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Chapter 51。 Homeopathic Magic of a Flesh Diet
THE PRACTICE of killing a god has now been traced amongst peoples who have reached the agricultural stage of society。 We have seen that the spirit of the corn； or of other cultivated plants； is commonly represented either in human or in animal form； and that in some places a custom has prevailed of killing annually either the human or the animal representative of the god。 One reason for thus killing the corn…spirit in the person of his representative has been given implicitly in an earlier part of this work： we may suppose that the intention was to guard him or her （for the corn…spirit is often feminine） from the enfeeblement of old age by transferring the spirit； while still hale and hearty； to the person of a youthful and vigorous successor。 Apart from the desirability of renewing his divine energies； the death of the corn…spirit may have been deemed inevitable under the sickles or the knives of the reapers； and his worshippers may accordingly have felt bound to acquiesce in the sad necessity。 But； further； we have found a widespread custom of eating the god sacramentally； either in the shape of the man or animal who represents the god； or in the shape of bread made in human or animal form。 The reasons for thus partaking of the body of the god are； from the primitive standpoint； simple enough。 The savage commonly believes that by eating the flesh of an animal or man he acquires not only the physical； but even the moral and intellectual qualities which were characteristic of that animal or man； so when the creature is deemed divine； our simple savage naturally expects to absorb a portion of its divinity along with its material substance。 It may be well to illustrate by instances this common faith in the acquisition of virtues or vices of many kinds through the medium of animal food； even when there is no pretence that the viands consist of the body or blood of a god。 The doctrine forms part of the widely ramified system of sympathetic or homoeopathic magic。
Thus； for example； the Creeks； Cherokee； and kindred tribes of North American Indians believe that nature is possest of such a property as to transfuse into men and animals the qualities； either of the food they use； or of those objects that are presented to their senses； he who feeds on venison is； according to their physical system； swifter and more sagacious than the man who lives on the flesh of the clumsy bear； or helpless dunghill fowls； the slow…footed tame cattle； or the heavy wallowing swine。 This is the reason that several of their old men recommend； and say； that formerly their greatest chieftains observed a constant rule in their diet； and seldom ate of any animal of a gross quality； or heavy motion of body； fancying it conveyed a dullness through the whole system； and disabled them from exerting themselves with proper vigour in their martial； civil； and religious duties。 The Zaparo Indians of Ecuador will； unless from necessity； in most cases not eat any heavy meats； such as tapir and peccary； but confine themselves to birds； monkeys； deer； fish； etc。； principally because they argue that the heavier meats make them unwieldy； like the animals who supply the flesh； impeding their agility； and unfitting them for the chase。 Similarly some of the Brazilian Indians would eat no beast； bird； or fish that ran； flew； or swam slowly； lest by partaking of its flesh they should lose their ability and be unable to escape from their enemies。 The Caribs abstained from the flesh of pigs lest it should cause them to have small eyes like pigs； and they refused to partake of tortoises from a fear that if they did so they would become heavy and stupid like the animal。 Among the Fans of West Africa men in the prime of life never eat tortoises for a similar reason； they imagine that if they did so； their vigour and fleetness of foot would be gone。 But old men may eat tortoises freely； because having already lost the power of running they can take no harm from the flesh of the slow…footed creature。
While many savages thus fear to eat the flesh of slow…footed animals lest they should themselves become slow…footed； the Bushmen of South Africa purposely ate the flesh of such creatures； and the reason which they gave for doing so exhibits a curious refinement of savage philosophy。 They imagined that the game which they pursued would be influenced sympathetically by the food in the body of the hunter； so that if he had eaten of swift…footed animals； the quarry would be swift…footed also and would escape him； whereas if he had eaten of slow…footed animals； the quarry would also be slow…footed； and he would be able to overtake and kill it。 For that reason hunters of gemsbok particularly avoided eating the flesh of the swift and agile springbok； indeed they would not even touch it with their hands； because they believed the springbok to be a very lively creature which did not go to sleep at night； and they thought that if they ate springbok； the gemsbok which they hunted would likewise not be willing to go to sleep； even at night。 How； then； could they catch it？
The Namaquas abstain from eating the flesh of hares； because they think it would make them faint…hearted as a hare。 But they eat the flesh of the lion； or drink the blood of the leopard or lion； to get the courage and strength of these beasts。 The Bushmen will not give their children a jackal's heart to eat； lest it should make them timid like the jackal； but they give them a leopard's heart to eat to make them brave like the leopard。 When a Wagogo man of East Africa kills a lion； he eats the heart in order to become brave like a lion； but he thinks that to eat the heart of a hen would make him timid。 When a serious disease has attacked a Zulu kraal； the medicine…man takes the bone of a very old dog； or the bone of an old cow； bull； or other very old animal； and administers it to the healthy as well as to the sick people； in order that they may live to be as old as the animal of whose bone they have partaken。 So to restore the aged Aeson to youth； the witch Medea infused into his veins a decoction of the liver of the long…lived deer and the head of a crow that had outlived nine generations of men。
Among the Dyaks of North…West Borneo young men and warriors may not eat venison； because it would make them as timid as deer； but the women and very old men are free to eat it。 However； among the Kayans of the same region； who share the same view as to the ill effect of eating venison； men will partake of the dangerous viand provided it is cooked in the open air； for then the timid spirit of the animal is supposed to escape at once into the jungle and not to enter into the eater。 The Aino believe that the heart of the water…ousel is exceedingly wise； and that in speech the bird is most eloquent。 Therefore whenever he is killed； he should be at once torn open and his heart wrenched out and swallowed before it has time to grow cold or suffer damage of any kind。 If a man swallows it thus； he will become very fluent and wise； and will be able to argue down all his adversaries。 In Northern India people fancy that if you eat the eyeballs of an owl you will be able like an owl to see in t