the golden bough-第78节

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of　sympathetic　magic；　her　misconduct　sympathetically　affects　her　husband　and　his　work　at　a　distance。　We　may；　accordingly；　infer　with　some　confidence　that　the　rule　of　continence　imposed　on　the　poison…maker　himself　is　also　a　simple　case　of　sympathetic　magic；　and　not；　as　a　civilised　reader　might　be　disposed　to　conjecture；　a　wise　precaution　designed　to　prevent　him　from　accidentally　poisoning　his　wife。

Among　the　Ba…Pedi　and　Ba…Thonga　tribes　of　South　Africa；　when　the　site　of　a　new　village　has　been　chosen　and　the　houses　are　building；　all　the　married　people　are　forbidden　to　have　conjugal　relations　with　each　other。　If　it　were　discovered　that　any　couple　had　broken　this　rule；　the　work　of　building　would　immediately　be　stopped；　and　another　site　chosen　for　the　village。　For　they　think　that　a　breach　of　chastity　would　spoil　the　village　which　was　growing　up；　that　the　chief　would　grow　lean　and　perhaps　die；　and　that　the　guilty　woman　would　never　bear　another　child。　Among　the　Chams　of　Cochin…China；　when　a　dam　is　made　or　repaired　on　a　river　for　the　sake　of　irrigation；　the　chief　who　offers　the　traditional　sacrifices　and　implores　the　protection　of　the　deities　on　the　work　has　to　stay　all　the　time　in　a　wretched　hovel　of　straw；　taking　no　part　in　the　labour；　and　observing　the　strictest　continence；　for　the　people　believe　that　a　breach　of　his　chastity　would　entail　a　breach　of　the　dam。　Here；　it　is　plain；　there　can　be　no　idea　of　maintaining　the　mere　bodily　vigour　of　the　chief　for　the　accomplishment　of　a　task　in　which　he　does　not　even　bear　a　hand。

If　the　taboos　or　abstinences　observed　by　hunters　and　fishermen　before　and　during　the　chase　are　dictated；　as　we　have　seen　reason　to　believe；　by　superstitious　motives；　and　chiefly　by　a　dread　of　offending　or　frightening　the　spirits　of　the　creatures　whom　it　is　proposed　to　kill；　we　may　expect　that　the　restraints　imposed　after　the　slaughter　has　been　perpetrated　will　be　at　least　as　stringent；　the　slayer　and　his　friends　having　now　the　added　fear　of　the　angry　ghosts　of　his　victims　before　their　eyes。　Whereas　on　the　hypothesis　that　the　abstinences　in　question；　including　those　from　food；　drink；　and　sleep；　are　merely　salutary　precautions　for　maintaining　the　men　in　health　and　strength　to　do　their　work；　it　is　obvious　that　the　observance　of　these　abstinences　or　taboos　after　the　work　is　done；　that　is；　when　the　game　is　killed　and　the　fish　caught；　must　be　wholly　superfluous；　absurd；　and　inexplicable。　But　as　I　shall　now　show；　these　taboos　often　continue　to　be　enforced　or　even　increased　in　stringency　after　the　death　of　the　animals；　in　other　words；　after　the　hunter　or　fisher　has　accomplished　his　object　by　making　his　bag　or　landing　his　fish。　The　rationalistic　theory　of　them　therefore　breaks　down　entirely；　the　hypothesis　of　superstition　is　clearly　the　only　one　open　to　us。

Among　the　Inuit　or　Esquimaux　of　Bering　Strait　the　dead　bodies　of　various　animals　must　be　treated　very　carefully　by　the　hunter　who　obtains　them；　so　that　their　shades　may　not　be　offended　and　bring　bad　luck　or　even　death　upon　him　or　his　people。　Hence　the　Unalit　hunter　who　has　had　a　hand　in　the　killing　of　a　white　whale；　or　even　has　helped　to　take　one　from　the　net；　is　not　allowed　to　do　any　work　for　the　next　four　days；　that　being　the　time　during　which　the　shade　or　ghost　of　the　whale　is　supposed　to　stay　with　its　body。　At　the　same　time　no　one　in　the　village　may　use　any　sharp　or　pointed　instrument　for　fear　of　wounding　the　whale's　shade；　which　is　believed　to　be　hovering　invisible　in　the　neighbourhood；　and　no　loud　noise　may　be　made　lest　it　should　frighten　or　offend　the　ghost。　Whoever　cuts　a　whale's　body　with　an　iron　axe　will　die。　Indeed　the　use　of　all　iron　instruments　is　forbidden　in　the　village　during　these　four　days。

These　same　Esquimaux　celebrate　a　great　annual　festival　in　December　when　the　bladders　of　all　the　seals；　whales；　walrus；　and　white　bears　that　have　been　killed　in　the　year　are　taken　into　the　assembly…house　of　the　village。　They　remain　there　for　several　days；　and　so　long　as　they　do　so　the　hunters　avoid　all　intercourse　with　women；　saying　that　if　they　failed　in　that　respect　the　shades　of　the　dead　animals　would　be　offended。　Similarly　among　the　Aleuts　of　Alaska　the　hunter　who　had　struck　a　whale　with　a　charmed　spear　would　not　throw　again；　but　returned　at　once　to　his　home　and　separated　himself　from　his　people　in　a　hut　specially　constructed　for　the　purpose；　where　he　stayed　for　three　days　without　food　or　drink；　and　without　touching　or　looking　upon　a　woman。　During　this　time　of　seclusion　he　snorted　occasionally　in　imitation　of　the　wounded　and　dying　whale；　in　order　to　prevent　the　whale　which　he　had　struck　from　leaving　the　coast。　On　the　fourth　day　he　emerged　from　his　seclusion　and　bathed　in　the　sea；　shrieking　in　a　hoarse　voice　and　beating　the　water　with　his　hands。　Then；　taking　with　him　a　companion；　he　repaired　to　that　part　of　the　shore　where　he　expected　to　find　the　whale　stranded。　If　the　beast　was　dead；　he　at　once　cut　out　the　place　where　the　death…wound　had　been　inflicted。　If　the　whale　was　not　dead；　he　again　returned　to　his　home　and　continued　washing　himself　until　the　whale　died。　Here　the　hunter's　imitation　of　the　wounded　whale　is　probably　intended　by　means　of　homoeopathic　magic　to　make　the　beast　die　in　earnest。　Once　more　the　soul　of　the　grim　polar　bear　is　offended　if　the　taboos　which　concern　him　are　not　observed。　His　soul　tarries　for　three　days　near　the　spot　where　it　left　his　body；　and　during　these　days　the　Esquimaux　are　particularly　careful　to　conform　rigidly　to　the　laws　of　taboo；　because　they　believe　that　punishment　overtakes　the　transgressor　who　sins　against　the　soul　of　a　bear　far　more　speedily　than　him　who　sins　against　the　souls　of　the　sea…beasts。

When　the　Kayans　have　shot　one　of　the　dreaded　Bornean　panthers；　they　are　very　anxious　about　the　safety　of　their　souls；　for　they　think　that　the　soul　of　a　panther　is　almost　more　powerful　than　their　own。　Hence　they　step　eight　times　over　the　carcase　of　the　dead　beast　reciting　the　spell；　Panther；　thy　soul　under　my　soul。　On　returning　home　they　smear　themselves；　their　dogs；　and　their　weapons　with　the　blood　of　fowls　in　order　to　calm　their　souls　and　hinder　them　from　fleeing　away；　for；　being　themselves　fond　of　the　flesh　of　fowls；　they　ascribe　the　same　taste　to　their　souls。　For　eight　days　afterwards　they　must　bathe　by　day　and　by　night　before　going　out　again　to　the　chase。　Among　the　Hottentots；　when　a　man　has　killed　a　lion；　leopard；　elephant；　or　rhinoceros；　he　is　esteemed　a　great　hero；　but　he　has　to　remain　at　home　quite　idle　for　three　days；　during　which　his　wife　may　not　come　near　him；　she　is　also　enjoined　to　restrict　herself　to　a　poor　diet　and　to　eat　no　more　than　is　barely　necessary　to　keep　her　in　health。　Similarly　the　Lapps　deem　it　the　height　of　glory　to　kill　a　bear；　which　they　consider　the　king　of　beasts。　Nevertheless；　all　the　men　who　take　part　in　the　slaughter　are　regarded　as　unclean；　and　must　live　by　themselves　for　three　days　in　a　hut　or　tent　made　specially　for　them；　where　they　cut　up　and　cook　the　bear's　carcase。　The　reindeer　which　brought　in　the　carcase　on　a　sledge　may　not　be　driven　by　a　woman　for　a　whole　year；　indeed；　according　to　one　account；　it　may　not　be　used　by　anybody　for　that　period。　Before　the　men　go　into　the　tent　where　they　are　to　be　secluded；　they　strip　themselves　of　the　garments　they　had　worn　in　killing　the　bear；　and　their　wives　spit　the　red　juice　of　alder　bark　in　their　faces。　They　enter　the　tent　not　by　the　ordinary　door　but　by　an　opening　at　the　back。　When　the　bear's　flesh　has　been　cooked；　a　portion　of　it　is　sent　by　the　hands　of　two　men　to　the　women；　who　may　not　approach　the　men's　tent　while　the　cooking　is　going　on。　The　men　who　convey　the　flesh　to　the　women　pretend　to　be　strangers　bringing　presents　from　a　foreign　land；　the　women　keep　up　the　pretence　and　promise　to　tie　red　threads　round　the　legs　of　the　strangers。　The　bear's　flesh　may　not　be　passed　in　to　the　women　through　the　door　of　their　tent；　but　must　be　thrust　in　at　a　special　opening　made　by　lifting　up　the　hem　of　the　tent…cover。　When　the　three　days'　seclusion　is　over　and　the　men　are　at　liberty　to　return　to　their　wives；　they　run；　one　after　the　other；　round　the　fire；　holding　the　chain　by　which　pots　are　suspended　over　it。　This　is　regarded　as　a　form　of　purification；　they　may　now　leave　the　tent　by　the　ordinary　door　and　rejoin　the　women。　But　the　leader　of　the　party　must　still　abstain　from　cohabitation　with　his　wife　for　two　days　more。

Again；　the　Caffres　are　said　to　dread　greatly　the　boa…constrictor　or　an　enormous　serpent　resembling　it；　and　being　influenced　by　certain　superstitious　notions　they　even　fear　to　kill　it。　The　man　who　happened　to　put　it　to　death；　whether　in　self…defence　or　otherwise；　was　formerly　required　to　lie　in　a　running　stream　of　water　during　the　day　for　several　weeks　together；　and　no　beast　whatever　was　allowed　to　be　slaughtered　at　the　hamlet　to　which　he　belonged；　until　this　duty　had　been　fully　performed。　The　body　of　the　snake　was　then　taken　and　carefully　buried　in　a　trench；　dug　close　to　the　cattle…fold；　where　its　remains；　like　those　of　a　chief；　were　henceforward　kept　perfectly　undisturbed。　The　period　of　penance；　as　in　the　case　of　mourning　for　the　dead；　is　now　happily　reduced　to　a　few　days。　In　Madras　it　is　considered　a　great　sin　to　kill　a　cobra。　When　this　has　happened；　t