the golden bough-第67节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


es　to　men　who　keep　these　private　asylums　or　set　traps　for　passing　souls；　it　is　their　profession；　and　in　the　exercise　of　it　they　are　actuated　by　no　harsh　or　unkindly　feelings。　But　there　are　also　wretches　who　from　pure　spite　or　for　the　sake　of　lucre　set　and　bait　traps　with　the　deliberate　purpose　of　catching　the　soul　of　a　particular　man；　and　in　the　bottom　of　the　pot；　hidden　by　the　bait；　are　knives　and　sharp　hooks　which　tear　and　rend　the　poor　soul；　either　killing　it　outright　or　mauling　it　so　as　to　impair　the　health　of　its　owner　when　it　succeeds　in　escaping　and　returning　to　him。　Miss　Kingsley　knew　a　Kruman　who　became　very　anxious　about　his　soul；　because　for　several　nights　he　had　smelt　in　his　dreams　the　savoury　smell　of　smoked　crawfish　seasoned　with　red　pepper。　Clearly　some　ill…wisher　had　set　a　trap　baited　with　this　dainty　for　his　dream…soul；　intending　to　do　him　grievous　bodily；　or　rather　spiritual；　harm；　and　for　the　next　few　nights　great　pains　were　taken　to　keep　his　soul　from　straying　abroad　in　his　sleep。　In　the　sweltering　heat　of　the　tropical　night　he　lay　sweating　and　snorting　under　a　blanket；　his　nose　and　mouth　tied　up　with　a　handkerchief　to　prevent　the　escape　of　his　precious　soul。　In　Hawaii　there　were　sorcerers　who　caught　souls　of　living　people；　shut　them　up　in　calabashes；　and　gave　them　to　people　to　eat。　By　squeezing　a　captured　soul　in　their　hands　they　discovered　the　place　where　people　had　been　secretly　buried。

Nowhere　perhaps　is　the　art　of　abducting　human　souls　more　carefully　cultivated　or　carried　to　higher　perfection　than　in　the　Malay　Peninsula。　Here　the　methods　by　which　the　wizard　works　his　will　are　various；　and　so　too　are　his　motives。　Sometimes　he　desires　to　destroy　an　enemy；　sometimes　to　win　the　love　of　a　cold　or　bashful　beauty。　Thus；　to　take　an　instance　of　the　latter　sort　of　charm；　the　following　are　the　directions　given　for　securing　the　soul　of　one　whom　you　wish　to　render　distraught。　When　the　moon；　just　risen；　looks　red　above　the　eastern　horizon；　go　out；　and　standing　in　the　moonlight；　with　the　big　toe　of　your　right　foot　on　the　big　toe　of　your　left；　make　a　speaking…trumpet　of　your　right　hand　and　recite　through　it　the　following　words：

OM。　I　loose　my　shaft；　I　loose　it　and　the　moon　clouds　over；　I　loose　it；　and　the　sun　is　extinguished。　I　loose　it；　and　the　stars　burn　dim。　But　it　is　not　the　sun；　moon；　and　stars　that　I　shoot　at；　It　is　the　stalk　of　the　heart　of　that　child　of　the　congregation；

So…and…so。　Cluck！　cluck！　soul　of　So…and…so；　come　and　walk　with　me；　Come　and　sit　with　me；　Come　and　sleep　and　share　my　pillow。　Cluck！　cluck！　soul。

Repeat　this　thrice　and　after　every　repetition　blow　through　your　hollow　fist。　Or　you　may　catch　the　soul　in　your　turban；　thus。　Go　out　on　the　night　of　the　full　moon　and　the　two　succeeding　nights；　sit　down　on　an　ant…hill　facing　the　moon；　burn　incense；　and　recite　the　following　incantation：

I　bring　you　a　betel　leaf　to　chew；　Dab　the　lime　on　to　it；　Prince　Ferocious；　For　Somebody；　Prince　Distraction's　daughter；　to　chew。　Somebody　at　sunrise　be　distraught　for　love　of　me　Somebody　at　sunset　be　distraught　for　love　of　me。　As　you　remember　your　parents；　remember　me；　As　you　remember　your　house　and　houseladder；　remember　me；　When　thunder　rumbles；　remember　me；　When　wind　whistles；　remember　me；　When　the　heavens　rain；　remember　me；　When　cocks　crow；　remember　me；　When　the　dial…bird　tells　its　tales；　remember　me；　When　you　look　up　at　the　sun；　remember　me；　When　you　look　up　at　the　moon；　remember　me；　For　in　that　self…same　moon　I　am　there。　Cluck！　cluck！　soul　of　Somebody　come　hither　to　me。　I　do　not　mean　to　let　you　have　my　soul；　Let　your　soul　come　hither　to　mine。

Now　wave　the　end　of　your　turban　towards　the　moon　seven　times　each　night。　Go　home　and　put　it　under　your　pillow；　and　if　you　want　to　wear　it　in　the　daytime；　burn　incense　and　say；　It　is　not　a　turban　that　I　carry　in　my　girdle；　but　the　soul　of　Somebody。

The　Indians　of　the　Nass　River；　in　British　Columbia；　are　impressed　with　a　belief　that　a　physician　may　swallow　his　patient's　soul　by　mistake。　A　doctor　who　is　believed　to　have　done　so　is　made　by　the　other　members　of　the　faculty　to　stand　over　the　patient；　while　one　of　them　thrusts　his　fingers　down　the　doctor's　throat；　another　kneads　him　in　the　stomach　with　his　knuckles；　and　a　third　slaps　him　on　the　back。　If　the　soul　is　not　in　him　after　all；　and　if　the　same　process　has　been　repeated　upon　all　the　medical　men　without　success；　it　is　concluded　that　the　soul　must　be　in　the　head…doctor's　box。　A　party　of　doctors；　therefore；　waits　upon　him　at　his　house　and　requests　him　to　produce　his　box。　When　he　has　done　so　and　arranged　its　contents　on　a　new　mat；　they　take　the　votary　of　Aesculapius　and　hold　him　up　by　the　heels　with　his　head　in　a　hole　in　the　floor。　In　this　position　they　wash　his　head；　and　any　water　remaining　from　the　ablution　is　taken　and　poured　upon　the　sick　man's　head。　No　doubt　the　lost　soul　is　in　the　water。

3。　The　Soul　as　a　Shadow　and　a　Reflection

BUT　the　spiritual　dangers　I　have　enumerated　are　not　the　only　ones　which　beset　the　savage。　Often　he　regards　his　shadow　or　reflection　as　his　soul；　or　at　all　events　as　a　vital　part　of　himself；　and　as　such　it　is　necessarily　a　source　of　danger　to　him。　For　if　it　is　trampled　upon；　struck；　or　stabbed；　he　will　feel　the　injury　as　if　it　were　done　to　his　person；　and　if　it　is　detached　from　him　entirely　（as　he　believes　that　it　may　be）　he　will　die。　In　the　island　of　Wetar　there　are　magicians　who　can　make　a　man　ill　by　stabbing　his　shadow　with　a　pike　or　hacking　it　with　a　sword。　After　Sankara　had　destroyed　the　Buddhists　in　India；　it　is　said　that　he　journeyed　to　Nepaul；　where　he　had　some　difference　of　opinion　with　the　Grand　Lama。　To　prove　his　supernatural　powers；　he　soared　into　the　air。　But　as　he　mounted　up　the　Grand　Lama；　perceiving　his　shadow　swaying　and　wavering　on　the　ground；　struck　his　knife　into　it　and　down　fell　Sankara　and　broke　his　neck。

In　the　Banks　Islands　there　are　some　stones　of　a　remarkably　long　shape　which　go　by　the　name　of　eating　ghosts；　because　certain　powerful　and　dangerous　ghosts　are　believed　to　lodge　in　them。　If　a　man's　shadow　falls　on　one　of　these　stones；　the　ghost　will　draw　his　soul　out　from　him；　so　that　he　will　die。　Such　stones；　therefore；　are　set　in　a　house　to　guard　it；　and　a　messenger　sent　to　a　house　by　the　absent　owner　will　call　out　the　name　of　the　sender；　lest　the　watchful　ghost　in　the　stone　should　fancy　that　he　came　with　evil　intent　and　should　do　him　a　mischief。　At　a　funeral　in　China；　when　the　lid　is　about　to　be　placed　on　the　coffin；　most　of　the　bystanders；　with　the　exception　of　the　nearest　kin；　retire　a　few　steps　or　even　retreat　to　another　room；　for　a　person's　health　is　believed　to　be　endangered　by　allowing　his　shadow　to　be　enclosed　in　a　coffin。　And　when　the　coffin　is　about　to　be　lowered　into　the　grave　most　of　the　spectators　recoil　to　a　little　distance　lest　their　shadows　should　fall　into　the　grave　and　harm　should　thus　be　done　to　their　persons。　The　geomancer　and　his　assistants　stand　on　the　side　of　the　grave　which　is　turned　away　from　the　sun；　and　the　grave…diggers　and　coffin…bearers　attach　their　shadows　firmly　to　their　persons　by　tying　a　strip　of　cloth　tightly　round　their　waists。　Nor　is　it　human　beings　alone　who　are　thus　liable　to　be　injured　by　means　of　their　shadows。　Animals　are　to　some　extent　in　the　same　predicament。　A　small　snail；　which　frequents　the　neighbourhood　of　the　limestone　hills　in　Perak；　is　believed　to　suck　the　blood　of　cattle　through　their　shadows；　hence　the　beasts　grow　lean　and　sometimes　die　from　loss　of　blood。　The　ancients　supposed　that　in　Arabia；　if　a　hyaena　trod　on　a　man's　shadow；　it　deprived　him　of　the　power　of　speech　and　motion；　and　that　if　a　dog；　standing　on　a　roof　in　the　moonlight；　cast　a　shadow　on　the　ground　and　a　hyaena　trod　on　it；　the　dog　would　fall　down　as　if　dragged　with　a　rope。　Clearly　in　these　cases　the　shadow；　if　not　equivalent　to　the　soul；　is　at　least　regarded　as　a　living　part　of　the　man　or　the　animal；　so　that　injury　done　to　the　shadow　is　felt　by　the　person　or　animal　as　if　it　were　done　to　his　body。

Conversely；　if　the　shadow　is　a　vital　part　of　a　man　or　an　animal；　it　may　under　certain　circumstances　be　as　hazardous　to　be　touched　by　it　as　it　would　be　to　come　into　contact　with　the　person　or　animal。　Hence　the　savage　makes　it　a　rule　to　shun　the　shadow　of　certain　persons　whom　for　various　reasons　he　regards　as　sources　of　dangerous　influence。　Amongst　the　dangerous　classes　he　commonly　ranks　mourners　and　women　in　general；　but　especially　his　mother…in…law。　The　Shuswap　Indians　think　that　the　shadow　of　a　mourner　falling　upon　a　person　would　make　him　sick。　Amongst　the　Kurnai　of　Victoria　novices　at　initiation　were　cautioned　not　to　let　a　woman's　shadow　fall　across　them；　as　this　would　make　them　thin；　lazy；　and　stupid。　An　Australian　native　is　said　to　have　once　nearly　died　of　fright　because　the　shadow　of　his　mother…in…law　fell　on　his　legs　as　he　lay　asleep　under　a　tree。　The　awe　and　dread　with　which　the　untutored　savage　contemplates　his　mother…in…law　are　amongst　the　most　familiar　facts　of　anthropology。　In　the　Yuin　tribes　of　New　South　Wales　the　rule　which　forbade　a　man　to　hold　any　communication　with　his　wife's　mother　was　very　strict。　He　might　not　look　at　her　or　even　in　her　direction。　It　was　a　ground　of　divorce　if　his　shadow　happened　to　fall　on　his　mother…in…law：　in　that