the golden bough-第58部分

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　helps　them　on　their　forays　to　hook　in　fresh　heads。　One　of　the　implements　of　a　Haida　medicine…man　is　a　hollow　bone；　in　which　he　bottles　up　departing　souls；　and　so　restores　them　to　their　owners。　When　any　one　yawns　in　their　presence　the　Hindoos　always　snap　their　thumbs；　believing　that　this　will　hinder　the　soul　from　issuing　through　the　open　mouth。　The　Marquesans　used　to　hold　the　mouth　and　nose　of　a　dying　man；　in　order　to　keep　him　in　life　by　preventing　his　soul　from　escaping；　the　same　custom　is　reported　of　the　New　Caledonians；　and　with　the　like　intention　the　Bagobos　of　the　Philippine　Islands　put　rings　of　brass　wire　on　the　wrists　or　ankles　of　their　sick。　On　the　other　hand；　the　Itonamas　of　South　America　seal　up　the　eyes；　nose；　and　mouth　of　a　dying　person；　in　case　his　ghost　should　get　out　and　carry　off　others；　and　for　a　similar　reason　the　people　of　Nias；　who　fear　the　spirits　of　the　recently　deceased　and　identify　them　with　the　breath；　seek　to　confine　the　vagrant　soul　in　its　earthly　tabernacle　by　bunging　up　the　nose　or　tying　up　the　jaws　of　the　corpse。　Before　leaving　a　corpse　the　Wakelbura　of　Australia　used　to　place　hot　coals　in　its　ears　in　order　to　keep　the　ghost　in　the　body；　until　they　had　got　such　a　good　start　that　he　could　not　overtake　them。　In　Southern　Celebes；　to　hinder　the　escape　of　a　woman's　soul　in　childbed；　the　nurse　ties　a　band　as　tightly　as　possible　round　the　body　of　the　expectant　mother。　The　Minangkabauers　of　Sumatra　observe　a　similar　custom；　a　skein　of　thread　or　a　string　is　sometimes　fastened　round　the　wrist　or　loins　of　a　woman　in　childbed；　so　that　when　her　soul　seeks　to　depart　in　her　hour　of　travail　it　may　find　the　egress　barred。　And　lest　the　soul　of　a　babe　should　escape　and　be　lost　as　soon　as　it　is　born；　the　Alfoors　of　Celebes；　when　a　birth　is　about　to　take　place；　are　careful　to　close　every　opening　in　the　house；　even　the　keyhole；　and　they　stop　up　every　chink　and　cranny　in　the　walls。　Also　they　tie　up　the　mouths　of　all　animals　inside　and　outside　the　house；　for　fear　one　of　them　might　swallow　the　child's　soul。　For　a　similar　reason　all　persons　present　in　the　house；　even　the　mother　herself；　are　obliged　to　keep　their　mouths　shut　the　whole　time　the　birth　is　taking　place。　When　the　question　was　put；　Why　they　did　not　hold　their　noses　also；　lest　the　child's　soul　should　get　into　one　of　them？　the　answer　was　that　breath　being　exhaled　as　well　as　inhaled　through　the　nostrils；　the　soul　would　be　expelled　before　it　could　have　time　to　settle　down。　Popular　expressions　in　the　language　of　civilised　peoples；　such　as　to　have　one's　heart　in　one's　mouth；　or　the　soul　on　the　lips　or　in　the　nose；　show　how　natural　is　the　idea　that　the　life　or　soul　may　escape　by　the　mouth　or　nostrils。

Often　the　soul　is　conceived　as　a　bird　ready　to　take　flight。　This　conception　has　probably　left　traces　in　most　languages；　and　it　lingers　as　a　metaphor　in　poetry。　The　Malays　carry　out　the　conception　of　the　bird…soul　in　a　number　of　odd　ways。　If　the　soul　is　a　bird　on　the　wing；　it　may　be　attracted　by　rice；　and　so　either　prevented　from　flying　away　or　lured　back　again　from　its　perilous　flight。　Thus　in　Java　when　a　child　is　placed　on　the　ground　for　the　first　time　（a　moment　which　uncultured　people　seem　to　regard　as　especially　dangerous）；　it　is　put　in　a　hen…coop　and　the　mother　makes　a　clucking　sound；　as　if　she　were　calling　hens。　And　in　Sintang；　a　district　of　Borneo；　when　a　person；　whether　man；　woman；　or　child；　has　fallen　out　of　a　house　or　off　a　tree；　and　has　been　brought　home；　his　wife　or　other　kinswoman　goes　as　speedily　as　possible　to　the　spot　where　the　accident　happened；　and　there　strews　rice；　which　has　been　coloured　yellow；　while　she　utters　the　words；　Cluck！　cluck！　soul！　So…and…so　is　in　his　house　again。　Cluck！　cluck！　soul！　Then　she　gathers　up　the　rice　in　a　basket；　carries　it　to　the　sufferer；　and　drops　the　grains　from　her　hand　on　his　head；　saying　again；　Cluck！　cluck！　soul！　Here　the　intention　clearly　is　to　decoy　back　the　loitering　bird…soul　and　replace　it　in　the　head　of　its　owner。

The　soul　of　a　sleeper　is　supposed　to　wander　away　from　his　body　and　actually　to　visit　the　places；　to　see　the　persons；　and　to　perform　the　acts　of　which　he　dreams。　For　example；　when　an　Indian　of　Brazil　or　Guiana　wakes　up　from　a　sound　sleep；　he　is　firmly　convinced　that　his　soul　has　really　been　away　hunting；　fishing；　felling　trees；　or　whatever　else　he　has　dreamed　of　doing；　while　all　the　time　his　body　has　been　lying　motionless　in　his　hammock。　A　whole　Bororo　village　has　been　thrown　into　a　panic　and　nearly　deserted　because　somebody　had　dreamed　that　he　saw　enemies　stealthily　approaching　it。　A　Macusi　Indian　in　weak　health；　who　dreamed　that　his　employer　had　made　him　haul　the　canoe　up　a　series　of　difficult　cataracts；　bitterly　reproached　his　master　next　morning　for　his　want　of　consideration　in　thus　making　a　poor　invalid　go　out　and　toil　during　the　night。　The　Indians　of　the　Gran　Chaco　are　often　heard　to　relate　the　most　incredible　stories　as　things　which　they　have　themselves　seen　and　heard；　hence　strangers　who　do　not　know　them　intimately　say　in　their　haste　that　these　Indians　are　liars。　In　point　of　fact　the　Indians　are　firmly　convinced　of　the　truth　of　what　they　relate；　for　these　wonderful　adventures　are　simply　their　dreams；　which　they　do　not　distinguish　from　waking　realities。

Now　the　absence　of　the　soul　in　sleep　has　its　dangers；　for　if　from　any　cause　the　soul　should　be　permanently　detained　away　from　the　body；　the　person　thus　deprived　of　the　vital　principle　must　die。　There　is　a　German　belief　that　the　soul　escapes　from　a　sleeper's　mouth　in　the　form　of　a　white　mouse　or　a　little　bird；　and　that　to　prevent　the　return　of　the　bird　or　animal　would　be　fatal　to　the　sleeper。　Hence　in　Transylvania　they　say　that　you　should　not　let　a　child　sleep　with　its　mouth　open；　or　its　soul　will　slip　out　in　the　shape　of　a　mouse；　and　the　child　will　never　wake。　Many　causes　may　detain　the　sleeper's　soul。　Thus；　his　soul　may　meet　the　soul　of　another　sleeper　and　the　two　souls　may　fight；　if　a　Guinea　negro　wakens　with　sore　bones　in　the　morning；　he　thinks　that　his　soul　has　been　thrashed　by　another　soul　in　sleep。　Or　it　may　meet　the　soul　of　a　person　just　deceased　and　be　carried　off　by　it；　hence　in　the　Aru　Islands　the　inmates　of　a　house　will　not　sleep　the　night　after　a　death　has　taken　place　in　it；　because　the　soul　of　the　deceased　is　supposed　to　be　still　in　the　house　and　they　fear　to　meet　it　in　a　dream。　Again；　the　soul　of　the　sleeper　may　be　prevented　by　an　accident　or　by　physical　force　from　returning　to　his　body。　When　a　Dyak　dreams　of　falling　into　the　water；　he　supposes　that　this　accident　has　really　befallen　his　spirit；　and　he　sends　for　a　wizard；　who　fishes　for　the　spirit　with　a　hand…net　in　a　basin　of　water　till　he　catches　it　and　restores　it　to　its　owner。　The　Santals　tell　how　a　man　fell　asleep；　and　growing　very　thirsty；　his　soul；　in　the　form　of　a　lizard；　left　his　body　and　entered　a　pitcher　of　water　to　drink。　Just　then　the　owner　of　the　pitcher　happened　to　cover　it；　so　the　soul　could　not　return　to　the　body　and　the　man　died。　While　his　friends　were　preparing　to　burn　the　body　some　one　uncovered　the　pitcher　to　get　water。　The　lizard　thus　escaped　and　returned　to　the　body；　which　immediately　revived；　so　the　man　rose　up　and　asked　his　friends　why　they　were　weeping。　They　told　him　they　thought　he　was　dead　and　were　about　to　burn　his　body。　He　said　he　had　been　down　a　well　to　get　water；　but　had　found　it　hard　to　get　out　and　had　just　returned。　So　they　saw　it　all。

It　is　a　common　rule　with　primitive　people　not　to　waken　a　sleeper；　because　his　soul　is　away　and　might　not　have　time　to　get　back；　so　if　the　man　wakened　without　his　soul；　he　would　fall　sick。　If　it　is　absolutely　necessary　to　rouse　a　sleeper；　it　must　be　done　very　gradually；　to　allow　the　soul　time　to　return。　A　Fijian　in　Matuku；　suddenly　wakened　from　a　nap　by　somebody　treading　on　his　foot；　has　been　heard　bawling　after　his　soul　and　imploring　it　to　return。　He　had　just　been　dreaming　that　he　was　far　away　in　Tonga；　and　great　was　his　alarm　on　suddenly　wakening　to　find　his　body　in　Matuku。　Death　stared　him　in　the　face　unless　his　soul　could　be　induced　to　speed　at　once　across　the　sea　and　reanimate　its　deserted　tenement。　The　man　would　probably　have　died　of　fright　if　a　missionary　had　not　been　at　hand　to　allay　his　terror。

Still　more　dangerous　is　it　in　the　opinion　of　primitive　man　to　move　a　sleeper　or　alter　his　appearance；　for　if　this　were　done　the　soul　on　its　return　might　not　be　able　to　find　or　recognise　its　body；　and　so　the　person　would　die。　The　Minangkabauers　deem　it　highly　improper　to　blacken　or　dirty　the　face　of　a　sleeper；　lest　the　absent　soul　should　shrink　from　re…entering　a　body　thus　disfigured。　Patani　Malays　fancy　that　if　a　person's　face　be　painted　while　he　sleeps；　the　soul　which　has　gone　out　of　him　will　not　recognise　him；　and　he　will　sleep　on　till　his　face　is　washed。　In　Bombay　it　is　thought　equivalent　to　murder　to　change　the　aspect　of　a　sleeper；　as　by　painting　his　face　in　fantastic　colours　or　giving　moustaches　to　a　sleeping　woman。　For　when　the　soul　returns　it　will　not　know　its　own　body；　and　the　person　will　die。

But　in　order　that　a　man's　soul　should　quit　his　body；　it　is　not　necessary　that　he　should　be　asleep。　It　may　quit　him　in　his　waking　hours；　and　then　sickness；　insanity；　or　death　will　be　the　result。　Thus　a　man　of　the　Wurunjeri　tribe　in　Australia　lay　at　his　last　gasp　because　his　spirit　had　departed　from　him。　A　medicine…man　went　in　pursuit　and　caught　the　spirit　by　the　middle　just　as　it　was　about　to　plunge　into　the　sunset　glow；　which　is　the　light　cast　by　the　souls　of　the　dead　as　they　pass　in　and　out　of　the　under…world；　where　the　sun　goes　to　rest。　Having　captured　the　vagrant　spirit；　the　doctor　brought　it　back　under　his　opossum　rug；　laid　himself　down　on　the　dying　man；　and　put　the　soul　back　into　him；　so　that　after　a　time　he　revived。　The　Karens　of　Burma　are　perpetually　anxious　about　their　souls；　lest　these　should　go　roving　from　their　bodies；　leaving　the　owners　to　die。　When　a　man　has　reason　to　fear　that　his　soul　is　about　to　take　this　fatal　step；　a　ceremony　is　performed　to　retain　or　recall　it；　in　which　the　whole　family　must　take　part。　A　meal　is　prepared　consisting　of　a　cock　and　hen；　a　special　kind　of　rice；　and　a　bunch　of　bananas。　Then　the　head　of　the　family　takes　the　bowl　which　is　used　to　skim　rice；　and　knocking　with　it　thrice　on　the　top　of