the golden bough-第27章

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d　to　the　west　of　New　Guinea；　a　wizard　makes　rain　by　dipping　a　branch　of　a　particular　kind　of　tree　in　water　and　then　scattering　the　moisture　from　the　dripping　bough　over　the　ground。　In　New　Britain　the　rain…maker　wraps　some　leaves　of　a　red　and　green　striped　creeper　in　a　banana…leaf；　moistens　the　bundle　with　water；　and　buries　it　in　the　ground；　then　he　imitates　with　his　mouth　the　plashing　of　rain。　Amongst　the　Omaha　Indians　of　North　America；　when　the　corn　is　withering　for　want　of　rain；　the　members　of　the　sacred　Buffalo　Society　fill　a　large　vessel　with　water　and　dance　four　times　round　it。　One　of　them　drinks　some　of　the　water　and　spirts　it　into　the　air；　making　a　fine　spray　in　imitation　of　a　mist　or　drizzling　rain。　Then　he　upsets　the　vessel；　spilling　the　water　on　the　ground；　whereupon　the　dancers　fall　down　and　drink　up　the　water；　getting　mud　all　over　their　faces。　Lastly；　they　squirt　the　water　into　the　air；　making　a　fine　mist。　This　saves　the　corn。　In　spring…time　the　Natchez　of　North　America　used　to　club　together　to　purchase　favourable　weather　for　their　crops　from　the　wizards。　If　rain　was　needed；　the　wizards　fasted　and　danced　with　pipes　full　of　water　in　their　mouths。　The　pipes　were　perforated　like　the　nozzle　of　a　watering…can；　and　through　the　holes　the　rain…maker　blew　the　water　towards　that　part　of　the　sky　where　the　clouds　hung　heaviest。　But　if　fine　weather　was　wanted；　he　mounted　the　roof　of　his　hut；　and　with　extended　arms；　blowing　with　all　his　might；　he　beckoned　to　the　clouds　to　pass　by。　When　the　rains　do　not　come　in　due　season　the　people　of　Central　Angoniland　repair　to　what　is　called　the　rain…temple。　Here　they　clear　away　the　grass；　and　the　leader　pours　beer　into　a　pot　which　is　buried　in　the　ground；　while　he　says；　Master　Chauta；　you　have　hardened　your　heart　towards　us；　what　would　you　have　us　do？　We　must　perish　indeed。　Give　your　children　the　rains；　there　is　the　beer　we　have　given　you。　Then　they　all　partake　of　the　beer　that　is　left　over；　even　the　children　being　made　to　sip　it。　Next　they　take　branches　of　trees　and　dance　and　sing　for　rain。　When　they　return　to　the　village　they　find　a　vessel　of　water　set　at　the　doorway　by　an　old　woman；　so　they　dip　their　branches　in　it　and　wave　them　aloft；　so　as　to　scatter　the　drops。　After　that　the　rain　is　sure　to　come　driving　up　in　heavy　clouds。　In　these　practices　we　see　a　combination　of　religion　with　magic；　for　while　the　scattering　of　the　water…drops　by　means　of　branches　is　a　purely　magical　ceremony；　the　prayer　for　rain　and　the　offering　of　beer　are　purely　religious　rites。　In　the　Mara　tribe　of　Northern　Australia　the　rain…maker　goes　to　a　pool　and　sings　over　it　his　magic　song。　Then　he　takes　some　of　the　water　in　his　hands；　drinks　it；　and　spits　it　out　in　various　directions。　After　that　he　throws　water　all　over　himself；　scatters　it　about；　and　returns　quietly　to　the　camp。　Rain　is　supposed　to　follow。　The　Arab　historian　Makrizi　describes　a　method　of　stopping　rain　which　is　said　to　have　been　resorted　to　by　a　tribe　of　nomads　called　Alqamar　in　Hadramaut。　They　cut　a　branch　from　a　certain　tree　in　the　desert；　set　it　on　fire；　and　then　sprinkled　the　burning　brand　with　water。　After　that　the　vehemence　of　the　rain　abated；　just　as　the　water　vanished　when　it　fell　on　the　glowing　brand。　Some　of　the　Eastern　Angamis　of　Manipur　are　said　to　perform　a　some…what　similar　ceremony　for　the　opposite　purpose；　in　order；　namely；　to　produce　rain。　The　head　of　the　village　puts　a　burning　brand　on　the　grave　of　a　man　who　has　died　of　burns；　and　quenches　the　brand　with　water；　while　he　prays　that　rain　may　fall。　Here　the　putting　out　the　fire　with　water；　which　is　an　imitation　of　rain；　is　reinforced　by　the　influence　of　the　dead　man；　who；　having　been　burnt　to　death；　will　naturally　be　anxious　for　the　descent　of　rain　to　cool　his　scorched　body　and　assuage　his　pangs。

Other　people　besides　the　Arabs　have　used　fire　as　a　means　of　stopping　rain。　Thus　the　Sulka　of　New　Britain　heat　stones　red　hot　in　the　fire　and　then　put　them　out　in　the　rain；　or　they　throw　hot　ashes　in　the　air。　They　think　that　the　rain　will　soon　cease　to　fall；　for　it　does　not　like　to　be　burned　by　the　hot　stones　or　ashes。　The　Telugus　send　a　little　girl　out　naked　into　the　rain　with　a　burning　piece　of　wood　in　her　hand；　which　she　has　to　show　to　the　rain。　That　is　supposed　to　stop　the　downpour。　At　Port　Stevens　in　New　South　Wales　the　medicine…men　used　to　drive　away　rain　by　throwing　fire…sticks　into　the　air；　while　at　the　same　time　they　puffed　and　shouted。　Any　man　of　the　Anula　tribe　in　Northern　Australia　can　stop　rain　by　simply　warming　a　green　stick　in　the　fire；　and　then　striking　it　against　the　wind。

In　time　of　severe　drought　the　Dieri　of　Central　Australia；　loudly　lamenting　the　impoverished　state　of　the　country　and　their　own　half…starved　condition；　call　upon　the　spirits　of　their　remote　predecessors；　whom　they　call　Mura…muras；　to　grant　them　power　to　make　a　heavy　rain…fall。　For　they　believe　that　the　clouds　are　bodies　in　which　rain　is　generated　by　their　own　ceremonies　or　those　of　neighbouring　tribes；　through　the　influence　of　the　Mura…muras。　The　way　in　which　they　set　about　drawing　rain　from　the　clouds　is　this。　A　hole　is　dug　about　twelve　feet　long　and　eight　or　ten　broad；　and　over　this　hole　a　conical　hut　of　logs　and　branches　is　made。　Two　wizards；　supposed　to　have　received　a　special　inspiration　from　the　Mura…muras；　are　bled　by　an　old　and　influential　man　with　a　sharp　flint；　and　the　blood；　drawn　from　their　arms　below　the　elbow；　is　made　to　flow　on　the　other　men　of　the　tribe；　who　sit　huddled　together　in　the　hut。　At　the　same　time　the　two　bleeding　men　throw　handfuls　of　down　about；　some　of　which　adheres　to　the　blood…stained　bodies　of　their　comrades；　while　the　rest　floats　in　the　air。　The　blood　is　thought　to　represent　the　rain；　and　the　down　the　clouds。　During　the　ceremony　two　large　stones　are　placed　in　the　middle　of　the　hut；　they　stand　for　gathering　clouds　and　presage　rain。　Then　the　wizards　who　were　bled　carry　away　the　two　stones　for　about　ten　or　fifteen　miles；　and　place　them　as　high　as　they　can　in　the　tallest　tree。　Meanwhile　the　other　men　gather　gypsum；　pound　it　fine；　and　throw　it　into　a　water…hole。　This　the　Mura…muras　see；　and　at　once　they　cause　clouds　to　appear　in　the　sky。　Lastly；　the　men；　young　and　old；　surround　the　hut；　and；　stooping　down；　butt　at　it　with　their　heads；　like　so　many　rams。　Thus　they　force　their　way　through　it　and　reappear　on　the　other　side；　repeating　the　process　till　the　hut　is　wrecked。　In　doing　this　they　are　forbidden　to　use　their　hands　or　arms；　but　when　the　heavy　logs　alone　remain；　they　are　allowed　to　pull　them　out　with　their　hands。　The　piercing　of　the　hut　with　their　heads　symbolises　the　piercing　of　the　clouds；　the　fall　of　the　hut；　the　fall　of　the　rain。　Obviously；　too；　the　act　of　placing　high　up　in　trees　the　two　stones；　which　stand　for　clouds；　is　a　way　of　making　the　real　clouds　to　mount　up　in　the　sky。　The　Dieri　also　imagine　that　the　foreskins　taken　from　lads　at　circumcision　have　a　great　power　of　producing　rain。　Hence　the　Great　Council　of　the　tribe　always　keeps　a　small　stock　of　foreskins　ready　for　use。　They　are　carefully　concealed；　being　wrapt　up　in　feathers　with　the　fat　of　the　wild　dog　and　of　the　carpet　snake。　A　woman　may　not　see　such　a　parcel　opened　on　any　account。　When　the　ceremony　is　over；　the　foreskin　is　buried；　its　virtue　being　exhausted。　After　the　rains　have　fallen；　some　of　the　tribe　always　undergo　a　surgical　operation；　which　consists　in　cutting　the　skin　of　their　chest　and　arms　with　a　sharp　flint。　The　wound　is　then　tapped　with　a　flat　stick　to　increase　the　flow　of　blood；　and　red　ochre　is　rubbed　into　it。　Raised　scars　are　thus　produced。　The　reason　alleged　by　the　natives　for　this　practice　is　that　they　are　pleased　with　the　rain；　and　that　there　is　a　connexion　between　the　rain　and　the　scars。　Apparently　the　operation　is　not　very　painful；　for　the　patient　laughs　and　jokes　while　it　is　going　on。　Indeed；　little　children　have　been　seen　to　crowd　round　the　operator　and　patiently　take　their　turn；　then　after　being　operated　on；　they　ran　away；　expanding　their　little　chests　and　singing　for　the　rain　to　beat　upon　them。　However；　they　were　not　so　well　pleased　next　day；　when　they　felt　their　wounds　stiff　and　sore。　In　Java；　when　rain　is　wanted；　two　men　will　sometimes　thrash　each　other　with　supple　rods　till　the　blood　flows　down　th