The Golden Bough: A Study in Comparative Religion (Vol. 1 of 2)Frazer, James George
Religion
The Golden Bough: A Study in Comparative Religion (Vol. 1 of 2)
Frazer, James George
Magic; Mythology; Religion; Superstition
In these cases the spirit is viewed as incorporate in the tree; it
animates the tree and must suffer and die with it. But, according to
another and no doubt later view, the tree is not the body, but merely the
abode of the tree-spirit, which can quit the injured tree as men quit a
dilapidated house. Thus when the Pelew Islanders are felling a tree, they
conjure the spirit of the tree to leave it and settle on another.(227) The
Pádams of Assam think that when a child is lost it has been stolen by the
spirits of the wood. So they retaliate on the spirits by cutting down
trees till they find the child. The spirits, fearing to be left without a
tree in which to lodge, give up the child, and it is found in the fork of
a tree.(228) Before the Katodis fell a forest-tree, they choose a tree of
the same kind and worship it by presenting a cocoa-nut, burning incense,
applying a red pigment, and begging it to bless the undertaking.(229) The
intention, perhaps, is to induce the spirit of the former tree to shift
its quarters to the latter. In clearing a wood, a Galeleze must not cut
down the last tree till the spirit in it has been induced to go away.(230)
The Mundaris have sacred groves which were left standing when the land was
cleared, lest the sylvan gods, disquieted at the felling of the trees,
should abandon the place.(231) The Miris in Assam are unwilling to break
up new land for cultivation so long as there is fallow land available; for
they fear to offend the spirits of the woods by cutting down trees
unnecessarily.(232)
In Sumatra, so soon as a tree is felled, a young tree is planted on the
stump; and some betel and a few small coins are also placed on it.(233)
Here the purpose is unmistakable. The spirit of the tree is offered a new
home in the young tree planted on the stump of the old one, and the
offering of betel and money is meant to compensate him for the disturbance
he has suffered. So in the island of Chedooba, on felling a large tree,
one of the woodmen was always ready with a green sprig, which he ran and
placed on the middle of the stump the instant the tree fell.(234) For the
same purpose German woodmen make a cross upon the stump while the tree is
falling, in the belief that this enables the spirit of the tree to live
upon the stump.(235)
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account