the golden bough-第31章

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　it　from　door　to　door　singing：

Send　soon；　O　frog；　the　jewel　of　water！　And　ripen　the　wheat　and　millet　in　the　field。

The　Kapus　or　Reddis　are　a　large　caste　of　cultivators　and　landowners　in　the　Madras　Presidency。　When　rain　fails；　women　of　the　caste　will　catch　a　frog　and　tie　it　alive　to　a　new　winnowing　fan　made　of　bamboo。　On　this　fan　they　spread　a　few　margosa　leaves　and　go　from　door　to　door　singing；　Lady　frog　must　have　her　bath。　Oh！　rain…god；　give　a　little　water　for　her　at　least。　While　the　Kapu　women　sing　this　song；　the　woman　of　the　house　pours　water　over　the　frog　and　gives　an　alms；　convinced　that　by　so　doing　she　will　soon　bring　rain　down　in　torrents。

Sometimes；　when　a　drought　has　lasted　a　long　time；　people　drop　the　usual　hocus…pocus　of　imitative　magic　altogether；　and　being　far　too　angry　to　waste　their　breath　in　prayer　they　seek　by　threats　and　curses　or　even　downright　physical　force　to　extort　the　waters　of　heaven　from　the　supernatural　being　who　has；　so　to　say；　cut　them　off　at　the　main。　In　a　Japanese　village；　when　the　guardian　divinity　had　long　been　deaf　to　the　peasants'　prayers　for　rain；　they　at　last　threw　down　his　image　and；　with　curses　loud　and　long；　hurled　it　head　foremost　into　a　stinking　rice…field。　There；　they　said；　you　may　stay　yourself　for　a　while；　to　see　how　you　will　feel　after　a　few　days'　scorching　in　this　broiling　sun　that　is　burning　the　life　from　our　cracking　fields。　In　the　like　circumstances　the　Feloupes　of　Senegambia　cast　down　their　fetishes　and　drag　them　about　the　fields；　cursing　them　till　rain　falls。

The　Chinese　are　adepts　in　the　art　of　taking　the　kingdom　of　heaven　by　storm。　Thus；　when　rain　is　wanted　they　make　a　huge　dragon　of　paper　or　wood　to　represent　the　rain…god；　and　carry　it　about　in　procession；　but　if　no　rain　follows；　the　mock…dragon　is　execrated　and　torn　to　pieces。　At　other　times　they　threaten　and　beat　the　god　if　he　does　not　give　rain；　sometimes　they　publicly　depose　him　from　the　rank　of　deity。　On　the　other　hand；　if　the　wished…for　rain　falls；　the　god　is　promoted　to　a　higher　rank　by　an　imperial　decree。　In　April　1888　the　mandarins　of　Canton　prayed　to　the　god　Lung…wong　to　stop　the　incessant　downpour　of　rain；　and　when　he　turned　a　deaf　ear　to　their　petitions　they　put　him　in　a　lock…up　for　five　days。　This　had　a　salutary　effect。　The　rain　ceased　and　the　god　was　restored　to　liberty。　Some　years　before；　in　time　of　drought；　the　same　deity　had　been　chained　and　exposed　to　the　sun　for　days　in　the　courtyard　of　his　temple　in　order　that　he　might　feel　for　himself　the　urgent　need　of　rain。　So　when　the　Siamese　need　rain；　they　set　out　their　idols　in　the　blazing　sun；　but　if　they　want　dry　weather；　they　unroof　the　temples　and　let　the　rain　pour　down　on　the　idols。　They　think　that　the　inconvenience　to　which　the　gods　are　thus　subjected　will　induce　them　to　grant　the　wishes　of　their　worshippers。

The　reader　may　smile　at　the　meteorology　of　the　Far　East；　but　precisely　similar　modes　of　procuring　rain　have　been　resorted　to　in　Christian　Europe　within　our　own　lifetime。　By　the　end　of　April　1893　there　was　great　distress　in　Sicily　for　lack　of　water。　The　drought　had　lasted　six　months。　Every　day　the　sun　rose　and　set　in　a　sky　of　cloudless　blue。　The　gardens　of　the　Conca　d'Oro；　which　surround　Palermo　with　a　magnificent　belt　of　verdure；　were　withering。　Food　was　becoming　scarce。　The　people　were　in　great　alarm。　All　the　most　approved　methods　of　procuring　rain　had　been　tried　without　effect。　Processions　had　traversed　the　streets　and　the　fields。　Men；　women；　and　children；　telling　their　beads；　had　lain　whole　nights　before　the　holy　images。　Consecrated　candles　had　burned　day　and　night　in　the　churches。　Palm　branches；　blessed　on　Palm　Sunday；　had　been　hung　on　the　trees。　At　Solaparuta；　in　accordance　with　a　very　old　custom；　the

dust　swept　from　the　churches　on　Palm　Sunday　had　been　spread　on　the　fields。　In　ordinary　years　these　holy　sweepings　preserve　the　crops；　but　that　year；　if　you　will　believe　me；　they　had　no　effect　whatever。　At　Nicosia　the　inhabitants；　bare…headed　and　bare…foot；　carried　the　crucifixes　through　all　the　wards　of　the　town　and　scourged　each　other　with　iron　whips。　It　was　all　in　vain。　Even　the　great　St。　Francis　of　Paolo　himself；　who　annually　performs　the　miracle　of　rain　and　is　carried　every　spring　through　the　market…gardens；　either　could　not　or　would　not　help。　Masses；　vespers；　concerts；　illuminations；　fire…worksnothing　could　move　him。　At　last　the　peasants　began　to　lose　patience。　Most　of　the　saints　were　banished。　At　Palermo　they　dumped　St。　Joseph　in　a　garden　to　see　the　state　of　things　for　himself；　and　they　swore　to　leave　him　there　in　the　sun　till　rain　fell。　Other　saints　were　turned；　like　naughty　children；　with　their　faces　to　the　wall。　Others　again；　stripped　of　their　beautiful　robes；　were　exiled　far　from　their　parishes；　threatened；　grossly　insulted；　ducked　in　horse…ponds。　At　Caltanisetta　the　golden　wings　of　St。　Michael　the　Archangel　were　torn　from　his　shoulders　and　replaced　with　wings　of　pasteboard；　his　purple　mantle　was　taken　away　and　a　clout　wrapt　about　him　instead。　At　Licata　the　patron　saint；　St。　Angelo；　fared　even　worse；　for　he　was　left　without　any　garments　at　all；　he　was　reviled；　he　was　put　in　irons；　he　was　threatened　with　drowning　or　hanging。　Rain　or　the　rope！　roared　the　angry　people　at　him；　as　they　shook　their　fists　in　his　face。

Sometimes　an　appeal　is　made　to　the　pity　of　the　gods。　When　their　corn　is　being　burnt　up　by　the　sun；　the　Zulus　look　out　for　a　heaven　bird；　kill　it；　and　throw　it　into　a　pool。　Then　the　heaven　melts　with　tenderness　for　the　death　of　the　bird；　it　wails　for　it　by　raining；　wailing　a　funeral　wail。　In　Zululand　women　sometimes　bury　their　children　up　to　the　neck　in　the　ground；　and　then　retiring　to　a　distance　keep　up　a　dismal　howl　for　a　long　time。　The　sky　is　supposed　to　melt　with　pity　at　the　sight。　Then　the　women　dig　the　children　out　and　feel　sure　that　rain　will　soon　follow。　They　say　that　they　call　to　the　lord　above　and　ask　him　to　send　rain。　If　it　comes　they　declare　that　Usondo　rains。　In　times　of　drought　the　Guanches　of　Teneriffe　led　their　sheep　to　sacred　ground；　and　there　they　separated　the　lambs　from　their　dams；　that　their　plaintive　bleating　might　touch　the　heart　of　the　god。　In　Kumaon　a　way　of　stopping　rain　is　to　pour　hot　oil　in　the　left　ear　of　a　dog。　The　animal　howls　with　pain；　his　howls　are　heard　by　Indra；　and　out　of　pity　for　the　beast's　sufferings　the　god　stops　the　rain。　Sometimes　the　Toradjas　attempt　to　procure　rain　as　follows。　They　place　the　stalks　of　certain　plants　in　water；　saying；　Go　and　ask　for　rain；　and　so　long　as　no　rain　falls　I　will　not　plant　you　again；　but　there　shall　you　die。　Also　they　string　some　fresh…water　snails　on　a　cord；　and　hang　the　cord　on　a　tree；　and　say　to　the　snails；　Go　and　ask　for　rain；　and　so　long　as　no　rain　comes；　I　will　not　take　you　back　to　the　water。　Then　the　snails　go　and　weep；　and　the　gods　take　pity　and　send　rain。　However；　the　foregoing　ceremonies　are　religious　rather　than　magical；　since　they　involve　an　appeal　to　the　compassion　of　higher　powers。

Stones　are　often　supposed　to　possess　the　property　of　bringing　on　rain；　provided　they　be　dipped　in　water　or　sprinkled　with　it；　or　treated　in　some　other　appropriate　manner。　In　a　Samoan　village　a　certain　stone　was　carefully　housed　as　the　representative　of　the　rain…making　god；　and　in　time　of　drought　his　priests　carried　the　stone　in　procession　and　dipped　it　in　a　stream。　Among　the　Ta…ta…thi　tribe　of　New　South　Wales；　the　rain…maker　breaks　off　a　piece　of　quartz…crystal　and　spits　it　towards　the　sky；　the　rest　of　the　crystal　he　wraps　in　emu　feathers；　soaks　both　crystal　and　feathers　in　water；　and　carefully　hides　them。　In　the　Keramin　tribe　of　New　South　Wales　the　wizard　retires　to　the　bed　of　a　creek；　drops　water　on　a　round　flat　stone；　then　covers　up　and　conceals　it。　Among　some　tribes　of　North…western　Australia　the　rain…maker　repairs　to　a　piece　of　ground　which　is　set　apart　for　the　purpose　of　rain…making。　There　he　builds　a　heap　of　stones　or　sand；　places　on　the　top　of　it　his　magic　stone；　and　walks　or　dances　round　the　pile　chanting　his　incantations　for　hours；　till　sheer　exhaustion　obliges　him　to　desist；　when　his　place　is　taken　by　his　assistant。　Water　is　sprinkled　on　the　stone　and　huge　fires　are　kindled。　No　layman　may　approach　the　sacred　spot　while　the　mystic　ceremony　is　bein