the golden bough-第109部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

　clearly　indicate　the　identity　of　the　effigy　with　the　wood…spirit　by　fixing　it　to　the　top　of　a　tree　in　the　wood；　where　it　remains　for　a　year；　and　is　besought　almost　daily　with　prayers　and　offerings　to　protect　the　herds；　for　like　a　true　wood…spirit　the　Metsik　is　a　patron　of　cattle。　Sometimes　the　Metsik　is　made　of　sheaves　of　corn。

Thus　we　may　fairly　conjecture　that　the　names　Carnival；　Death；　and　Summer　are　comparatively　late　and　inadequate　expressions　for　the　beings　personified　or　embodied　in　the　customs　with　which　we　have　been　dealing。　The　very　abstractness　of　the　names　bespeaks　a　modern　origin；　for　the　personification　of　times　and　seasons　like　the　Carnival　and　Summer；　or　of　an　abstract　notion　like　death；　is　not　primitive。　But　the　ceremonies　themselves　bear　the　stamp　of　a　dateless　antiquity；　therefore　we　can　hardly　help　supposing　that　in　their　origin　the　ideas　which　they　embodied　were　of　a　more　simple　and　concrete　order。　The　notion　of　a　tree；　perhaps　of　a　particular　kind　of　tree　（for　some　savages　have　no　word　for　tree　in　general）；　or　even　of　an　individual　tree；　is　sufficiently　concrete　to　supply　a　basis　from　which　by　a　gradual　process　of

generalisation　the　wider　idea　of　a　spirit　of　vegetation　might　be　reached。　But　this　general　idea　of　vegetation　would　readily　be　confounded　with　the　season　in　which　it　manifests　itself；　hence　the　substitution　of　Spring；　Summer；　or　May　for　the　tree…spirit　or　spirit　of　vegetation　would　be　easy　and　natural。　Again；　the　concrete　notion　of　the　dying　tree　or　dying　vegetation　would　by　a　similar　process　of　generalisation　glide　into　a　notion　of　death　in　general；　so　that　the　practice　of　carrying　out　the　dying　or　dead　vegetation　in　spring；　as　a　preliminary　to　its　revival；　would　in　time　widen　out　into　an　attempt　to　banish　Death　in　general　from　the　village　or　district。　The　view　that　in　these　spring　ceremonies　Death　meant　originally　the　dying　or　dead　vegetation　of　winter　has　the　high　support　of　W。　Mannhardt；　and　he　confirms　it　by　the　analogy　of　the　name　Death　as　applied　to　the　spirit　of　the　ripe　corn。　Commonly　the　spirit　of　the　ripe　corn　is　conceived；　not　as　dead；　but　as　old；　and　hence　it　goes　by　the　name　of　the　Old　Man　or　the　Old　Woman。　But　in　some　places　the　last　sheaf　cut　at　harvest；　which　is　generally　believed　to　be　the　seat　of　the　corn　spirit；　is　called　the　Dead　One：　children　are　warned　against　entering　the　corn…fields　because　Death　sits　in　the　corn；　and；　in　a　game　played　by　Saxon　children　in　Transylvania　at　the　maize　harvest；　Death　is　represented　by　a　child　completely　covered　with　maize　leaves。

5。　Battle　of　Summer　and　Winter。

SOMETIMES　in　the　popular　customs　of　the　peasantry　the　contrast　between　the　dormant　powers　of　vegetation　in　winter　and　their　awakening　vitality　in　spring　takes　the　form　of　a　dramatic　contest　between　actors　who　play　the　parts　respectively　of　Winter　and　Summer。　Thus　in　the　towns　of　Sweden　on　May　Day　two　troops　of　young　men　on　horseback　used　to　meet　as　if　for　mortal　combat。　One　of　them　was　led　by　a　representative　of　Winter　clad　in　furs；　who　threw　snowballs　and　ice　in　order　to　prolong　the　cold　weather。　The　other　troop　was　commanded　by　a　representative　of　Summer　covered　with　fresh　leaves　and　flowers。　In　the　sham　fight　which　followed　the　party　of　Summer　came　off　victorious；　and　the　ceremony　ended　with　a　feast。　Again；　in　the　region　of　the　middle　Rhine；　a　representative　of　Summer　clad　in　ivy　combats　a　representative　of　Winter　clad　in　straw　or　moss　and　finally　gains　a　victory　over　him。　The　vanquished　foe　is　thrown　to　the　ground　and　stripped　of　his　casing　of　straw；　which　is　torn　to　pieces　and　scattered　about；　while　the　youthful　comrades　of　the　two　champions　sing　a　song　to　commemorate　the　defeat　of　Winter　by　Summer。　Afterwards　they　carry　about　a　summer　garland　or　branch　and　collect　gifts　of　eggs　and　bacon　from　house　to　house。　Sometimes　the　champion　who　acts　the　part　of　Summer　is　dressed　in　leaves　and　flowers　and　wears　a　chaplet　of　flowers　on　his　head。　In　the　Palatinate　this　mimic　conflict　takes　place　on　the　fourth　Sunday　in　Lent。　All　over　Bavaria　the　same　drama　used　to　be　acted　on　the　same　day；　and　it　was　still　kept　up　in　some　places　down　to　the　middle　of　the　nineteenth　century　or　later。　While　Summer　appeared　clad　all　in　green；　decked　with　fluttering　ribbons；　and　carrying　a　branch　in　blossom　or　a　little　tree　hung　with　apples　and　pears；　Winter　was　muffled　up　in　cap　and　mantle　of　fur　and　bore　in　his　hand　a　snow…shovel　or　a　flail。　Accompanied　by　their　respective　retinues　dressed　in　corresponding　attire；　they　went　through　all　the　streets　of　the　village；　halting　before　the　houses　and　singing　staves　of　old　songs；　for　which　they　received　presents　of　bread；　eggs；　and　fruit。　Finally；　after　a　short　struggle；　Winter　was　beaten　by　Summer　and　ducked　in　the　village　well　or　driven　out　of　the　village　with　shouts　and　laughter　into　the　forest。

At　Goepfritz　in　Lower　Austria；　two　men　personating　Summer　and　Winter　used　to　go　from　house　to　house　on　Shrove　Tuesday；　and　were　everywhere　welcomed　by　the　children　with　great　delight。　The　representative　of　Summer　was　clad　in　white　and　bore　a　sickle；　his　comrade；　who　played　the　part　of　Winter；　had　a　fur…cap　on　his　head；　his　arms　and　legs　were　swathed　in　straw；　and　he　carried　a　flail。　In　every　house　they　sang　verses　alternately。　At　Dr？mling　in　Brunswick；　down　to　the　present　time；　the　contest　between　Summer　and　Winter　is　acted　every　year　at　Whitsuntide　by　a　troop　of　boys　and　a　troop　of　girls。　The　boys　rush　singing；　shouting；　and　ringing　bells　from　house　to　house　to　drive　Winter　away；　after　them　come　the　girls　singing　softly　and　led　by　a　May　Bride；　all　in　bright　dresses　and　decked　with　flowers　and　garlands　to　represent　the　genial　advent　of　spring。　Formerly　the　part　of　Winter　was　played　by　a　straw…man　which　the　boys　carried　with　them；　now　it　is　acted　by　a　real　man　in　disguise。

Among　the　Central　Esquimaux　of　North　America　the　contest　between　representatives　of　summer　and　winter；　which　in　Europe　has　long　degenerated　into　a　mere　dramatic　performance；　is　still　kept　up　as　a　magical　ceremony　of　which　the　avowed　intention　is　to　influence　the　weather。　In　autumn；　when　storms　announce　the　approach　of　the　dismal　Arctic　winter；　the　Esquimaux　divide　themselves　into　two　parties　called　respectively　the　ptarmigans　and　the　ducks；　the　ptarmigans　comprising　all　persons　born　in　winter；　and　the　ducks　all　persons　born　in　summer。　A　long　rope　of　sealskin　is　then　stretched　out；　and　each　party　laying　hold　of　one　end　of　it　seeks　by　tugging　with　might　and　main　to　drag　the　other　party　over　to　its　side。　If　the　ptarmigans　get　the　worst　of　it；　then　summer　has　won　the　game　and　fine　weather　may　be　expected　to　prevail　through　the　winter。

6。　Death　and　Resurrection　ofKostrubonko

I　RUSSIA　funeral　ceremonies　like　those　of　Burying　the　Carnival　and　Carrying　out　Death　are　celebrated　under　the　names；　not　of　Death　or　the　Carnival；　but　of　certain　mythic　figures；　Kostrubonko；　Kostroma；　Kupalo；　Lada；　and　Yarilo。　These　Russian　ceremonies　are　observed　both　in　spring　and　at　midsummer。　Thus　in　Little　Russia　it　used　to　be　the　custom　at　Eastertide　to　celebrate　the　funeral　of　a　being　called　Kostrubonko；　the　deity　of　the　spring。　A　circle　was　formed　of　singers　who　moved　slowly　around　a　girl　who　lay　on　the　ground　as　if　dead；　and　as　they　went　they　sang：

'Dead；　dead　is　our　Kostrubonko！　Dead；　dead　is　our　dear　one！'

until　the　girl　suddenly　sprang　up；　on　which　the　chorus　joyfully　exclaimed：

'Come　to　life；　come　to　life　has　our　Kostrubonko！　Come　to　life；　come　to　life　has　our　dear　one！'

On　the　Eve　of　St。　John　（Midsummer　Eve）　a　figure　of　Kupalo　is　made　of　straw　and　is　dressed　in　woman's　clothes；　with　a　necklace　and　a　floral　crown。　Then　a　tree　is　felled；　and；　after　being　decked　with　ribbons；　is　set　up　on　some　chosen　spot。　Near　this　tree；　to　which　they　give　the　name　of　Marena　＇Winter　or　Death＇；　the　straw　figure　is　placed；　together　with　a　table；　on　which　stand　spirits　and　viands。　Afterwards　a　bonfire　is　lit；　and　the　young　men　and　maidens　jump　over　it　in　couples；　carrying　the　figure　with　them。　On　the　next　day　they　strip　the　tree　and　the　figure　of　their　ornaments；　and　throw　them　both　into　a　stream。　On　St。　Peter's　Day；　the　twenty…ninth　of　June；　or　on　the　following　Sunday；　the　Funeral　of　Kostroma　or　of　Lada　or　of　Yarilo　is　celebrated　in　Russia。　In　the　Governments　of　Penza　and　Simbirsk　the　funeral　used　to　be　represented　as　follows。　A　bonfire　was　kindled　on　the　twenty…eighth　of　June；　and　on　the　next　day　the　maidens　chose　one　of　their　number　to　play　the　part　of　Kostroma。　Her　companions　saluted　her　with　deep　obeisances；　placed　her　on　a　board；　and　carried　her　to　the　bank　of　a　stream。　There　they　bathed　her　in　the　water；　while　the　oldest　girl　made　a　basket　of　lime…tree　bark　and　beat　it　like　a　drum。　Then　they　returned　to　the　village　and　ended　the　day　with　processions；　games；　and　dances。　In　the　Murom　district　Kostroma　was　represented　by　a　straw　figure　dressed　in　woman's　clothes　and　flowers。　This　was　laid　in　a　trough　and　carried　with　songs　to　the　bank　of　a　lake　or　river。　Here　the　crowd　divided　into　two　sides；　of　which　the　one　attacked　and　the　other　defended　the　figure。　At　last　the　assailants　gained　the　day；　stripped　the　figure　of　its　dress　and　ornaments；　tore　it　in　pieces；　trod　the　straw　of　which　it　was　made　under　foot；　and　flung　it　int