This process is not quite unfamiliar to us in so far as we use the
apostrophe for syllables that in ordinary speech are not slurred, when
we expand a long vowel over several tones, when we utilise archaic
pronunciations for the sake of the meter, or when wrong accents are
introduced. Disregard for the words is found also in borrowed songs
which are sung in a language that is not understood and in which the
words (which are usually mispronounced) have only the value of a burden
that may be connected with a certain emotion determined by the use of
the song. All these forms are found everywhere and must therefore be
considered the foundations of poetry.
Primitive poetry is primarily lyric, in many cases dithyrambic, and
elements which express definite coherent ideas are, in all probability,
later developments. Perhaps we may see here an analogy to the growth of
language. In the animal world cries are primarily reactions to emotions
and only indirectly designative. It seems likely that in human speech
the spontaneous emotional cry preceded the designative and so much more
the predicative expression, not by any means in the sense that the
exclamation accounts for the origin of organized speech, but that it is
probably the first form of articulation.
It must not be assumed that the control of the word by music is
characteristic of all primitive song. On the contrary, in recitatives
which are quite common, the words are often controlling and musical
phrases are added or omitted whenever the words require it. Among the
Sioux Indians we find often both tendencies; the words adapted to the
tunes and the tune, on its part, adjusted to the words.[119]
[119] Frances Densmore, Teton Sioux Music, Bull. Bur. Amer. Ethnol. 61,
Washington, 1918; see, for instance No. 38, p. 162.
We might express the results of our considerations in stating that song
is older than poetry and that poetry has gradually emancipated itself
from music.
The relation between music, words and dance are of a similar character.
Primitive literary expression is often, though not by any means always,
accompanied by some kind of motor activity; or certain kinds of motions
may release articulations that take the form of song or of spoken
words. Strong, but controlled emotion finds utterance in movements of
the body and in articulation, and emotional speech releases similar
movements. This may be inferred from the frequent association of song
and dance, of song and games, and of that of gestures and lively
speech. Dance has always remained associated with music, but with the
emancipation of poetry music has lost its close association with the
spoken word.
Primitive artistic prose has two important forms: narrative and
oratory. The form of modern prose is largely determined by the fact
that it is read, not spoken, while primitive prose is based on the art
of oral delivery and is, therefore, more closely related to modern
oratory than to the printed literary style. The stylistic difference
between the two forms is considerable.
Unfortunately most primitive prose has been recorded in European
languages only, and it is impossible to determine the accuracy of the
rendering. In most of the records there is an obvious attempt to adapt
it to the European literary style. Even when the material is available
in the original text we may assume that, at least in the majority of
cases, it does not reach the standard of excellence of the art of
native narrative. The difficulty of phonetic rendering of foreign
languages requires such slowness of dictation that the artistic style
necessarily suffers. The number of collectors who possess complete
mastery of the languages of the natives is altogether too small. The
best approximation to the art of narrative of primitive people is
probably found in those cases in which educated natives write down the
texts, or in the records taken down by missionaries who in long years
of personal, intimate contact with the people have acquired complete
control of their language, and who are willing to give us just what
they hear.
As an example of the difference in style between the free rendering
of a story told in English by an interpreter, and the translation of
a native text I give part of the Twin-Hero story of Sia, as told by
M. C. Stevenson, and the same story as dictated to me in Laguna. Mrs.
Stevenson[120] tells as follows: Upon visiting the plaza the twins
found a large gathering and the housetops were crowded with those
looking at the dance. The boys who approached the plaza from a narrow
street in the village, stood for a time at the entrance. The one
remarked, “I guess all the people are looking at us and thinking we are
very poor boys; see how they pass back and forth and do not speak to
us;” but after a while he said, “We are a little hungry; let us walk
around and see where we can find something to eat.” They looked in all
the houses facing upon the plaza and saw feasting within, but no one
invited them to enter and eat, and though they inspected every house in
the village, they were invited into but one. At this house the woman
said, “Boys, come in and eat; I guess you are hungry.” After the repast
they thanked her, saying, “It was very good.” Then the one said, “You,
woman, and you, man,” addressing her husband, “you and all your family
are good. We have eaten at your house; we give you many thanks; and now
listen to what I have to say. I wish you and all your children to go
off a distance to another house; to a house which stands alone; the
round house off from the village. All of you stay there for a while.”
[120] Matilda Coxe Stevenson, The Sia, 11th Annual Report Bureau of
Ethnology, Washington, 1894, pp. 54-55.