CHAPTER VIII

The Medicine Man

In previous chapters I have referred to the part played by the Doctor in a large number of the surviving ‘Fertility’ ceremonies, and to the fact, noted by other writers, that even where an active share is no longer assigned to the character, he still appears among the dramatis personae of these Folk-plays and processions.[1] We will now examine more closely the rôle allotted to this mysterious personage; we shall find it to be of extreme antiquity and remarkable significance.

In the interesting and important work by Professor von Schroeder, to which I have already often referred, we find the translation of a curious poem (Rig-Veda, 10. 97), a monologue placed in the mouth of a Doctor, or Medicine Man, who vaunts the virtue of his herbs, and their power to cure human ills.[2] From the references made to a special sick man von Schroeder infers that this poem, like others in the collection, was intended to be acted, as well as recited, and that the personage to be healed, evidently present on the scene, was probably represented by a dummy, as no speeches are allotted to the character.

The entire poem consists of 23 verses of four lines each, and is divided by the translator into three distinct sections; the first is devoted to the praise of herbs in general, their power to cure the sick man before them, and at the same time to bring riches to the Healer—­the opening verses run: 

“Die Kräuter alt, entsprossen einst
Drei Alter vor den Göttern noch,
Die braunen will Ich preisen jetzt! 
Hundert und sieben Arten sinds.

“Ja, hundert Arten, Mütterlein,
Und tausend Zweige habt ihr auch,
Ihr, die ihr hundert Kräfte habt,
Macht diesen Menschen mir gesund.

“Ihr Kräuter hört, ihr Mütterchen,
Ihr göttlichen, das sag ich euch: 
Ross, Rind und Kleid gewänn’ ich gern
Und auch dein Leben, lieber Mann!

.................................

Fürwahr ihr bringt mir Rinder ein,
Wenn ihr ihn rettet diesen Mann.”

He then praises the power of all herbs: 

“Vom Himmel kam der Kräuter Schar
Geflogen, und da sprechen sie;
Wen wir noch lebend treffen an
Der Mann soll frei von Schaden sein.”

Finally the speaker singles out one herb as superior to all others: 

“Die Kräuter viel in Soma’s Reich
Die hundertfach verständigen,
Von denen bist das beste du
Erfüllst den Wunsch, und heilst das Herz.”

He conjures all other herbs to lend their virtue to this special remedy: 

“Ihr Kräuter all’ in Soma’s Reich
Verbreitet auf der Erde hin,
Ihr, von Brihaspati erzeugt,
Gebt diesem Kraute eure Kraft!

“Nicht nehme Schaden, der euch gräbt,
Noch der, für Welchen Ich euch grub! 
Bei uns soll Alles, Mensch, und Vieh,
Gesund und ohne Schaden sein.