the golden bough-第30章

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　Next　they　sit　on　the　harrow　and　keep　a　tiny　flame　burning　on　each　corner　of　it　for　an　hour。　Then　they　leave　the　harrow　in　the　water　and　go　home。　A　similar　rain…charm　is　resorted　to　in　some　parts　of　India；　naked　women　drag　a　plough　across　a　field　by　night；　while　the　men　keep　carefully　out　of　the　way；　for　their　presence　would　break　the　spell。

Sometimes　the　rain…charm　operates　through　the　dead。　Thus　in　New　Caledonia　the　rain…makers　blackened　themselves　all　over；　dug　up　a　dead　body；　took　the　bones　to　a　cave；　jointed　them；　and　hung　the　skeleton　over　some　taro　leaves。　Water　was　poured　over　the　skeleton　to　run　down　on　the　leaves。　They　believed　that　the　soul　of　the　deceased　took　up　the　water；　converted　it　into　rain；　and　showered　it　down　again。　In　Russia；　if　common　report　may　be　believed；　it　is　not　long　since　the　peasants　of　any　district　that　chanced　to　be　afflicted　with　drought　used　to　dig　up　the　corpse　of　some　one　who　had　drunk　himself　to　death　and　sink　it　in　the　nearest　swamp　or　lake；　fully　persuaded　that　this　would　ensure　the　fall　of　the　needed　rain。　In　1868　the　prospect　of　a　bad　harvest；　caused　by　a　prolonged　drought；　induced　the　inhabitants　of　a　village　in　the　Tarashchansk　district　to　dig　up　the　body　of　a　Raskolnik；　or　Dissenter；　who　had　died　in　the　preceding　December。　Some　of　the　party　beat　the　corpse；　or　what　was　left　of　it；　about　the　head；　exclaiming；　Give　us　rain！　while　others　poured　water　on　it　through　a　sieve。　Here　the　pouring　of　water　through　a　sieve　seems　plainly　an　imitation　of　a　shower；　and　reminds　us　of　the　manner　in　which　Strepsiades　in　Aristophanes　imagined　that　rain　was　made　by　Zeus。　Sometimes；　in　order　to　procure　rain；　the　Toradjas　make　an　appeal　to　the　pity　of　the　dead。　Thus；　in　the　village　of　Kalingooa；　there　is　the　grave　of　a　famous　chief；　the　grandfather　of　the　present　ruler。　When　the　land　suffers　from　unseasonable　drought；　the　people　go　to　this　grave；　pour　water　on　it；　and　say；　O　grandfather；　have　pity　on　us；　if　it　is　your　will　that　this　year　we　should　eat；　then　give　rain。　After　that　they　hang　a　bamboo　full　of　water　over　the　grave；　there　is　a　small　hole　in　the　lower　end　of　the　bamboo；　so　that　the　water　drips　from　it　continually。　The　bamboo　is　always　refilled　with　water　until　rain　drenches　the　ground。　Here；　as　in　New　Caledonia；　we　find　religion　blent　with　magic；　for　the　prayer　to　the　dead　chief；　which　is　purely　religious；　is　eked　out　with　a　magical　imitation　of　rain　at　his　grave。　We　have　seen　that　the　Baronga　of　Delagoa　Bay　drench　the　tombs　of　their　ancestors；　especially　the　tombs　of　twins；　as　a　raincharm。　Among　some　of　the　Indian　tribes　in　the　region　of　the　Orinoco　it　was　customary　for　the　relations　of　a　deceased　person　to　disinter　his　bones　a　year　after　burial；　burn　them；　and　scatter　the　ashes　to　the　winds；　because　they　believed　that　the　ashes　were　changed　into　rain；　which　the　dead　man　sent　in　return　for　his　obsequies。　The　Chinese　are　convinced　that　when　human　bodies　remain　unburied；　the　souls　of　their　late　owners　feel　the　discomfort　of　rain；　just　as　living　men　would　do　if　they　were　exposed　without　shelter　to　the　inclemency　of　the　weather。　These　wretched　souls；　therefore；　do　all　in　their　power　to　prevent　the　rain　from　falling；　and　often　their　efforts　are　only　too　successful。　Then　drought　ensues；　the　most　dreaded　of　all　calamities　in　China；　because　bad　harvests；　dearth；　and　famine　follow　in　its　train。　Hence　it　has　been　a　common　practice　of　the　Chinese　authorities　in　time　of　drought　to　inter　the　dry　bones　of　the　unburied　dead　for　the　purpose　of　putting　an　end　to　the　scourge　and　conjuring　down　the　rain。

Animals；　again；　often　play　an　important　part　in　these　weather…charms。　The　Anula　tribe　of　Northern　Australia　associate　the　dollar…bird　with　rain；　and　call　it　the　rain…bird。　A　man　who　has　the　bird　for　his　totem　can　make　rain　at　a　certain　pool。　He　catches　a　snake；　puts　it　alive　into　the　pool；　and　after　holding　it　under　water　for　a　time　takes　it　out；　kills　it；　and　lays　it　down　by　the　side　of　the　creek。　Then　he　makes　an　arched　bundle　of　grass　stalks　in　imitation　of　a　rainbow；　and　sets　it　up　over　the　snake。　After　that　all　he　does　is　to　sing　over　the　snake　and　the　mimic　rainbow；　sooner　or　later　the　rain　will　fall。　They　explain　this　procedure　by　saying　that　long　ago　the　dollar…bird　had　as　a　mate　at　this　spot　a　snake；　who　lived　in　the　pool　and　used　to　make　rain　by　spitting　up　into　the　sky　till　a　rainbow　and　clouds　appeared　and　rain　fell。　A　common　way　of　making　rain　in　many　parts　of　Java　is　to　bathe　a　cat　or　two　cats；　a　male　and　a　female；　sometimes　the　animals　are　carried　in　procession　with　music。　Even　in　Batavia　you　may　from　time　to　time　see　children　going　about　with　a　cat　for　this　purpose；　when　they　have　ducked　it　in　a　pool；　they　let　it　go。

Among　the　Wambugwe　of　East　Africa；　when　the　sorcerer　desires　to　make　rain；　he　takes　a　black　sheep　and　a　black　calf　in　bright　sunshine；　and　has　them　placed　on　the　roof　of　the　common　hut　in　which　the　people　live　together。　Then　he　slits　the　stomachs　of　the　animals　and　scatters　their　contents　in　all　directions。　After　that　he　pours　water　and　medicine　into　a　vessel；　if　the　charm　has　succeeded；　the　water　boils　up　and　rain　follows。　On　the　other　hand；　if　the　sorcerer　wishes　to　prevent　rain　from　falling；　he　withdraws　into　the　interior　of　the　hut；　and　there　heats　a　rock…crystal　in　a　calabash。　In　order　to　procure　rain　the　Wagogo　sacrifice　black　fowls；　black　sheep；　and　black　cattle　at　the　graves　of　dead　ancestors；　and　the　rain…maker　wears　black　clothes　during　the　rainy　season。　Among　the　Matabele　the　rain…charm　employed　by　sorcerers　was　made　from　the　blood　and　gall　of　a　black　ox。　In　a　district　of　Sumatra；　in　order　to　procure　rain；　all　the　women　of　the　village；　scantily　clad；　go　to　the　river；　wade　into　it；　and　splash　each　other　with　the　water。　A　black　cat　is　thrown　into　the　stream　and　made　to　swim　about　for　a　while；　then　allowed　to　escape　to　the　bank；　pursued　by　the　splashing　of　the　women。　The　Garos　of　Assam　offer　a　black　goat　on　the　top　of　a　very　high　mountain　in　time　of　drought。　In　all　these　cases　the　colour　of　the　animal　is　part　of　the　charm；　being　black；　it　will　darken　the　sky　with　rain…clouds。　So　the　Bechuanas　burn　the　stomach　of　an　ox　at　evening；　because　they　say；　The　black　smoke　will　gather　the　clouds　and　cause　the　rain　to　come。　The　Timorese　sacrifice　a　black　pig　to　the　Earth…goddess　for　rain；　a　white　or　red　one　to　the　Sun…god　for　sunshine。　The　Angoni　sacrifice　a　black　ox　for　rain　and　a　white　one　for　fine　weather。　Among　the　high　mountains　of　Japan　there　is　a　district　in　which；　if　rain　has　not　fallen　for　a　long　time；　a　party　of　villagers　goes　in　procession　to　the　bed　of　a　mountain　torrent；　headed　by　a　priest；　who　leads　a　black　dog。　At　the　chosen　spot　they　tether　the　beast　to　a　stone；　and　make　it　a　target　for　their　bullets　and　arrows。　When　its　life…blood　bespatters　the　rocks；　the　peasants　throw　down　their　weapons　and　lift　up　their　voices　in　supplication　to　the　dragon　divinity　of　the　stream；　exhorting　him　to　send　down　forthwith　a　shower　to　cleanse　the　spot　from　its　defilement。　Custom　has　prescribed　that　on　these　occasions　the　colour　of　the　victim　shall　be　black；　as　an　emblem　of　the　wished…for　rain…clouds。　But　if　fine　weather　is　wanted；　the　victim　must　be　white；　without　a　spot。

The　intimate　association　of　frogs　and　toads　with　water　has　earned　for　these　creatures　a　widespread　reputation　as　custodians　of　rain；　and　hence　they　often　play　a　part　in　charms　designed　to　draw　needed　showers　from　the　sky。　Some　of　the　Indians　of　the　Orinoco　held　the　toad　to　be　the　god　or　lord　of　the　waters；　and　for　that　reason　feared　to　kill　the　creature。　They　have　been　known　to　keep　frogs　under　a　pot　and　to　beat　them　with　rods　when　there　was　a　drought。　It　is　said　that　the　Aymara　Indians　often　make　little　images　of　frogs　and　other　aquatic　animals　and　place　them　on　the　tops　of　the　hills　as　a　means　of　bringing　down　rain。　The　Thompson　Indians　of　British　Columbia　and　some　people　in　Europe　think　that　to　kill　a　frog　will　cause　rain　to　fall。　In　order　to　procure　rain　people　of　low　caste　in　the　Central　Provinces　of　India　will　tie　a　frog　to　a　rod　covered　with　green　leaves　and　branches　of　the　n？m　tree　（Azadirachta　Indica）　and　carry　it　from　door　to　door　singing：

Send　soon；　O　frog；　the　jewel　of　water！　And　ripen　the　wheat　and　mil