CHAPTER V

Medieval and Modern Forms of Nature Ritual

Is it possible to establish chain of descent connecting early Aryan and Babylonian Ritual with Classic, Medieval and Modern forms of Nature worship?  Survival of Adonis cult established.  Evidence of Mannhardt and Frazer.  Existing Continental customs recognized as survivals of ancient beliefs.  Instances.  ‘Directly related’ to Attis-Adonis cult.  Von Schroeder establishes parallel between existing Fertility procession and Rig-Veda poem.  Identification of Life Principle with King.  Prosperity of land dependent on king as representative of god.  Celts.  Greeks.  Modern instances, the Shilluk Kings.  Parallel between Shilluk King, Grail King and Vegetation Deity.  Sone de Nansai and the Lament for Tammuz.  Identity of situation.  Plea for unprejudiced criticism.  Impossibility of such parallels being fortuitous; the result of deliberate intention, not an accident of literary invention.  If identity of central character be admitted his relation to Waste Land becomes fundamental factor in criticizing versions.  Another African survival.

CHAPTER VI

The Symbols

Summary of results of previous enquiry.  The Medieval Stage.  Grail romances probably contain record of secret ritual of a Fertility cult.  The Symbols of the cult—­Cup, Lance, Sword, Stone, or Dish.  Plea for treating Symbols as a related group not as isolated units.  Failure to do so probably cause of unsatisfactory result of long research.  Essential to recognize Grail story as an original whole and to treat it in its ensemble aspect.  We must differentiate between origin and accretion.  Instances.  The Legend of Longinus.  Lance and Cup not associated in Christian Art.  Evidence.  The Spear of Eastern Liturgies only a Knife.  The Bleeding Lance.  Treasures of the Tuatha de Danann.  Correspond as a group with Grail Symbols.  Difficulty of equating Cauldron-Grail.  Probably belong to a different line of tradition.  Instances given.  Real significance of Lance and Cup.  Well known as Life Symbols.  The Samurai.  Four Symbols also preserved as Suits of the Tarot.  Origin of Tarot discussed.  Probably reached Europe from the East.  Use of the Symbols in Magic.  Probable explanation of these various appearances to be found in fact that associated group were at one time symbols of a Fertility cult.  Further evidence to be examined.

CHAPTER VII

The Sword Dance