The Origin of Man and of His SuperstitionsRead, Carveth
Philosophy
The Origin of Man and of His Superstitions
Read, Carveth
Animism; Human beings -- Origin; Magic; Superstition; Totemism
(_b_) Animals slain at funeral feasts to accompany the dead have ghosts
so far as necessary for that purpose; but, wanting individuality and
personal interest, they make no further figure in ghost-lore; they do
not “walk” or revisit the glimpses of the moon. Thus the Tanghouls say
that ghosts, on reaching Kazairam (their Hades), find the gates barred
against them by the deity Kokto; so at the burial feast of a rich man
a buffalo is killed, that his mighty ghost may burst open the massive
gates of that abode. Poor ghosts must wait about outside, till a rich
one comes up with his buffalo; when they all rush in behind him.[191]
But we hear nothing further of the buffalo. In the Banks’ Islands, pigs
killed at a funeral feast have no true ghosts to follow the dead to
Panoi, but only a sort of wraith; because they only go for show, that
their master may be well received there.[192]
(_c_) Animals that are important prey to a hunting tribe are often
believed to have ghosts that may be hunted by dead tribesmen; or that
must be propitiated when one of them is slain: the ghosts, for example,
of seals and bears are bribed by the Esquimo to entice other seals and
bears to come and be killed. A seal desires above everything, they
say, a drink of fresh water; so as soon as one is brought ashore a
dipperful is poured into his mouth; else the other seals will not allow
themselves to be caught. The polar bear (male) desires crooked knives
and bow-drills, or (female) women’s knives and needle-cases. Hence,
when a bear is killed, its ghost accompanies its skin into the hunter’s
hut; and the skin is hung up with the appropriate tools for four or
five days. Then the bear-ghost is driven out by a magic formula, takes
with it the souls of the tools, and reports well of the hunter in
bear-soul land. Whilst in the hut, as an honoured guest, nothing is
done that it dislikes in human customs.[193]
(_d_) In the development of mythology, animals and monsters of various
kinds may be found inhabiting shadow-land; but these are not true
ghosts of any particular things that once died in this world.
This list of the ways in which animals may come to have ghosts is not
offered as exhausting all the cases.
§ 5. GHOSTS AND SOUL-STUFF
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