the golden bough-第27节

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g　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　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