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Bear-Worship

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Bear, Jacob

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Among the Ostiah Tartars in Siberia the bear is held in great veneration. It is sacrificed to their gods as being the most acceptable victim they can select. As soon as they have killed the animal they strip off its skin and hang it on a very high tree in presence of their idol. They now pay homage to it, and utter doleful lamentations over the dead bear, excusing themselves for having put it to death by attributing the fatal deed to the arrow and not to the person that shot it. This part of their worship arises from the idea that the soul of the bear will take the first opportunity of revenging itself upon the murderers.