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！
s the Catholic Church there； that although no European or Christian has ever been there； still in all essential things they agree so completely with the Roman Church； as even to celebrate the Host with bread and wine： with my own eyes I have seen it。〃＇1＇ These few instances are sufficient to show the extraordinarily wide diffusion of Totem…sacraments and Eucharistic rites all over the world。
＇1＇ For these two quotations see Jevons' Introduction to the History of Religion； pp。 148 and 219。
V。 FOOD AND VEGETATION MAGIC
I have wandered； in pursuit of Totems and the Eucharist； some way from the astronomical thread of Chapters II and III； and now it would appear that in order to understand religious origins we must wander still farther。 The chapters mentioned were largely occupied with Sungods and astronomical phenomena； but now we have to consider an earlier period when there were no definite forms of gods； and when none but the vaguest astronomical knowledge existed。 Sometimes in historical matters it is best and safest to move thus backwards in Time； from the things recent and fairly well known to things more ancient and less known。 In this way we approach more securely to some understanding of the dim and remote past。
It is clear that before any definite speculations on heaven…dwelling gods or divine beings had arisen in the human mindor any clear theories of how the sun and moon and stars might be connected with the changes of the seasons on the earththere were still certain obvious things which appealed to everybody； learned or unlearned alike。 One of these was the return of Vegetation； bringing with it the fruits or the promise of the fruits of the earth； for human food； and also bringing with it increase of animal life； for food in another form； and the other was the return of Light and Warmth； making life easier in all ways。 Food delivering from the fear of starvation； Light and Warmth delivering from the fear of danger and of cold。 These were three glorious things which returned together and brought salvation and renewed life to man。 The period of their return was 'Spring；' and though Spring and its benefits might fade away in time； still there was always the HOPE of its returnthough even so it may have been a long time in human evolution before man discovered that it really did always return； and （with certain allowances） at equal intervals of time。
Long then before any Sun or Star gods could be called in； the return of the Vegetation must have enthralled man's attention； and filled him with hope and joy。 Yet since its return was somewhat variable and uncertain the question； What could man do to assist that return？ naturally became a pressing one。 It is now generally held that the use of Magicsympathetic magicarose in this way。 Sympathetic magic seems to have been generated by a belief that your own actions cause a similar response in things and persons around you。 Yet this belief did not rest on any philosophy or argument； but was purely instinctive and sometimes of the nature of a mere corporeal reaction。 Every schoolboy knows how in watching a comrade's high jump at the Sports he often finds himself lifting a knee at the moment 'to help him over'； at football matches quarrels sometimes arise among the spectators by reason of an ill…placed kick coming from a too enthusiastic on…looker； behind one； undergraduates running on the tow…path beside their College boat in the races will hurry even faster than the boat in order to increase its speed； there is in each case an automatic bodily response increased by one's own desire。 A person ACTS the part which he desires to be successful。 He thinks to transfer his energy in that way。 Again； if by chance one witnesses a painful accident； a crushed foot or what…not； it commonly happens that one feels a pain in the same part oneselfa sympathetic pain。 What more natural than to suppose that the pain really is transferred from the one person to the other？ and how easy the inference that by tormenting a wretched scape…goat or crucifying a human victim in some cases the sufferings of people may be relieved or their sins atoned for？
Simaetha； it will be remembered； in the second Idyll of Theocritus； curses her faithless lover Delphis； and as she melts his waxen image she prays that HE TOO MAY MELT。 All this is of the nature of Magic； and is independent of and generally more primitive than Theology or Philosophy。 Yet it interests us because it points to a firm instinct in early manto which I have already alludedthe instinct of his unity and continuity with the rest of creation； and of a common life so close that his lightest actions may cause a far…reaching reaction in the world outside。
Man； then； independently of any belief in gods； may assist the arrival of Spring by magic ceremonies。 If you want the Vegetation to appear you must have rain； and the rain…maker in almost all primitive tribes has been a MOST important personage。 Generally he based his rites on quite fanciful associations； as when the rain…maker among the Mandans wore a raven's skin on his head （bird of the storm） or painted his shield with red zigzags of lightning＇1＇； but partly； no doubt； he had observed actual facts； or had had the knowledge of them transmitted to himas； for instance that when rain is impending loud noises will bring about its speedy downfall； a fact we moderns have had occasion to notice on battlefields。 He had observed perhaps that in a storm a specially loud clap of thunder is generally followed by a greatly increased downpour of rain。 He had even noticed （a thing which I have often verified in the vicinity of Sheffield） that the copious smoke of fires will generate rain…cloudsand so quite naturally he concluded that it was his smoking SACRIFICES which had that desirable effect。 So far he was on the track of elementary Science。 And so he made 〃bull… roarers〃 to imitate the sound of wind and the blessed rain…bringing thunder； or clashed great bronze cymbals together with the same object。 Bull…voices and thunder… drums and the clashing of cymbals were used in this connection by the Greeks； and are mentioned by Aeschylus＇2＇； but the bull…roarer； in the form of a rhombus of wood whirled at the end of a string； seems to be known； or to have been known； all over the world。 It is described with some care by Mr。 Andrew Lang in his Custom and Myth （pp。 29…44）； where he says 〃it is found always as a sacred instrument employed in religious mysteries； in New Mexico； Australia； New Zealand； ancient Greece； and Africa。〃
＇1＇ See Catlin's North American Indians； Letter 19。
＇2＇ Themis； p。 61。
Sometimes； of course； the rain…maker was successful； but of the inner causes of rain he knew next to nothing； he was more ignorant even than we are！ His main idea was a more specially 'magical' onenamely； that the sound itself would appeal to the SPIRITS of rain and thunder and cause them to give a response。 For of course the thunder （in Hebrew Bath…Kol； 〃the daughter of the Voice〃） was everywhere regarded as the manifestation of a spirit。＇1＇ To make sounds like thunder would therefore naturally call the attention of such a spirit； or he； the rain…maker； might make sounds like rain。 He made gourd…rattles （known in ever so many parts of the world） in which he rattled dried seeds or small pebbles with a most beguiling and rain…like insistence； or sometimes； like the priests of Baal in the Bible；＇2＇ he would cut himself with knives till the blood fell upon the ground in great drops suggestive of an oncoming thunder…shower。 〃In Mexico the raingod was propitiated with sacrifices of children。 If the children wept and shed abundant tears； they who carried them rejoiced； being convinced that rain would also be abundant。〃＇3＇ Sometimes he； the rain…maker； would WHISTLE for the wind； or； like the Omaha Indians； flap his blankets for the same purpose。
＇1＇ See A。 Lang； op。 cit。： 〃The muttering of the thunder is said to be his voice calling to the rain to fall and make the grass grow up green。〃 Such are the very words of Umbara； the minstrel of the Tribe （Australian）。
＇2＇ I Kings xviii。
＇3＇ Quoted from Sahagun II； 2； 3 by A。 Lang in Myth； Ritual and Religion； vol。 ii； p。 102。
In the ancient myth of Demeter and Persephonewhich has been adopted by so many peoples under so many formsDemeter the Earth…mother loses her daughter Persephone （who represents of course the Vegetation）； carried down into the underworld by the evil powers of Darkness and Winter。 And in Greece there was a yearly ceremonial and ritual of magic for the purpose of restoring the lost one and bringing her back to the world again。 Women carried certain charms； 〃fir…cones and snakes and unnamable objects made of paste； to ensure fertility； there was a sacrifice of pigs； who were thrown into a deep cleft of the earth； and their remains afterwards collected and scattered as a charm over the fields。〃＇1＇ Fir…cones and snakes from their very forms were emblems of male fertility； snakes； too； from their habit of gliding out of their own skins with renewed brightness and color were suggestive of resurrection and re…vivification； pigs and sows by their exceeding fruitfulness would in their hour of sacrifice remind old mother Earth of what was expec