Hammers & Bungalows

When an oak is being felled “it gives a kind of shriekes or groanes, that may be heard a mile off, as if it were the genius of the oake lamenting. E. Wyld, Esq., hath heard it severall times.” The Ojebways “very seldom cut down green or living trees, from the idea that it puts them to pain, and some of their medicine-men profess to have heard the wailing of the trees under the axe.” -- Frazer (The Golden Bough, BK 9, Worship of Trees-Ch. 1, Tree Spirits--¶ 6)

One of my earliest memories occurs at about the age of 3:  


Along with a mandolin, one of the earliest gifts given to me at a very young age was... a hammer.  Not a cheesy, flaccid implement that comes as part of the plastic toolkits that  are so ubiquitous in the modern toy section--but a real hammer with the solid heft of oak and steel (albeit, of child's proportions).  As in Stormie's blog, I decided to reenact and commemorate the purpose of the archaic tool in the manner that a child understands such activity.  Which is to say, I mimicked the ceremony in which that my father employed his hammer.


I grew up in a turn-of-the-century bungalow, similar to the one pictured above.  The wide rails surrounding the porch were the object of my "ceremonial" reenactment.  Hammer in hand, I pummeled the tops of the rails (with the claw end) and was not satisfied until the entire surface was marred with the snake bites created by my hammer's christening.  I have no idea how my father did not hear my thunderous barrage on the front porch, but he did finally see the aftermath...


According to Eliade, myth is the element by which we can understand the "bizarre" behavior and practice of the savage; myth as the necessary means by which to contextualize the social mores of culture.  The above story contextualizes my personal myth.  Just as a hammer has a claw and a head, I was taught that my hand could cause wanton destruction or intentional creation.  


Funny, also similar to Stormie's story, I don't remember being severely punished for my destruction.  My father simply placed my hammer up on the unattainable shelf and eventually taught me how to use the head of the hammer.