kind　until　her　hair　should　be　grown　long　enough　to　hide　her　ears。　In　similar　circumstances　the　Chiriguanos　of　South…eastern　Bolivia　hoisted　the　girl　in　her　hammock　to　the　roof；　where　she　stayed　for　a　month：　the　s