第 11 节
作者:竹水冷      更新:2021-02-19 00:59      字数:9298
  believe that the Spirit of God is not breathed into man alone; but that the
  whole created universe is a sharer in the immortal perfection of its Maker。
  His imaginative and poetic mind; like that of the Greek; assigns to every
  mountain; tree; and spring its spirit; nymph; or divinity either beneficent or
  mischievous。       The   heroes   and   demigods   of   Indian   tradition   reflect   the
  characteristic   trend of   his thought;   and   his   attribution of   personality  and
  will to the elements; the sun and stars; and all animate or inanimate nature。
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  In the Sioux story of creation; the great Mysterious One is not brought
  directly   upon   the   scene   or   conceived   in   anthropomorphic   fashion;   but
  remains       sublimely      in   the   background。         The     Sun     and    the   Earth;
  representing the male and female principles; are the main elements in his
  creation; the other planets being subsidiary。 The enkindling warmth of the
  Sun   entered   into   the   bosom  of   our   mother;   the   Earth;   and   forthwith   she
  conceived and brought forth life; both vegetable and animal。
  Finally there appeared mysteriously Ish…na…e…cha…ge; the 〃First…Born;〃
  a being in the likeness of man; yet more than man; who roamed solitary
  among the   animal people   and understood their ways   and their   language。
  They beheld him with wonder and awe; for they could do nothing without
  his   knowledge。       He   had   pitched   his   tent   in   the   centre   of   the   land;   and
  there was no spot impossible for him to penetrate。
  At   last;   like   Adam;   the   〃First…Born〃   of   the   Sioux   became   weary   of
  living   alone;     and   formed     for  himself   a   companionnot        a   mate;   but  a
  brothernot out of a rib from his side; but from a splinter which he drew
  from his great toe!         This was the Little Boy Man; who was not created
  full…grown;   but   as   an   innocent   child;   trusting   and   helpless。       His   Elder
  Brother  was   his   teacher  throughout   every  stage of   human   progress from
  infancy   to   manhood;   and   it   is   to   the   rules   which   he   laid   down;   and   his
  counsels   to   the   Little   Boy   Man;   that   we   trace   many   of   our   most   deep…
  rooted beliefs and most sacred customs。
  Foremost   among   the   animal   people   was   Unk…to…mee;  the   Spider;   the
  original trouble…maker; who noted keenly the growth of the boy in wit and
  ingenuity; and presently advised the animals to make an end of him; 〃for;〃
  said he; 〃if you do not; some day he will be the master of us all!〃                        But
  they   all   loved   the   Little   Boy   Man   because   he   was   so   friendly   and   so
  playful。     Only the monsters of the deep sea listened; and presently took
  his life; hiding his body in the bottom  of the sea。                 Nevertheless; by  the
  magic power of the First…Born; the body was recovered and was given life
  again in the sacred vapor…bath; as described in a former chapter。
  Once more our first ancestor roamed happily among the animal people;
  who   were   in   those   days   a   powerful   nation。      He   learned   their   ways   and
  their languagefor   they  had   a   common   tongue   in   those days; learned   to
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  sing like the birds; to swim like the fishes; and to climb sure…footed over
  rocks like the mountain sheep。           Notwithstanding that he was their good
  comrade and did them no harm; Unk…to…mee once more sowed dissension
  among the animals; and messages were sent into all quarters of the earth;
  sea; and air; that all the tribes might unite to declare war upon the solitary
  man who was destined to become their master。
  After a time the young man discovered the plot; and came home very
  sorrowful。      He loved his animal friends; and was grieved that they should
  combine   against   him。      Besides;   he   was   naked   and   unarmed。       But   his
  Elder Brother armed him with a bow and flint…headed arrows; a stone war…
  club and a spear。      He likewise tossed a pebble four times into the air; and
  each time it became a cliff or wall of rock about the teepee。
  〃Now;〃 said he; 〃it is time to fight and to assert your supremacy; for it
  is they who have brought the trouble upon you; and not you upon them!〃
  Night   and   day   the   Little   Boy   Man   remained   upon   the   watch   for   his
  enemies from the top of the wall; and at last he beheld the prairies black
  with   buffalo   herds;   and   the   elk   gathering   upon   the   edges   of   the   forest。
  Bears and wolves were closing in from all directions; and now from the
  sky the Thunder gave his fearful war…whoop; answered by the wolf's long
  howl。
  The badgers and other burrowers began at once to undermine his rocky
  fortress; while the climbers undertook to scale its perpendicular walls。
  Then for the first time on earth the bow was strung; and hundreds of
  flint…headed arrows found their mark in the bodies of the animals; while
  each time that the Boy Man swung his stone war…club; his enemies fell in
  countless numbers。
  Finally the insects; the little people of the air; attacked him in a body;
  filling his eyes and ears; and tormenting him with their poisoned spears; so
  that he was in despair。        He called for help upon his Elder Brother; who
  ordered him to strike the rocks with his stone war…club。                As soon as he
  had done   so;  sparks of   fire   flew upon   the   dry grass of   the prairie   and   it
  burst into flame。 A mighty smoke ascended; which drove away the teasing
  swarms of the insect people; while the flames terrified and scattered   the
  others。
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  This   was   the   first   dividing   of   the   trail   between   man   and   the   animal
  people; and when the animals had sued for peace; the treaty provided that
  they   must   ever   after   furnish   man   with   flesh   for   his   food   and   skins   for
  clothing;   though   not   without   effort   and   danger   on   his   part。     The   little
  insects   refused   to   make   any   concession;   and   have   ever   since   been   the
  tormentors of man; however; the birds of the air declared that they would
  punish them for their obstinacy; and this they continue to do unto this day。
  Our people have always claimed that the stone arrows which are found
  so generally throughout the country are the ones that the first man used in
  his battle with the animals。         It is not recorded in our traditions; much less
  is it within the memory of our old men; that we have ever made or used
  similar arrow…heads。         Some have tried to make use of them for shooting
  fish   under   water;   but   with   little   success;   and   they  are   absolutely   useless
  with the Indian bow which was in use when America was discovered。                           It
  is possible that they were made by some pre…historic race who used much
  longer   and   stronger   bows;   and   who   were   workers   in   stone;   which   our
  people were not。         Their stone implements were merely natural boulders
  or flint chips; fitted with handles of raw…hide or wood; except the pipes;
  which     were    carved    from    a  species   of   stone   which    is  soft  when     first
  quarried;     and   therefore     easily   worked     with   the   most    primitive    tools。
  Practically all the flint arrow…heads that we see in museums and elsewhere
  were picked up or ploughed up; while some have been dishonestly sold by
  trafficking Indians and others; embedded in trees and bones。
  We   had   neither   devil   nor   hell   in   our   religion   until   the   white   man
  brought them to us; yet Unk…to…mee; the Spider; was doubtless akin to that
  old   Serpent   who   tempted   mother   Eve。         He   is   always   characterized   as
  tricky; treacherous; and at the same time affable and charming; being not
  without     the   gifts  of   wit;  prophecy;     and    eloquence。      He    is  an   adroit
  magician; able to assume almost any form at will; and impervious to any
  amount of ridicule and insult。           Here we have; it appears; the elements of
  the story in Genesis; the primal Eden; the tempter in animal form; and the
  bringing   of   sorrow   and   death   upon   earth   through   the   elemental   sins   of
  envy and jealousy。
  The warning conveyed in the story of Unk…to…mee was ever used with