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！
storation to life in the form of the animal which is thenceforward to be； if not his guardian spirit； at least linked to him in a peculiarly intimate relation。 It is to be remembered that the Indians of Guatemala； whose life was bound up with an animal； were supposed to have the power of appearing in the shape of the particular creature with which they were thus sympathetically united。 Hence it seems not unreasonable to conjecture that in like manner the Indians of British Columbia may imagine that their life depends on the life of some one of that species of creature to which they assimilate themselves by their costume。 At least if that is not an article of belief with the Columbian Indians of the present day； it may very well have been so with their ancestors in the past； and thus may have helped to mould the rites and ceremonies both of the totem clans and of the secret societies。 For though these two sorts of communities differ in respect of the mode in which membership of them is obtaineda man being born into his totem clan but admitted into a secret society later in lifewe can hardly doubt that they are near akin and have their root in the same mode of thought。 That thought； if I am right； is the possibility of establishing a sympathetic relation with an animal； a spirit； or other mighty being； with whom a man deposits for safe…keeping his soul or some part of it； and from whom he receives in return a gift of magical powers。
Thus； on the theory here suggested； wherever totemism is found； and wherever a pretence is made of killing and bringing to life again the novice at initiation； there may exist or have existed not only a belief in the possibility of permanently depositing the soul in some external objectanimal； plant； or what notbut an actual intention of so doing。 If the question is put； why do men desire to deposit their life outside their bodies？ the answer can only be that； like the giant in the fairy tale； they think it safer to do so than to carry it about with them； just as people deposit their money with a banker rather than carry it on their persons。 We have seen that at critical periods the life or soul is sometimes temporarily stowed away in a safe place till the danger is past。 But institutions like totemism are not resorted to merely on special occasions of danger； they are systems into which every one； or at least every male； is obliged to be initiated at a certain period of life。 Now the period of life at which initiation takes place is regularly puberty； and this fact suggests that the special danger which totemism and systems like it are intended to obviate is supposed not to arise till sexual maturity has been attained； in fact； that the danger apprehended is believed to attend the relation of the sexes to each other。 It would be easy to prove by a long array of facts that the sexual relation is associated in the primitive mind with many serious perils； but the exact nature of the danger apprehended is still obscure。 We may hope that a more exact acquaintance with savage modes of thought will in time disclose this central mystery of primitive society； and will thereby furnish the clue； not only to totemism； but to the origin of the marriage system。
Chapter 68。 The Golden Bough
THUS the view that Balder's life was in the mistletoe is entirely in harmony with primitive modes of thought。 It may indeed sound like a contradiction that； if his life was in the mistletoe； he should nevertheless have been killed by a blow from the plant。 But when a person's life is conceived as embodied in a particular object； with the existence of which his own existence is inseparably bound up； and the destruction of which involves his own； the object in question may be regarded and spoken of indifferently as his life or his death； as happens in the fairy tales。 Hence if a man's death is in an object； it is perfectly natural that he should be killed by a blow from it。 In the fairy tales Koshchei the Deathless is killed by a blow from the egg or the stone in which his life or death is secreted； the ogres burst when a certain grain of sanddoubtless containing their life or deathis carried over their heads； the magician dies when the stone in which his life or death is contained is put under his pillow； and the Tartar hero is warned that he may be killed by the golden arrow or golden sword in which his soul has been stowed away。
The idea that the life of the oak was in the mistletoe was probably suggested； as I have said； by the observation that in winter the mistletoe growing on the oak remains green while the oak itself is leafless。 But the position of the plantgrowing not from the ground but from the trunk or branches of the treemight confirm this idea。 Primitive man might think that； like himself； the oak…spirit had sought to deposit his life in some safe place； and for this purpose had pitched on the mistletoe； which； being in a sense neither on earth nor in heaven； might be supposed to be fairly out of harm's way。 In a former chapter we saw that primitive man seeks to preserve the life of his human divinities by keeping them poised between earth and heaven； as the place where they are least likely to be assailed by the dangers that encompass the life of man on earth。 We can therefore understand why it has been a rule both of ancient and of modern folk…medicine that the mistletoe should not be allowed to touch the ground； were it to touch the ground； its healing virtue would be gone。 This may be a survival of the old superstition that the plant in which the life of the sacred tree was concentrated should not be exposed to the risk incurred by contact with the earth。 In an Indian legend； which offers a parallel to the Balder myth； Indra swore to the demon Namuci that he would slay him neither by day nor by night； neither with staff nor with bow； neither with the palm of the hand nor with the fist； neither with the wet nor with the dry。 But he killed him in the morning twilight by sprinkling over him the foam of the sea。 The foam of the sea is just such an object as a savage might choose to put his life in； because it occupies that sort of intermediate or nondescript position between earth and sky or sea and sky in which primitive man sees safety。 It is therefore not surprising that the foam of the river should be the totem of a clan in India。
Again； the view that the mistletoe owes its mystic character partly to its not growing on the ground is confirmed by a parallel superstition about the mountain…ash or rowan…tree。 In Jutland a rowan that is found growing out of the top of another tree is esteemed exceedingly effective against witchcraft： since it does not grow on the ground witches have no power over it； if it is to have its full effect it must be cut on Ascension Day。 Hence it is placed over doors to prevent the ingress of witches。 In Sweden and Norway； also； magical properties are ascribed to a flying…rowan （fl？gr？nn）； that is to a rowan which is found growing not in the ordinary fashion on the ground but on another tree； or on a roof； or in a cleft of the rock； where it has sprouted from seed scattered by birds。 They say that a man who is out in the dark should have a bit of flying…rowan with him to chew；