KROPOTKIN'S "MUTUAL AID'* 107 



of plenty it disappears. It was when these 

 customs were enveloped in a religious halo 

 and preserved as sacred ceremonies, after all 

 necessity for them had disappeared, that they 

 attained their most revolting characters. 



He believed in revenge but it was to be 

 strictly measured by the offense. It must be 

 an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth ; not 

 a head for an eye, or an eye for a tooth. He 

 only killed his enemies, and he always, at all 

 costs, defended the members of his own tribe. 

 "Within the tribe everything is shared in 

 common; every morsel of food is divided 

 among all present; and if the savage is alone 

 in the woods, he does not begin his meal un- 

 til he has londly shouted thrice an invitation 

 to any one who may hear his voice to share 



his meal." "If he infringes one of the 



smaller tribal rules, he is prosecuted by the 

 mockeries of the women." "When he enters 

 his neighbors' territory he must loudly an- 

 nounce his coming, and if he enters a house 

 he must deposit his hatchet at the entrance. 

 If one shows greediness when spoil is divided 

 all the others give him their share to shame 

 him." Scolding and scorning are greatly con- 

 ,demned. Their children are not very quarrel- 

 some and very rarely fight. The most they 

 may say, is, "Your mother does not know 



