4:0 THE OKIGLtf OF ANIMAL-WOliSIIIP. 



&quot; But this,&quot; it will be said, &quot; does not amount to an 

 explanation of animal- worship.&quot; True : a third factor 

 remains to be specified. Given a belief in the still-exist 

 ing other self of the deceased ancestor, who must be pro 

 pitiated ; given this survival of his metaphorical name 

 among his grandchildren, great-grandchildren, etc. ; and 

 the further requisite is that the distinction between meta 

 phor and reality shall be forgotten. Let the tradition of 

 the ancestor fail to keep clearly in view the fact that he 

 was a man called the Wolf let him be habitually spoken 

 of as the Wolf, just as when alive ; and the natural mis 

 take of taking the name literally will bring with it, firstly, 

 a belief in descent from the actual wolf, and, secondly, a 

 treatment of the wolf in a manner likely to propitiate 

 him a manner appropriate to one who may be the other 

 self of the dead ancestor, or one of the kindred, and there 

 fore a friend. 



That a misunderstanding of this kind will naturally 

 grow up, becomes obvious when we bear in mind the great 

 indefiuiteness of primitive language. As Prof. Max Miil- 

 ler says, respecting certain misinterpretations of an oppo 

 site kind : &quot; These metaphors .... would become mere 

 names handed down in the conversation of a family, un 

 derstood perhaps by the grandfather, familiar to the father, 

 but strange to the son, and misunderstood by the grand 

 son.&quot; We have ample reason, then, for thinking that 

 such misinterpretations are likely to occur. Nay, we may 

 go further. We are justified in saying that they are cer 

 tain to occur. For undeveloped languages contain no 

 words capable of indicating the distinction to be kept in 

 view. In the tongues of existing inferior races, only con- 



cxplanatioii. Apparently he inclines to the belief, tacitly adopted also by 

 Mr. McLennan, that animal-worship is derived from an original Fetichism, 

 of which it is a more developed form. As will shortly be seen, I take a differ 

 ent view of its origin. 





