the golden bough-第23部分

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ccumulated　in　them。　The　wells；　it　may　be　said；　are　merely　holes　in　the　sand　where　a　little　turbid　unwholesome　water　stagnates。　Further；　the　women　must　repair　to　the　house　of　one　of　their　gossips　who　has　given　birth　to　twins；　and　must　drench　her　with　water；　which　they　carry　in　little　pitchers。　Having　done　so　they　go　on　their　way；　shrieking　out　their　loose　songs　and　dancing　immodest　dances。　No　man　may　see　these　leaf…clad　women　going　their　rounds。　If　they　meet　a　man；　they　maul　him　and　thrust　him　aside。　When　they　have　cleansed　the　wells；　they　must　go　and　pour　water　on　the　graves　of　their　ancestors　in　the　sacred　grove。　It　often　happens；　too；　that　at　the　bidding　of　the　wizard　they　go　and　pour　water　on　the　graves　of　twins。　For　they　think　that　the　grave　of　a　twin　ought　always　to　be　moist；　for　which　reason　twins　are　regularly　buried　near　a　lake。　If　all　their　efforts　to　procure　rain　prove　abortive；　they　will　remember　that　such　and　such　a　twin　was　buried　in　a　dry　place　on　the　side　of　a　hill。　No　wonder；　says　the　wizard　in　such　a　case；　that　the　sky　is　fiery。　Take　up　his　body　and　dig　him　a　grave　on　the　shore　of　the　lake。　His　orders　are　at　once　obeyed；　for　this　is　supposed　to　be　the　only　means　of　bringing　down　the　rain。

Some　of　the　foregoing　facts　strongly　support　an　interpretation　which　Professor　Oldenberg　has　given　of　the　rules　to　be　observed　by　a　Brahman　who　would　learn　a　particular　hymn　of　the　ancient　Indian　collection　known　as　the　Samaveda。　The　hymn；　which　bears　the　name　of　the　Sakvariˉ　song；　was　believed　to　embody　the　might　of　Indra's　weapon；　the　thunderbolt；　and　hence；　on　account　of　the　dreadful　and　dangerous　potency　with　which　it　was　thus　charged；　the　bold　student　who　essayed　to　master　it　had　to　be　isolated　from　his　fellow…men；　and　to　retire　from　the　village　into　the　forest。　Here　for　a　space　of　time；　which　might　vary；　according　to　different　doctors　of　the　law；　from　one　to　twelve　years；　he　had　to　observe　certain　rules　of　life；　among　which　were　the　following。　Thrice　a　day　he　had　to　touch　water；　he　must　wear　black　garments　and　eat　black　food；　when　it　rained；　he　might　not　seek　the　shelter　of　a　roof；　but　had　to　sit　in　the　rain　and　say；　Water　is　the　Sakvariˉ　song；　when　the　lightning　flashed；　he　said；　That　is　like　the　Sakvariˉ　song；　when　the　thunder　pealed；　he　said；　The　Great　One　is　making　a　great　noise。　He　might　never　cross　a　running　stream　without　touching　water；　he　might　never　set　foot　on　a　ship　unless　his　life　were　in　danger；　and　even　then　he　must　be　sure　to　touch　water　when　he　went　on　board；　for　in　water；　so　ran　the　saying；　lies　the　virtue　of　the　Sakvariˉ　song。　When　at　last　he　was　allowed　to　learn　the　song　itself；　he　had　to　dip　his　hands　in　a　vessel　of　water　in　which　plants　of　all　sorts　had　been　placed。　If　a　man　walked　in　the　way　of　all　these　precepts；　the　rain…god　Parjanya；　it　was　said；　would　send　rain　at　the　wish　of　that　man。　It　is　clear；　as　Professor　Oldenberg　well　points　out；　that　all　these　rules　are　intended　to　bring　the　Brahman　into　union　with　water；　to　make　him；　as　it　were；　an　ally　of　the　water　powers；　and　to　guard　him　against　their　hostility。　The　black　garments　and　the　black　food　have　the　same　significance；　no　one　will　doubt　that　they　refer　to　the　rain…clouds　when　he　remembers　that　a　black　victim　is　sacrificed　to　procure　rain；　'it　is　black；　for　such　is　the　nature　of　rain。'　In　respect　of　another　rain…charm　it　is　said　plainly；　'He　puts　on　a　black　garment　edged　with　black；　for　such　is　the　nature　of　rain。'　We　may　therefore　assume　that　here　in　the　circle　of　ideas　and　ordinances　of　the　Vedic　schools　there　have　been　preserved　magical　practices　of　the　most　remote　antiquity；　which　were　intended　to　prepare　the　rain…maker　for　his　office　and　dedicate　him　to　it。

It　is　interesting　to　observe　that　where　an　opposite　result　is　desired；　primitive　logic　enjoins　the　weather…doctor　to　observe　precisely　opposite　rules　of　conduct。　In　the　tropical　island　of　Java；　where　the　rich　vegetation　attests　the　abundance　of　the　rainfall；　ceremonies　for　the　making　of　rain　are　rare；　but　ceremonies　for　the　prevention　of　it　are　not　uncommon。　When　a　man　is　about　to　give　a　great　feast　in　the　rainy　season　and　has　invited　many　people；　he　goes　to　a　weather…doctor　and　asks　him　to　prop　up　the　clouds　that　may　be　lowering。　If　the　doctor　consents　to　exert　his　professional　powers；　he　begins　to　regulate　his　behaviour　by　certain　rules　as　soon　as　his　customer　has　departed。　He　must　observe　a　fast；　and　may　neither　drink　nor　bathe；　what　little　he　eats　must　be　eaten　dry；　and　in　no　case　may　he　touch　water。　The　host；　on　his　side；　and　his　servants；　both　male　and　female；　must　neither　wash　clothes　nor　bathe　so　long　as　the　feast　lasts；　and　they　have　all　during　its　continuance　to　observe　strict　chastity。　The　doctor　seats　himself　on　a　new　mat　in　his　bedroom；　and　before　a　small　oil…lamp　he　murmurs；　shortly　before　the　feast　takes　place；　the　following　prayer　or　incantation：　Grandfather　and　Grandmother　Sroekoel　（the　name　seems　to　be　taken　at　random；　others　are　sometimes　used）；　return　to　your　country。　Akkemat　is　your　country。　Put　down　your　water…cask；　close　it　properly；　that　not　a　drop　may　fall　out。　While　he　utters　this　prayer　the　sorcerer　looks　upwards；　burning　incense　the　while。　So　among　the　Toradjas　the　rain…doctor；　whose　special　business　it　is　to　drive　away　rain；　takes　care　not　to　touch　water　before；　during；　or　after　the　discharge　of　his　professional　duties。　He　does　not　bathe；　he　eats　with　unwashed　hands；　he　drinks　nothing　but　palm　wine；　and　if　he　has　to　cross　a　stream　he　is　careful　not　to　step　in　the　water。　Having　thus　prepared　himself　for　his　task　he　has　a　small　hut　built　for　himself　outside　of　the　village　in　a　rice…field；　and　in　this　hut　he　keeps　up　a　little　fire；　which　on　no　account　may　be　suffered　to　go　out。　In　the　fire　he　burns　various　kinds　of　wood；　which　are　supposed　to　possess　the　property　of　driving　off　rain；　and　he　puffs　in　the　direction　from　which　the　rain　threatens　to　come；　holding　in　his　hand　a　packet　of　leaves　and　bark　which　derive　a　similar　cloud…compelling　virtue；　not　from　their　chemical　composition；　but　from　their　names；　which　happen　to　signify　something　dry　or　volatile。　If　clouds　should　appear　in　the　sky　while　he　is　at　work；　he　takes　lime　in　the　hollow　of　his　hand　and　blows　it　towards　them。　The　lime；　being　so　very　dry；　is　obviously　well　adapted　to　disperse　the　damp　clouds。　Should　rain　afterwards　be　wanted；　he　has　only　to　pour　water　on　his　fire；　and　immediately　the　rain　will　descend　in　sheets。

The　reader　will　observe　how　exactly　the　Javanese　and　Toradja　observances；　which　are　intended　to　prevent　rain；　form　the　antithesis　of　the　Indian　observances；　which　aim　at　producing　it。　The　Indian　sage　is　commanded　to　touch　water　thrice　a　day　regularly　as　well　as　on　various　special　occasions；　the　Javanese　and　Toradja　wizards　may　not　touch　it　at　all。　The　Indian　lives　out　in　the　forest；　and　even　when　it　rains　he　may　not　take　shelter；　the　Javanese　and　the　Toradja　sit　in　a　house　or　a　hut。　The　one　signifies　his　sympathy　with　water　by　receiving　the　rain　on　his　person　and　speaking　of　it　respectfully；　the　others　light　a　lamp　or　a　fire　and　do　their　best　to　drive　the　rain　away。　Yet　the　principle　on　which　all　three　act　is　the　same；　each　of　them；　by　a　sort　of　childish　make…believe；　identifies　himself　with　the　phenomenon　which　he　desires　to　produce。　It　is　the　old　fallacy　that　the　effect　resembles　its　cause：　if　you　would　make　wet　weather；　you　must　be　wet；　if　you　would　make　dry　weather；　you　must　be　dry。

In　South…eastern　Europe　at　the　present　day　ceremonies　are　observed　for　the　purpose　of　making　rain　which　not　only　rest　on　the　same　general　train　of　thought　as　the　preceding；　but　even　in　their　details　resemble　the　ceremonies　practised　with　the　same　intention　by　the　Baronga　of　Delagoa　Bay。　Among　the　Greeks　of　Thessaly　and　Macedonia；　when　a　drought　has　lasted　a　long　time；　it　is　customary　to　send　a　procession　of　children　round　to　all　the　wells　and　springs　of　the　neighbourhood。　At　the　head　of　the　procession　walks　a　girl　adorned　with　flowers；　whom　her　companions　drench　with　water　at　every　halting…place；　while　they　sing　an　invocation；　of　which　the　following　is　part：

Perperia　all　fresh　bedewed；　Freshen　all　the　neighbourhood；　By　the　woods；　on　the　highway；　As　thou　goest；　to　God　now　pray：　O　my　God；　upon　the　plain；　Send　thou　us　a　still；　small　rain；　That　the　fields　may　fruitful　be；　And　vines　in　blossom　we　may　see；　That　the　grain　be　full　and　sound；　And　wealthy　grow　the　folks　around。

In　time　of　drought　the　Serbians　strip　a　girl　to　her　skin　and　clothe　her　from　head　to　foot　in　grass；　herbs；　and　flowers；　even　her　face　being　hidden　behind　a　veil　of　living　green。　Thus　disguised　she　is　called　the　Dodola；　and　goes　through　the　village　with　a　troop　of　girls。　They　stop　before　every　house；　the　Dodola　keeps　turning　herself　round　and　dancing；　while　the　other　girls　form　a　ring　about　her　singing　one　of　the　Dodola　songs；　and　the　housewife　pours　a　pail　of　water　over　her。　One　of　the　songs　they　sing　runs　thus：

We　go　through　the　village；　The　clouds　go　in　the　sky；　We　go　faster；　Faster　go　the　clouds；　They　have　overtaken　us；　And　wetted　the　corn　and　the　vine。

At　Poona　in　India；　when　rain　is　needed；　the　boys　dress　up　one　of　their　number　in　nothing　but　leaves　and　call　him　King　of　Rain。　Then　they　go　round　to　every　house　in　the　village；　where　the　house…holder　or　his　wife　sprinkles　the　Rain　King　with　water；　and　gives　the　party　food　of　various　kinds。　When　they　have　thus　visited　all　the　houses；　they　strip　the　Rain　King　of　his　leafy　robes　and　feast　upon　what　they　have　gathered。

Bathing　is　practised　as　a　rain…charm　in　some　parts　of　Southern　and　Western　Russia。　Sometimes　after　service　in　church　the　priest　in　his　robes　has　been　thrown　down　on　the　ground　and　drenched　with　water　by　his　parishioners。　Sometimes　it　is　the　women　who；　without　stripping　off　their　clothes；　bathe　in　crowds　on　the　day　of　St。　John　the　Baptist；　while　they　dip　in　the　water　a　figure　made　of　branches；　grass；　and　herbs；　which　is　supposed　to　represent　the　saint。　In　Kursk；　a　province　of　Southern　Russia；　when　rain　is　much　wanted；　the　women　seize　a　passing　stranger　and　throw　him　into　the　river；　or　souse　him　from　head　to　foot。　Later　on　we　shall　see　that　a　passing　stranger　is　often　taken　for　a　deity　or　the　personification　of　some　natural　power。　It　is　recorded　in　official　docume