the golden bough-第102部分

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Sometimes　it　would　appear　that　the　spiritual　link　between　a　king　and　the　souls　of　his　predecessors　is　formed　by　the　possession　of　some　part　of　their　persons。　In　southern　Celebes　the　regalia　often　consist　of　corporeal　portions　of　deceased　rajahs；　which　are　treasured　as　sacred　relics　and　confer　the　right　to　the　throne。　Similarly　among　the　Sakalavas　of　southern　Madagascar　a　vertebra　of　the　neck；　a　nail；　and　a　lock　of　hair　of　a　deceased　king　are　placed　in　a　crocodile's　tooth　and　carefully　kept　along　with　the　similar　relics　of　his　predecessors　in　a　house　set　apart　for　the　purpose。　The　possession　of　these　relics　constitutes　the　right　to　the　throne。　A　legitimate　heir　who　should　be　deprived　of　them　would　lose　all　his　authority　over　the　people；　and　on　the　contrary　a　usurper　who　should　make　himself　master　of　the　relics　would　be　acknowledged　king　without　dispute。　When　the　Alake　or　king　of　Abeokuta　in　West　Africa　dies；　the　principal　men　decapitate　his　body；　and　placing　the　head　in　a　large　earthen　vessel　deliver　it　to　the　new　sovereign；　it　becomes　his　fetish　and　he　is　bound　to　pay　it　honours。　Sometimes；　in　order　apparently　that　the　new　sovereign　may　inherit　more　surely　the　magical　and　other　virtues　of　the　royal　line；　he　is　required　to　eat　a　piece　of　his　dead　predecessor。　Thus　at　Abeokuta　not　only　was　the　head　of　the　late　king　presented　to　his　successor；　but　the　tongue　was　cut　out　and　given　him　to　eat。　Hence；　when　the　natives　wish　to　signify　that　the　sovereign　reigns；　they　say；　He　has　eaten　the　king。　A　custom　of　the　same　sort　is　still　practised　at　Ibadan；　a　large　town　in　the　interior　of　Lagos；　West　Africa。　When　the　king　dies　his　head　is　cut　off　and　sent　to　his　nominal　suzerain；　the　Alafin　of　Oyo；　the　paramount　king　of　Yoruba　land；　but　his　heart　is　eaten　by　his　successor。　This　ceremony　was　performed　not　very　many　years　ago　at　the　accession　of　a　new　king　of　Ibadan。

Taking　the　whole　of　the　preceding　evidence　into　account；　we　may　fairly　suppose　that　when　the　divine　king　or　priest　is　put　to　death　his　spirit　is　believed　to　pass　into　his　successor。　In　point　of　fact；　among　the　Shilluk　of　the　White　Nile；　who　regularly　kill　their　divine　kings；　every　king　on　his　accession　has　to　perform　a　ceremony　which　appears　designed　to　convey　to　him　the　same　sacred　and　worshipful　spirit　which　animated　all　his　predecessors；　one　after　the　other；　on　the　throne。

Chapter　28。　The　Killing　of　the　Tree…Spirit。

1。　The　Whitsuntide　Mummers。

IT　remains　to　ask　what　light　the　custom　of　killing　the　divine　king　or　priest　sheds　upon　the　special　subject　to　our　enquiry。　In　an　earlier　part　of　this　work　we　saw　reason　to　suppose　that　the　King　of　the　Wood　at　Nemi　was　regarded　as　an　incarnation　of　a　tree…spirit　or　of　the　spirit　of　vegetation；　and　that　as　such　he　would　be　endowed；　in　the　belief　of　his　worshippers；　with　a　magical　power　of　making　the　trees　to　bear　fruit；　the　crops　to　grow；　and　so　on。　His　life　must　therefore　have　been　held　very　precious　by　his　worshippers；　and　was　probably　hedged　in　by　a　system　of　elaborate　precautions　or　taboos　like　those　by　which；　in　so　many　places；　the　life　of　the　man…god　has　been　guarded　against　the　malignant　influence　of　demons　and　sorcerers。　But　we　have　seen　that　the　very　value　attached　to　the　life　of　the　man…god　necessitates　his　violent　death　as　the　only　means　of　preserving　it　from　the　inevitable　decay　of　age。　The　same　reasoning　would　apply　to　the　King　of　the　Wood；　he；　too；　had　to　be　killed　in　order　that　the　divine　spirit；　incarnate　in　him；　might　be　transferred　in　its　integrity　to　his　successor。　The　rule　that　he　held　office　till　a　stronger　should　slay　him　might　be　supposed　to　secure　both　the　preservation　of　his　divine　life　in　full　vigour　and　its　transference　to　a　suitable　successor　as　soon　as　that　vigour　began　to　be　impaired。　For　so　long　as　he　could　maintain　his　position　by　the　strong　hand；　it　might　be　inferred　that　his　natural　force　was　not　abated；　whereas　his　defeat　and　death　at　the　hands　of　another　proved　that　his　strength　was　beginning　to　fail　and　that　it　was　time　his　divine　life　should　be　lodged　in　a　less　dilapidated　tabernacle。　This　explanation　of　the　rule　that　the　King　of　the　Wood　had　to　be　slain　by　his　successor　at　least　renders　that　rule　perfectly　intelligible。　It　is　strongly　supported　by　the　theory　and　practice　of　the　Shilluk；　who　put　their　divine　king　to　death　at　the　first　signs　of　failing　health；　lest　his　decrepitude　should　entail　a　corresponding　failure　of　vital　energy　on　the　corn；　the　cattle；　and　men。　Moreover；　it　is　countenanced　by　the　analogy　of　the　Chitomé；　upon　whose　life　the　existence　of　the　world　was　supposed　to　hang；　and　who　was　therefore　slain　by　his　successor　as　soon　as　he　showed　signs　of　breaking　up。　Again；　the　terms　on　which　in　later　times　the　King　of　Calicut　held　office　are　identical　with　those　attached　to　the　office　of　King　of　the　Wood；　except　that　whereas　the　former　might　be　assailed　by　a　candidate　at　any　time；　the　King　of　Calicut　might　only　be　attacked　once　every　twelve　years。　But　as　the　leave　granted　to　the　King　of　Calicut　to　reign　so　long　as　he　could　defend　himself　against　all　comers　was　a　mitigation　of　the　old　rule　which　set　a　fixed　term　to　his　life；　so　we　may　conjecture　that　the　similar　permission　granted　to　the　King　of　the　Wood　was　a　mitigation　of　an　older　custom　of　putting　him　to　death　at　the　end　of　a　definite　period。　In　both　cases　the　new　rule　gave　to　the　god…man　at　least　a　chance　for　his　life；　which　under　the　old　rule　was　denied　him；　and　people　probably　reconciled　themselves　to　the　change　by　reflecting　that　so　long　as　the　god…man　could　maintain　himself　by　the　sword　against　all　assaults；　there　was　no　reason　to　apprehend　that　the　fatal　decay　had　set　in。

The　conjecture　that　the　King　of　the　Wood　was　formerly　put　to　death　at　the　expiry　of　a　fixed　term；　without　being　allowed　a　chance　for　his　life；　will　be　confirmed　if　evidence　can　be　adduced　of　a　custom　of　periodically　killing　his　counterparts；　the　human　representatives　of　the　tree…spirit；　in　Northern　Europe。　Now　in　point　of　fact　such　a　custom　has　left　unmistakable　traces　of　itself　in　the　rural　festivals　of　the　peasantry。　To　take　examples。

At　Niederp？ring；　in　Lower　Bavaria；　the　Whitsuntide　representative　of　the　tree…spiritthe　Pfingstl　as　he　was　calledwas　clad　from　top　to　toe　in　leaves　and　flowers。　On　his　head　he　wore　a　high　pointed　cap；　the　ends　of　which　rested　on　his　shoulders；　only　two　holes　being　left　in　it　for　his　eyes。　The　cap　was　covered　with　water…flowers　and　surmounted　with　a　nosegay　of　peonies。　The　sleeves　of　his　coat　were　also　made　of　water…plants；　and　the　rest　of　his　body　was　enveloped　in　alder　and　hazel　leaves。　On　each　side　of　him　marched　a　boy　holding　up　one　of　the　Pfingstls　arms。　These　two　boys　carried　drawn　swords；　and　so　did　most　of　the　others　who　formed　the　procession。　They　stopped　at　every　house　where　they　hoped　to　receive　a　present；　and　the　people；　in　hiding；　soused　the　leaf…clad　boy　with　water。　All　rejoiced　when　he　was　well　drenched。　Finally　he　waded　into　the　brook　up　to　his　middle；　whereupon　one　of　the　boys；　standing　on　the　bridge；　pretended　to　cut　off　his　head。　At　Wurmlingen；　in　Swabia；　a　score　of　young　fellows　dress　themselves　on　Whit…Monday　in　white　shirts　and　white　trousers；　with　red　scarves　round　their　waists　and　swords　hanging　from　the　scarves。　They　ride　on　horseback　into　the　wood；　led　by　two　trumpeters　blowing　their　trumpets。　In　the　wood　they　cut　down　leafy　oak　branches；　in　which　they　envelop　from　head　to　foot　him　who　was　the　last　of　their　number　to　ride　out　of　the　village。　His　legs；　however；　are　encased　separately；　so　that　he　may　be　able　to　mount　his　horse　again。　Further；　they　give　him　a　long　artificial　neck；　with　an　artificial　head　and　a　false　face　on　the　top　of　it。　Then　a　May…tree　is　cut；　generally　an　aspen　or　beech　about　ten　feet　high；　and　being　decked　with　coloured　handkerchiefs　and　ribbons　it　is　entrusted　to　a　special　May…bearer。　The　cavalcade　then　returns　with　music　and　song　to　the　village。　Amongst　the　personages　who　figure　in　the　procession　are　a　Moorish　king　with　a　sooty　face　and　a　crown　on　his　head；　a　Dr。　Iron…Beard；　a　corporal；　and　an　executioner。　They　halt　on　the　village　green；　and　each　of　the　characters　makes　a　speech　in　rhyme。　The　executioner　announces　that　the　leaf…clad　man　has　been　condemned　to　death；　and　cuts　off　his　false　head。　Then　the　riders　race　to　the　May…tree；　which　has　been　set　up　a　little　way　off。　The　first　man　who　succeeds　in　wrenching　it　from　the　ground　as　he　gallops　past　keeps　it　with　all　its　decorations。　The　ceremony　is　observed　every　second　or　third　year。

In　Saxony　and　Thüringen　there　is　a　Whitsuntide　ceremony　called　chasing　the　Wild　Man　out　of　the　bush；　or　fetching　the　Wild　Man　out　of　the　wood。　A　young　fellow　is　enveloped　in　leaves　or　moss　and　called　the　Wild　Man。　He　hides　in　the　wood　and　the　other　lads　of　the　village　go　out　to　seek　him。　They　find　him；　lead　him　captive　out　of　the　wood；　and　fire　at　him　with　blank　muskets。　He　falls　like　dead　to　the　ground；　but　a　lad　dressed　as　a　doctor　bleeds　him；　and　he　comes　to　life　again。　At　this　they　rejoice；　and；　binding　him　fast　on　a　waggon；　take　him　to　the　village；　where　they　tell　all　the　people　how　they　have　caught　the　Wild　Man。　At　every　house　they　receive　a　gift。　In　the　Erzgebirge　the　following　custom　was　annually　observed　at　Shrovetide　about　the　begin