the golden bough-第237节

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alm；　grubbed　up　with　the　roots；　stands　for　the　backbone　of　the　great　being　and　its　clustering　fibres　for　his　hair；　and　to　complete　the　resemblance　the　butt　end　of　the　building　is　adorned　by　a　native　artist　with　a　pair　of　goggle　eyes　and　a　gaping　mouth。　When　after　a　tearful　parting　from　their　mothers　and　women　folk；　who　believe　or　pretend　to　believe　in　the　monster　that　swallows　their　dear　ones；　the　awe…struck　novices　are　brought　face　to　face　with　this　imposing　structure；　the　huge　creature　emits　a　sullen　growl；　which　is　in　fact　no　other　than　the　humming　note　of　bull…roarers　swung　by　men　concealed　in　the　monster's　belly。　The　actual　process　of　deglutition　is　variously　enacted。　Among　the　Tami　it　is　represented　by　causing　the　candidates　to　defile　past　a　row　of　men　who　hold　bull…roarers　over　their　heads；　among　the　Kai　it　is　more　graphically　set　forth　by　making　them　pass　under　a　scaffold　on　which　stands　a　man；　who　makes　a　gesture　of　swallowing　and　takes　in　fact　a　gulp　of　water　as　each　trembling　novice　passes　beneath　him。　But　the　present　of　a　pig；　opportunely　offered　for　the　redemption　of　the　youth；　induces　the　monster　to　relent　and　disgorge　his　victim；　the　man　who　represents　the　monster　accepts　the　gift　vicariously；　a　gurgling　sound　is　heard；　and　the　water　which　had　just　been　swallowed　descends　in　a　jet　on　the　novice。　This　signifies　that　the　young　man　has　been　released　from　the　monster's　belly。　However；　he　has　now　to　undergo　the　more　painful　and　dangerous　operation　of　circumcision。　It　follows　immediately；　and　the　cut　made　by　the　knife　of　the　operator　is　explained　to　be　a　bite　or　scratch　which　the　monster　inflicted　on　the　novice　in　spewing　him　out　of　his　capacious　maw。　While　the　operation　is　proceeding；　a　prodigious　noise　is　made　by　the　swinging　of　bull…roarers　to　represent　the　roar　of　the　dreadful　being　who　is　in　the　act　of　swallowing　the　young　man。

When；　as　sometimes　happens；　a　lad　dies　from　the　effect　of　the　operation；　he　is　buried　secretly　in　the　forest；　and　his　sorrowing　mother　is　told　that　the　monster　has　a　pig's　stomach　as　well　as　a　human　stomach；　and　that　unfortunately　her　son　slipped　into　the　wrong　stomach；　from　which　it　was　impossible　to　extricate　him。　After　they　have　been　circumcised　the　lads　must　remain　for　some　months　in　seclusion；　shunning　all　contact　with　women　and　even　the　sight　of　them。　They　live　in　the　long　hut　which　represents　the　monster's　belly。　When　at　last　the　lads；　now　ranking　as　initiated　men；　are　brought　back　with　great　pomp　and　ceremony　to　the　village；　they　are　received　with　sobs　and　tears　of　joy　by　the　women；　as　if　the　grave　had　given　up　its　dead。　At　first　the　young　men　keep　their　eyes　rigidly　closed　or　even　sealed　with　a　plaster　of　chalk；　and　they　appear　not　to　understand　the　words　of　command　which　are　given　them　by　an　elder。　Gradually；　however；　they　come　to　themselves　as　if　awakening　from　a　stupor；　and　next　day　they　bathe　and　wash　off　the　crust　of　white　chalk　with　which　their　bodies　had　been　coated。

It　is　highly　significant　that　all　these　tribes　of　New　Guinea　apply　the　same　word　to　the　bull…roarer　and　to　the　monster；　who　is　supposed　to　swallow　the　novices　at　circumcision；　and　whose　fearful　roar　is　represented　by　the　hum　of　the　harmless　wooden　instruments。　Further；　it　deserves　to　be　noted　that　in　three　languages　out　of　the　four　the　same　word　which　is　applied　to　the　bull…roarer　and　to　the　monster　means　also　a　ghost　or　spirit　of　the　dead；　while　in　the　fourth　language　（the　Kai）　it　signifies　grandfather。　From　this　it　seems　to　follow　that　the　being　who　swallows　and　disgorges　the　novices　at　initiation　is　believed　to　be　a　powerful　ghost　or　ancestral　spirit；　and　that　the　bull…roarer；　which　bears　his　name；　is　his　material　representative。　That　would　explain　the　jealous　secrecy　with　which　the　sacred　implement　is　kept　from　the　sight　of　women。　While　they　are　not　in　use；　the　bull…roarers　are　stowed　away　in　the　men's　club…houses；　which　no　woman　may　enter；　indeed　no　woman　or　uninitiated　person　may　set　eyes　on　a　bull…roarer　under　pain　of　death。　Similarly　among　the　Tugeri　or　Kaya…Kaya；　a　large　Papuan　tribe　on　the　south　coast　of　Dutch　New　Guinea；　the　name　of　the　bull…roarer；　which　they　call　sosom；　is　given　to　a　mythical　giant；　who　is　supposed　to　appear　every　year　with　the　south…east　monsoon。　When　he　comes；　a　festival　is　held　in　his　honour　and　bull…roarers　are　swung。　Boys　are　presented　to　the　giant；　and　he　kills　them；　but　considerately　brings　them　to　life　again。

In　certain　districts　of　Viti　Levu；　the　largest　of　the　Fijian　Islands；　the　drama　of　death　and　resurrection　used　to　be　acted　with　much　solemnity　before　the　eyes　of　young　men　at　initiation。　In　a　sacred　enclosure　they　were　shown　a　row　of　dead　or　seemingly　dead　men　lying　on　the　ground；　their　bodies　cut　open　and　covered　with　blood；　their　entrails　protruding。　But　at　a　yell　from　the　high　priest　the　counterfeit　dead　men　started　to　their　feet　and　ran　down　to　the　river　to　cleanse　themselves　from　the　blood　and　guts　of　pigs　with　which　they　were　beslobbered。　Soon　they　marched　back　to　the　sacred　enclosure　as　if　come　to　life；　clean；　fresh；　and　garlanded；　swaying　their　bodies　in　time　to　the　music　of　a　solemn　hymn；　and　took　their　places　in　front　of　the　novices。　Such　was　the　drama　of　death　and　resurrection。

The　people　of　Rook；　an　island　between　New　Guinea　and　New　Britain；　hold　festivals　at　which　one　or　two　disguised　men；　their　heads　covered　with　wooden　masks；　go　dancing　through　the　village；　followed　by　all　the　other　men。　They　demand　that　the　circumcised　boys　who　have　not　yet　been　swallowed　by　Marsaba　（the　devil）　shall　be　given　up　to　them。　The　boys；　trembling　and　shrieking；　are　delivered　to　them；　and　must　creep　between　the　legs　of　the　disguised　men。　Then　the　procession　moves　through　the　village　again；　and　announces　that　Marsaba　has　eaten　up　the　boys；　and　will　not　disgorge　them　till　he　receives　a　present　of　pigs；　taro；　and　so　forth。　So　all　the　villagers；　according　to　their　means；　contribute　provisions；　which　are　then　consumed　in　the　name　of　Marsaba。

In　the　west　of　Ceram　boys　at　puberty　are　admitted　to　the　Kakian　association。　Modern　writers　have　commonly　regarded　this　association　as　primarily　a　political　league　instituted　to　resist　foreign　domination。　In　reality　its　objects　are　purely　religious　and　social；　though　it　is　possible　that　the　priests　may　have　occasionally　used　their　powerful　influence　for　political　ends。　The　society　is　in　fact　merely　one　of　those　widely…diffused　primitive　institutions；　of　which　a　chief　object　is　the　initiation　of　young　men。　In　recent　years　the　true　nature　of　the　association　has　been　duly　recognised　by　the　distinguished　Dutch　ethnologist；　J。　G。　F。　Riedel。　The　Kakian　house　is　an　oblong　wooden　shed；　situated　under　the　darkest　trees　in　the　depth　of　the　forest；　and　is　built　to　admit　so　little　light　that　it　is　impossible　to　see　what　goes　on　in　it。　Every　village　has　such　a　house。　Thither　the　boys　who　are　to　be　initiated　are　conducted　blindfold；　followed　by　their　parents　and　relations。　Each　boy　is　led　by　the　hand　of　two　men；　who　act　as　his　sponsors　or　guardians；　looking　after　him　during　the　period　of　initiation。　When　all　are　assembled　before　the　shed；　the　high　priest　calls　aloud　upon　the　devils。　Immediately　a　hideous　uproar　is　heard　to　proceed　from　the　shed。　It　is　made　by　men　with　bamboo　trumpets；　who　have　been　secretly　introduced　into　the　building　by　a　back　door；　but　the　women　and　children　think　it　is　made　by　the　devils；　and　are　much　terrified。　Then　the　priests　enter　the　shed；　followed　by　the　boys；　one　at　a　time。　As　soon　as　each　boy　has　disappeared　within　the　precincts；　a　dull　chopping　sound　is　heard；　a　fearful　cry　rings　out；　and　a　sword　or　spear；　dripping　with　blood；　is　thrust　through　the　roof　of　the　shed。　This　is　a　token　that　the　boy's　head　has　been　cut　off；　and　that　the　devil　has　carried　him　away　to　the　other　world；　there　to　regenerate　and　transform　him。　So　at　sight　of　the　bloody　sword　the　mothers　weep　and　wail；　crying　that　the　devil　has　murdered　their　children。　In　some　places；　it　would　seem；　the　boys　are　pushed　through　an　opening　made　in　the　shape　of　a　crocodile's　jaws　or　a　cassowary's　beak；　and　it　is　then　said　that　the　devil　has　swallowed　them。　The　boys　remain　in　the　shed　for　five　or　nine　days。　Sitting　in　the　dark；　they　hear　the　blast　of　the　bamboo　trumpets；　and　from　time　to　time　the　sound　of　musket　shots　and　the　clash　of　swords。　Every　day　they　bathe；　and　their　faces　and　bodies　are　smeared　with　a　yellow　dye；　to　give　them　the　appearance　of　having　been　swallowed　by　the　devil。　During　his　stay　in　the　Kakian　house　each　boy　has　one　or　two　crosses　tattooed　with　thorns　on　his　breast　or　arm。　When　they　are　not　sleeping；　the　lads　must　sit　in　a　crouching　posture　without　moving　a　muscle。　As　they　sit　in　a　row　cross…legged；　with　their　hands　stretched　out；　the　chief　takes　his　trumpet；　and　placing　the　mouth　of　it　on　the　hands　of　each　lad；　speaks　through　it　in　strange　tones；　imitating　the　voice　of　the　spirits。　He　warns　the　lads；　under　pain　of　death；　to　observe　the　rules　of　the　Kakian　society；　and　never　to　reveal　what　has　passed　in　the　Kakian　house。　The　novices　are　also　told　by　the　priests　to　behave　well　to　their　blood　relations；　and　are　taught　the　traditions　and　secrets　of　the　tribe。

Meantime　the　mothers　and　sisters　of　the　lads　have　gone　home　to　weep　and　mourn。　But　in　a　day　or