the golden bough-第174节

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old　she…bear　is　shot　and　her　cub　is　reared；　but　not　suckled；　in　the　village。　When　the　bear　is　big　enough　he　is　taken　from　his　cage　and　dragged　through　the　village。　But　first　they　lead　him　to　the　bank　of　the　river；　for　this　is　believed　to　ensure　abundance　of　fish　to　each　family。　He　is　then　taken　into　every　house　in　the　village；　where　fish；　brandy；　and　so　forth　are　offered　to　him。　Some　people　prostrate　themselves　before　the　beast。　His　entrance　into　a　house　is　supposed　to　bring　a　blessing；　and　if　he　snuffs　at　the　food　offered　to　him；　this　also　is　a　blessing。　Nevertheless　they　tease　and　worry；　poke　and　tickle　the　animal　continually；　so　that　he　is　surly　and　snappish。　After　being　thus　taken　to　every　house；　he　is　tied　to　a　peg　and　shot　dead　with　arrows。　His　head　is　then　cut　off；　decked　with　shavings；　and　placed　on　the　table　where　the　feast　is　set　out。　Here　they　beg　pardon　of　the　beast　and　worship　him。　Then　his　flesh　is　roasted　and　eaten　in　special　vessels　of　wood　finely　carved。　They　do　not　eat　the　flesh　raw　nor　drink　the　blood；　as　the　Aino　do。　The　brain　and　entrails　are　eaten　last；　and　the　skull；　still　decked　with　shavings；　is　placed　on　a　tree　near　the　house。　Then　the　people　sing　and　both　sexes　dance　in　ranks；　as　bears。

One　of　these　bear…festivals　was　witnessed　by　the　Russian　traveller　L。　von　Schrenck　and　his　companions　at　the　Gilyak　village　of　Tebach　in　January　1856。　From　his　detailed　report　of　the　ceremony　we　may　gather　some　particulars　which　are　not　noticed　in　the　briefer　accounts　which　I　have　just　summarised。　The　bear；　he　tells　us；　plays　a　great　part　in　the　life　of　all　the　peoples　inhabiting　the　region　of　the　Amoor　and　Siberia　as　far　as　Kamtchatka；　but　among　none　of　them　is　his　importance　greater　than　among　the　Gilyaks。　The　immense　size　which　the　animal　attains　in　the　valley　of　the　Amoor；　his　ferocity　whetted　by　hunger；　and　the　frequency　of　his　appearance；　all　combine　to　make　him　the　most　dreaded　beast　of　prey　in　the　country。　No　wonder；　therefore；　that　the　fancy　of　the　Gilyaks　is　busied　with　him　and　surrounds　him；　both　in　life　and　in　death；　with　a　sort　of　halo　of　superstitious　fear。　Thus；　for　example；　it　is　thought　that　if　a　Gilyak　falls　in　combat　with　a　bear；　his　soul　transmigrates　into　the　body　of　the　beast。　Nevertheless　his　flesh　has　an　irresistible　attraction　for　the　Gilyak　palate；　especially　when　the　animal　has　been　kept　in　captivity　for　some　time　and　fattened　on　fish；　which　gives　the　flesh；　in　the　opinion　of　the　Gilyaks；　a　peculiarly　delicious　flavour。　But　in　order　to　enjoy　this　dainty　with　impunity　they　deem　it　needful　to　perform　a　long　series　of　ceremonies；　of　which　the　intention　is　to　delude　the　living　bear　by　a　show　of　respect；　and　to　appease　the　anger　of　the　dead　animal　by　the　homage　paid　to　his　departed　spirit。　The　marks　of　respect　begin　as　soon　as　the　beast　is　captured。　He　is　brought　home　in　triumph　and　kept　in　a　cage；　where　all　the　villagers　take　it　in　turns　to　feed　him。　For　although　he　may　have　been　captured　or　purchased　by　one　man；　he　belongs　in　a　manner　to　the　whole　village。　His　flesh　will　furnish　a　common　feast；　and　hence　all　must　contribute　to　support　him　in　his　life。　The　length　of　time　he　is　kept　in　captivity　depends　on　his　age。　Old　bears　are　kept　only　a　few　months；　cubs　are　kept　till　they　are　full…grown。　A　thick　layer　of　fat　on　the　captive　bear　gives　the　signal　for　the　festival；　which　is　always　held　in　winter；　generally　in　December　but　sometimes　in　January　or　February。　At　the　festival　witnessed　by　the　Russian　travellers；　which　lasted　a　good　many　days；　three　bears　were　killed　and　eaten。　More　than　once　the　animals　were　led　about　in　procession　and　compelled　to　enter　every　house　in　the　village；　where　they　were　fed　as　a　mark　of　honour；　and　to　show　that　they　were　welcome　guests。　But　before　the　beasts　set　out　on　this　round　of　visits；　the　Gilyaks　played　at　skipping…rope　in　presence；　and　perhaps；　as　L。　von　Schrenck　inclined　to　believe；　in　honour　of　the　animals。　The　night　before　they　were　killed；　the　three　bears　were　led　by　moonlight　a　long　way　on　the　ice　of　the　frozen　river。　That　night　no　one　in　the　village　might　sleep。　Next　day；　after　the　animals　had　been　again　led　down　the　steep　bank　to　the　river；　and　conducted　thrice　round　the　hole　in　the　ice　from　which　the　women　of　the　village　drew　their　water；　they　were　taken　to　an　appointed　place　not　far　from　the　village；　and　shot　to　death　with　arrows。　The　place　of　sacrifice　or　execution　was　marked　as　holy　by　being　surrounded　with　whittled　sticks；　from　the　tops　of　which　shavings　hung　in　curls。　Such　sticks　are　with　the　Gilyaks；　as　with　the　Aino；　the　regular　symbols　that　accompany　all　religious　ceremonies。

When　the　house　has　been　arranged　and　decorated　for　their　reception；　the　skins　of　the　bears；　with　their　heads　attached　to　them；　are　brought　into　it；　not；　however；　by　the　door；　but　through　a　window；　and　then　hung　on　a　sort　of　scaffold　opposite　the　hearth　on　which　the　flesh　is　to　be　cooked。　The　boiling　of　the　bears'　flesh　among　the　Gilyaks　is　done　only　by　the　oldest　men；　whose　high　privilege　it　is；　women　and　children；　young　men　and　boys　have　no　part　in　it。　The　task　is　performed　slowly　and　deliberately；　with　a　certain　solemnity。　On　the　occasion　described　by　the　Russian　travellers　the　kettle　was　first　of　all　surrounded　with　a　thick　wreath　of　shavings；　and　then　filled　with　snow；　for　the　use　of　water　to　cook　bear's　flesh　is　forbidden。　Meanwhile　a　large　wooden　trough；　richly　adorned　with　arabesques　and　carvings　of　all　sorts；　was　hung　immediately　under　the　snouts　of　the　bears；　on　one　side　of　the　trough　was　carved　in　relief　a　bear；　on　the　other　side　a　toad。　When　the　carcases　were　being　cut　up；　each　leg　was　laid　on　the　ground　in　front　of　the　bears；　as　if　to　ask　their　leave；　before　being　placed　in　the　kettle；　and　the　boiled　flesh　was　fished　out　of　the　kettle　with　an　iron　hook；　and　set　in　the　trough　before　the　bears；　in　order　that　they　might　be　the　first　to　taste　of　their　own　flesh。　As　fast；　too；　as　the　fat　was　cut　in　strips　it　was　hung　up　in　front　of　the　bears；　and　afterwards　laid　in　a　small　wooden　trough　on　the　ground　before　them。　Last　of　all　the　inner　organs　of　the　beasts　were　cut　up　and　placed　in　small　vessels。　At　the　same　time　the　women　made　bandages　out　of　parti…coloured　rags；　and　after　sunset　these　bandages　were　tied　round　the　bears'　snouts　just　below　the　eyes　in　order　to　dry　the　tears　that　flowed　from　them。

As　soon　as　the　ceremony　of　wiping　away　poor　bruin's　tears　had　been　performed；　the　assembled　Gilyaks　set　to　work　in　earnest　to　devour　his　flesh。　The　broth　obtained　by　boiling　the　meat　had　already　been　partaken　of。　The　wooden　bowls；　platters；　and　spoons　out　of　which　the　Gilyaks　eat　the　broth　and　flesh　of　the　bears　on　these　occasions　are　always　made　specially　for　the　purpose　at　the　festival　and　only　then；　they　are　elaborately　ornamented　with　carved　figures　of　bears　and　other　devices　that　refer　to　the　animal　or　the　festival；　and　the　people　have　a　strong　superstitious　scruple　against　parting　with　them。　After　the　bones　had　been　picked　clean　they　were　put　back　in　the　kettle　in　which　the　flesh　had　been　boiled。　And　when　the　festal　meal　was　over；　an　old　man　took　his　stand　at　the　door　of　the　house　with　a　branch　of　fir　in　his　hand；　with　which；　as　the　people　passed　out；　he　gave　a　light　blow　to　every　one　who　had　eaten　of　the　bear's　flesh　or　fat；　perhaps　as　a　punishment　for　their　treatment　of　the　worshipful　animal。　In　the　afternoon　the　women　performed　a　strange　dance。　Only　one　woman　danced　at　a　time；　throwing　the　upper　part　of　her　body　into　the　oddest　postures；　while　she　held　in　her　hands　a　branch　of　fir　or　a　kind　of　wooden　castanets。　The　other　women　meanwhile　played　an　accompaniment　by　drumming　on　the　beams　of　the　house　with　clubs。　Von　Schrenk　believed　that　after　the　flesh　of　the　bear　has　been　eaten　the　bones　and　the　skull　are　solemnly　carried　out　by　the　oldest　people　to　a　place　in　the　forest　not　far　from　the　village。　There　all　the　bones　except　the　skull　are　buried。　After　that　a　young　tree　is　felled　a　few　inches　above　the　ground；　its　stump　cleft；　and　the　skull　wedged　into　the　cleft。　When　the　grass　grows　over　the　spot；　the　skull　disappears　from　view；　and　that　is　the　end　of　the　bear。

Another　description　of　the　bear…festivals　of　the　Gilyaks　has　been　given　us　by　Mr。　Leo　Sternberg。　It　agrees　substantially　with　the　foregoing　accounts；　but　a　few　particulars　in　it　may　be　noted。　According　to　Mr。　Sternberg；　the　festival　is　usually　held　in　honour　of　a　deceased　relation：　the　next　of　kin　either　buys　or　catches　a　bear　cub　and　nurtures　it　for　two　or　three　years　till　it　is　ready　for　the　sacrifice。　Only　certain　distinguished　guests　（Narch…en）　are　privileged　to　partake　of　the　bear's　flesh；　but　the　host　and　members　of　his　clan　eat　a　broth　made　from　the　flesh；　great　quantities　of　this　broth　are　prepared　and　consumed　on　the　occasion。　The　guests　of　honour　（Narch…en）　must　belong　to　the　clan　into　which　the　host's　daughters　and　the　other　women　of　his　clan　are　married：　one　of　these　guests；　usually　the　host's　son…in…law；　is　entrusted　with　the　duty　of　shooting　the　bear　dead　with　an　arrow。　The　skin；　head；　and　flesh　of　the　slain　bear　are　brought　into　the　house　not　through　the　door　but　through　the　smoke…hole；　a　quiver　full　of　arrows　is　laid　under　the　head　and　beside　it　are　deposited　tobacco；　sugar；　and　other　food。　The　soul　o